6 best family Onsens in Japan

1. ATARAYO | NISHI-IZU

Facility Overview

Atarayo is an onsen ryokan located in Izu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. The name "Atarayo" is derived from the phrase "Atarayo: a wonderful night that is too precious to end," which is mentioned in Japan's oldest anthology of poetry, the "Manyoshu." Nearby, there are tourist spots that the whole family can enjoy, such as Matsubara Park, Toi Beach, and Cape Travellers.

Matsubara Park is famous for having the world's largest flower clock. Around the flower clock, there is a health pathway lined with stones that stimulate acupressure points on the feet. Toi Beach is a shallow beach with calm waves. Showers and changing rooms are available for free. Cape Travellers is a scenic spot where you can enjoy beautiful sunsets. From the terraced steps located on the cliff, you can get a panoramic view of Suruga Bay.

After witnessing the beautiful sunset of Nishi-Izu, Atarayo offers you a wonderful night that you won’t want to end. You can enjoy foot baths, roasting marshmallows, and relaxing around the irori (traditional Japanese hearth) or the bar. You can also savor seasonal ingredients with kaiseki cuisine, providing your family with a special moment.

Onsen

The ryokan has a large communal bath, family onsen (private onsen), and baths in rooms. The water quality is a calcium-sodium sulfate spring rich in the blessings of the sea.

The large communal bath includes an open-air garden bath, an indoor bath, and a panoramic open-air bath. From the panoramic open-air bath on the top floor, you can get a full view of Suruga Bay and, if you're lucky, even see Shimizu and Shizuoka on the opposite shore.

The family onsen is a private open-air bath available for rental. It is open from 3:00 PM to 10:45 PM, allowing you to relax and unwind after a day of sightseeing. The baths in rooms are available in suites, special Japanese-style rooms on the top floor, Japanese-style twin rooms, and king rooms, all featuring private open-air onsen baths. These serene, modern Japanese-style spaces allow you to enjoy your private time without any worries.

The special Japanese-style room on the top floor offers a breathtaking view of Suruga Bay.

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2. Hidatei Hanaougi

Facility Overview

This is a traditional Japanese-style onsen ryokan located in Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture. The interior, made with Jindaisugi (ancient cedar) and Jindaikeyaki (ancient zelkova), is filled with the warmth of wood. These woods are ancient trees that were buried in the ground and discovered just before they became fossils. They are extremely rare and cannot be artificially created.

Takayama City, located in the center of the Hida region, is a popular tourist destination known as Hida Takayama.

Hida Hotel Hanaougi is a recommended base for exploring Hida. At this ryokan, which values traditional Japanese hospitality, the same attendant will take care of guests from check-in to check-out. This consistent care provides a sense of security, especially for families with young children.

The cuisine mainly features carefully selected Hida beef, complemented by seasonal ingredients from the Takayama area. Both dinner and breakfast are served in private rooms called "Sanmachi Koji," not in the guest rooms. Families can enjoy delicious meals while having a relaxing conversation.

Onsen

The onsen features a rare private source within the Hida Takayama area. The hot spring water, drawn from 1,200 meters underground, is a sodium bicarbonate spring. The water is so soft and smooth that it feels like beauty serum on your skin.

The ryokan has a large communal bath, family onsen (private onsen), baths in rooms, and a foot bath. The large communal bath includes both indoor and outdoor baths. The outdoor bath in the large communal bath alternates between men’s and women’s baths in the morning and evening.

The family onsen is a private open-air bath, allowing guests to enjoy a spacious open-air bath without worrying about others. The baths in rooms feature open-air onsen baths, with rooms accommodating 2 to 7 people. Even large families can stay comfortably.

The foot bath is located in an open space on the first floor, where you can enjoy a foot bath while looking through guidebooks of Hida Takayama or chatting with your family.

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3. Tsuetate Onsen | Hizenya

Facility Overview

Tsue-tate Onsen Hizenya, founded in 1690, is a large tourist hotel that represents Tsue-tate. The hotel is located in Tsue-tate Onsen, situated on the border between Kumamoto Prefecture and Oita Prefecture.

Tsue-tate Onsen is in Oguni Town, Aso District, Kumamoto Prefecture, and part of the onsen town extends into Hita City, Oita Prefecture, allowing for accommodations that span both prefectures.

