Hello,

I just joined this forum, and would like to take the opportunity to introduce a web site I am now preparing with a friend, called "Destination Onsen".

www.secret-japan.com/onsen

[link updated...]

Living in Japan, we both enjoy onsen (Japanese hot springs) very much, and spend a lot of time searching and visiting new areas. On this site, you can find information on about 50 onsen all around Japan (there will be more than 100 onsen available as soon as we finish to enter the data). Most of the onsen can be visited for a day trip only (which means you do not have to overnight in a ryokan/hotel to enjoy the baths).
Among available information are location of the onsen (with map), address and contact details, comments with quotes and some pictures.

Hope you will find this web site useful.

sanji

Please note that the URL of the web site dedicated to Japanese hot springs has changed.

The new address is : http://www.secret-japan.com/onsen

There are now 80 hot springs (onsen) in the database, and we added lots of features, including google maps to locate precisely the onsen. There are many pictures, too.

On the same server, we now have a new forum dedicated to travels in Japan (and mostly to "out of the beaten tracks" destination). The URL is http://www.secret-japan.com/forum

Should be interesting... for anyone planning to visit Japan!

sanji

Anyone know of onsen near the southern end of Okinawa?  I prefer a natural or semi-natural clothing optional mixed gender soak, like the remote places in the western U.S., but I do realize most Asian hot springs are commercialized.

Excellent website.  Looks like the Japenese do a very good job of improving a natural spring for general public use, while keeping the natural appeal intact.