With the borders ‘hopefully’ reopening soon, my wife and I are hoping to visit Japan in mid-late December for our honeymoon. We’d like to stay 1-2 nights in a traditional onsen, so I’ve narrowed it down to the following weekend trips from Tokyo.
* Kinosaki – probably my favorite so far, but a 6 hour train ride seems a bit much unless we change our trip and stay in Osaka or Kyoto for a bit?
* Ginzan Onsen – the original inspiration for our winter trip, but the area sounds quite small + most of the nicer ryokans are already booked
* Takaragawa – seems the most picturesque and peaceful, just not many other activities to do
* Nyuto Onsen – also very secluded/peaceful, but more difficult to travel to?
* Kusatsu Onsen – seem more touristy, but also has lots to do
Any recommendations? For us, I’d say it’s most important that the area actually have a lot of snow.
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Now, the question is whether it is highly likely to have a lot of snow or ‘must have a lot of snow’, because this impacts answer a lot.
Must have a lot of snow basically means that you are seeking an onsen in the mountains of northern parts of Tohoku or Hokkaido. Of the above-mentioned, only Nyuto Onsen comes with 99% guarantee of the snow. Ginzan Onsen is the next most likely to have cover, but even mildly unseasonably warm (or dry) weather will put other of above-mentioned resorts rather of ‘likely to have, but no full guarantees’ variety.
As for the easy access: Shibu Onsen in Yamanouchi would be my typical first answer (and its next to Shiga Kogen).