All guest rooms face the river, offering views of the Tsue-tate River and the primeval forest composed of lava rocks from 1.3 million years ago across the river. Inside the hotel, there is a border line indicator, with Kumamoto-kan, featuring Japanese-Western rooms, and Oita-kan, featuring Japanese-style rooms, divided by the border.

The hotel also boasts various amusement facilities besides the onsen, such as a bowling alley, a game center, and a seasonal leisure pool.

"Yao-yorozu Dining," with its interior showcasing the traditional crafts of Kumamoto and Oita, is a buffet restaurant where you can savor carefully selected ingredients from Kyushu. The open kitchen serves freshly prepared dishes. There is also a dining area where you can enjoy kaiseki cuisine in a calm atmosphere.

Onsen

The hotel has large communal baths and baths in rooms. The hot spring water is a colorless, transparent simple onsen. With a pH level above 8.5, the alkaline water emulsifies and washes away skin fats and secretions, providing benefits for neuralgia and joint pain. It also contains metasilicic acid, a natural moisturizing ingredient, which has beauty benefits for the skin.

The hotel grounds feature 11 abundant hot spring sources and four large communal bath facilities.

These facilities are Kichijo no Yu, Bungo no Yu, Daishizen, and Higo no Yu. The attraction is being able to enjoy various bathtubs in multiple large communal baths with different themes.

Kichijo no Yu is an open-air bath offering five types of baths: large and small rock baths, a wooden bath, a barrel bath, and a lava bath. Bungo no Yu includes both an open-air bath and an indoor bath, featuring the world’s first anti-aging sauna.

Daishizen has both Japanese and Western-style indoor and outdoor baths. Higo no Yu includes an indoor bath and an open-air bath, with stained glass adorning the walls of the indoor bath area.

The baths in rooms are available in suite rooms with private open-air baths on the top floor, the 9th floor. There are two rooms, "Kinkaku" and "Ginkaku," each offering a living space and a luxurious setting with picturesque views of the gorge, creating a relaxing atmosphere. These rooms can accommodate 2 to 8 people.

With a variety of amusement facilities within the hotel, it caters to families of all ages, ensuring that everyone can enjoy their stay together.

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4. Kuhe Ryokan

Facility Overview

This is an onsen ryokan located in Yutagawa Onsen, Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture. Yutagawa Onsen has a history of over 1300 years. The ryokan was founded around the middle of the Edo period (1603–1868) and is known as a favorite retreat of Naoki Prize-winning author Shuhei Fujisawa.

The ryokan features a library corner focusing on Fujisawa's books and a section dedicated to related authors. The Naoki Prize is one of Japan's premier literary awards, given to popular fiction.

The ryokan prides itself on offering freshly prepared meals using carefully selected seasonal local ingredients. The kaiseki course menu, which changes approximately every month, is highly praised for its seasonal flavors. Both breakfast and dinner are served in private dining rooms, allowing families to enjoy their meals without worrying about others.

With a tranquil environment of only 13 rooms, this ryokan is ideal for families who want to relax and enjoy the historic onsen and meals. Except for one smoking area, the entire ryokan, including all rooms, is non-smoking, so there is no concern about secondhand smoke for children.

Onsen

The ryokan features large communal baths, family onsen (private onsen), and baths in rooms. The hot spring water is a sodium-calcium sulfate spring, which is clear and gentle on the skin.

There are two large communal baths themed around mountains and rivers, named "Mountain Bath" and "River Bath." The Mountain Bath has cute rabbit statues in the four corners of the bath. The River Bath has a large aquarium wall with many goldfish swimming inside.

Guests can enjoy their bath while watching the goldfish swim gracefully. These features are sure to delight young children. Family onsen is available for free to staying guests and can be used at any time without a reservation if it's vacant.

Baths in rooms are available in maisonette-type rooms, a 12-tatami mat Japanese-style room called "Early Spring Room," and a 10-tatami mat Japanese-style room called "Flower Calendar Room."

A maisonette-type room refers to an apartment or house split into multiple levels. The maisonette rooms at the ryokan are two-story accommodations, spacious enough for 2 to 7 guests, with an internal staircase connecting the floors. These rooms provide a private space for each member even in large groups.

Guests at the ryokan can also use the three family onsen at the sister inn "Shugyokuya," though reservations are required and should be confirmed at the front desk. Yutagawa Onsen has two public baths that are free for staying guests. These public baths outside the ryokan are also used by locals, adding to the enjoyment of an onsen trip by exploring various baths.

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5. Atami Onsen | Yuyado Mikannoki

Facility Overview

This is an onsen ryokan located in Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Despite being in the heart of the Atami onsen town, it boasts a serene Japanese-style ambiance. Its central location makes it an ideal base for exploring Atami. There are many attractive tourist spots nearby, with Sun Beach just a one-minute walk away.

The famous Atami Sea Fireworks Festival can be enjoyed throughout the year, and during the summer, a special area near the launch site is reserved for guests.

The cuisine features kaiseki dishes made with seasonal local ingredients, including delicacies such as kinmedai (splendid alfonsino) sourced from the nearby area.

The ryokan offers a special plan exclusively for families with children aged 0 to 2 years old. Additionally, there are plans available for celebrating birthdays, school entrance ceremonies, and other special occasions. Children's meals are also available. The ryokan is proactive in accommodating guests with mobility needs. Wheelchairs are available for loan, and some guest rooms and baths are equipped with handrails, making it suitable for multigenerational trips, from families with small children to those traveling with elderly members.

Onsen

The ryokan features large communal baths and baths in rooms. The onsen uses its own carefully maintained hot spring source. Fresh hot spring water flows continuously 24 hours a day. The source, called "Aonuma-yu," is a high-temperature, mildly alkaline onsen with a long history.

The spring water is a sodium-calcium chloride onsen, rich in sodium and calcium ions, known for its skin-beautifying effects and is also called "Bijin no Yu" (beautiful woman’s bath).

The large communal baths include two indoor baths and two open-air baths. Day-use bathing is also available, allowing for a casual visit. The baths in rooms are open-air baths available in 10.5-tatami and 12.5-tatami Japanese-style rooms, featuring rock and ceramic bathtubs.

Check Atami Onsen | Yuyado Mikannoki

6. Shirahama Coganoi Resort & Spa

Facility Overview

This is a resort hotel located in Shirahama Town, Nishimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture. Shirahama Town is a resort destination known for Shirahama Onsen and its beautiful beaches. All rooms in the hotel, situated on a gently sloping hill, offer sea views.

Guests can enjoy a variety of exquisite dishes, including buffet, Japanese cuisine, and teppanyaki, featuring seafood and meat from the Nanki region and seasonal flavors from across Japan.

The hotel is certified as a "Welcome Baby" accommodation. This certification is granted by Mikihouse Child and Family Research Institute based on its own criteria, evaluating whether the hotel is family-friendly across 100 items, with at least 70 items needed to pass.

Mikihouse Child and Family Research Institute was established primarily by Mikihouse, a Japanese children's product manufacturer.

The "Welcome Baby" rooms are equipped to ensure that babies can stay safely and hygienically. During your stay, you can take advantage of free baby item rental services, such as potty seats and bedwetting pads. Baby products are also available for purchase, so you can rest easy if you forget something or need something unexpectedly.

There are also kids' menus and children's dining utensils available. Additionally, the hotel offers spacious family rooms of 45m² that can accommodate a family of four.

The hotel's facilities include an open terrace pool, offering a sense of freedom. The garden pool, open during the summer, provides a safe place for children who may not be ready for the sea. At night, from sunset until 11 PM, the garden is illuminated with enchanting lights.

The garden features glowing animal and whale sculptures to welcome you, and a heart-shaped photo spot, perfect for family photos.

Onsen

The hotel has a large communal bath. Shirahama Onsen is one of Japan's three oldest hot springs, with a long history. The spring water, similar to that of the historically celebrated "Yuzaki Seven Springs," is a sodium bicarbonate chloride spring.

Bathing in this water leaves the skin feeling smooth, earning it a reputation as a beauty-enhancing onsen.

The large communal bath includes both indoor and open-air baths. The open-air bath has a deep section with a depth of 120 cm, while the indoor bath is shallow. The open-air bath extends over a wide expanse of water, giving the sensation of floating.

Guests can enjoy a pleasant sense of openness, the scent of the trees, and the seasonal beauty reflected on the calm water surface.

Check Shirahama Coganoi Resort & Spa