Tottori's Skin Care Hot Springs - Easy Access From Osaka And Kyoto!

It has been said there are many people with beautiful skin in Tottori prefecture. One reason for this is thought to be the sheer number of hot springs found in the prefecture.
Tottori is home to ten hot springs towns and all are said to be effective for promoting beautiful skin and health.

Here, we will introduce highly recommended hot springs in Kurayoshi, Yonago, and Tottori City, as well as their neighboring areas - all of which are conveniently and easy to access from popular sightseeing regions like Osaka and Kyoto!

Table of Contents:

1. Misasa Onsen, Kurayoshi: Enjoy World-Leading Radium Springs
2. Kaike Onsen: Accessible from Mizuki Shigeru Road & Mt. Daisen
3. Tottori Hot Spring: Enter a Natural Spring Right Next to the Station!
4. Hawai Onsen: Enjoy The Lake Scenery

Misasa Onsen, Kurayoshi: Enjoy World-Leading Radium Springs

Offering Preventive Effects Against Cancer and Lifestyle Diseases

Photo courtesy of: Tottori Prefecture

Kurayoshi, Tottori can be accessed in three to four hours by the JR Limited Express from Osaka or Kyoto. Nearby are several sightseeing areas such as the Gosho Aoyama Manga Factory, where you can dive into the world of the animated series Detective Conan, and the Shirakabe Storehouses where traces of the Edo and Meiji periods still remain.

Misasa Onsen is located a 20 minute journey by bus from JR Kurayoshi Station in the center of Kurayoshi. It is a radium hot spring that boasts the world’s highest radon concentration.

Radium hot springs are said to boost metabolism, immunity, and the body’s natural healing powers. They are also believed to be useful in preventing cancer, lifestyle diseases, and aging.

“Misasa” literally means “three mornings.” It is said that all kinds of sicknesses are cured when you greet three mornings at Misasa Onsen. In recent years, many people from all over Japan and overseas come to visit this onsen.

Misasa Onsen is also known as a sacred place that heals the fatigue of the Buddhist mountain ascetics that train on Mt. Mitoku after having purified their bodies and spirits. For more details, please check their official Japan Heritage website.

Misasa Onsen – Official Japan Heritage Website on Mt. Mitoku
http://spa-misasa.jp/japan-heritage/en/

Stay at Misasa Onsen!

To experience the hot springs of Misasa Onsen to the fullest, we recommend lodging at the resort.

There are 26 ryokans (Japanese inns) and hotels in the Misasa Onsen area. Many of the ryokans offer fine quality foods such as fresh seafood cuisines. If you stay for two nights or more, a discount will also be applied to your stay.

Several unique ryokans are located in this area, such as Izanro Iwasaki, a high-end ryokan where even Emperor Showa stayed, Ryokan O-hashi, whose buildings have been designated a Cultural Property of Japan, and many others.

Information on Misasa Onsen’s Ryokans and Hotels
http://spa-misasa.jp/stay/ (Misasa Onsen Tourism Association)

Enjoy Japanese Sake and More at Misasa Onsen

There are also many unique shops near Misasa Onsen, like as Fujii Shuzo Brewery, which produces and sells Japanese sake that took the gold medal in the International Wine Challenge (a wine competition hosted in the United Kingdom), and Rajiumuan, where you can taste soft-serve ice cream made with chestnuts, and more.

There are also shops like Misho Misasaya, a creative restaurant managed by an owner who speaks English and Chinese, which is very helpful for international travelers.

Enjoy the Fresh Water at Misasa Onsen!

It is said that not only entering, but also drinking the water from a radium hot spring will warm you internally and enhance its health-based effectiveness. At Misasa Onsen, there is an area where you can drink the hot spring water with the provided teacups.

Photo courtesy of Misasa Onsen Tourism Association

And, there is also an area where you can enjoy free footbaths.

Misasa Onsen
Address: Tottori, Tohaku, Misasacho, Misasa
Website: http://spa-misasa.jp/eng/ (Misasa Onsen Tourism Association)

Kaike Onsen: Accessible from Mizuki Shigeru Road and Mt. Daisen

Enjoy a Seawater Bath

Photo courtesy of Tottori Prefecture

Yonago, is a city situated between Sakaiminato, known as Mizuki Shigeru Road where bronze statues of the spirit-monsters that appear in the animated series GeGeGe no Kitaro are displayed, and Mt. Daisen, one of Tottori’s greatest tourist attractions. It is a three to four hour journey by JR Limited Express from Osaka or Kyoto and is the perfect distance for a short trip.

Kaike Onsen is a 20 minute journey by bus from JR Yonago Station in central Yonago.

The resort was selected as one of Japan’s 100 Most Beautiful Sunset-Sunrise Spots due to its location along Yumigahama and the very beautiful sunrises and sunsets that can be seen from the resort. Summers are crowded with people thanks to the beaches nearby.

Enjoy Fresh Seafood at Kaike Onsen Hotels

Photo courtesy of Yukibo-Hakusen

There are 20 ryokan and hotels in the Kaike Onsen area. Due to its close proximity to Sakai Port, Japan’s leading area for red snow crab and fresh tuna, the area is characterized by the  fresh seafood cuisine here.

There are many hotels that offer stunning views of Yumigahama, such as Yukibo-Hakusen, where each guest room has an ocean view.

Information on Kaike Onsen’s Hotels and Ryokan:
https://www.kaike-onsen.com/new/EN/hotel_list.html (Kaike Onsen Ryokan Association)

Sulfate Salt Springs – Effective for Skincare and Nerve Pain

Kaike Onsen is a hot spring mixed with seawater called “sulfate salt springs.” The springs have a high thermal effect and are said to be effective against nerve pain, rheumatism, gastrointestinal disorders, cold sensitivity, and skin diseases in addition to aiding in beautifying skin.

If you’ll be taking a trip to tourist attractions such as Mt. Daisen and Mizuki Shigeru Road, then definitely please stay at Kaike Onsen.

Kaike Onsen
Address: Tottori, Yonago, Kaike Onsen area
Website: https://www.kaike-onsen.com/new/EN/index.html
(Kaike Onsen Ryokan Association)

Photo courtesy of: Tottori Prefecture

Tottori City in Tottori is where famous tourist attractions such as the Tottori Sand Dunes and Uradome Coast are found. It is located about two to three hours by JR Limited Express from Osaka or Kyoto.

Tottori Hot Spring, a five minute walk from JR Tottori Station in the center of Tottori, is visited by many people from locals to tourists thanks to its amazing accessibility.

Enjoy Tottori Hot Springs as a Day Trip or Overnight

There are four ryokans in the Tottori Hot Springs area in addition to its day trip hot springs.

The four ryokans are KOZENIYA, which has private rotemburo (open air baths) and gardens, Marumo Ryokan, where you can appreciate food made with local ingredients, Hotel Monarque Tottori, a hotel fully equipped with large public baths and saunas, and Taisuikaku (Japanese) which is famous for its mushroom dishes. Lodgings can be chosen based on your price range and preferences.

Hawai Onsen: Enjoy The Lake Scenery

There are also several other onsens such as Hawai Onsen and Togo Onsen located on the shore of Lake Togo near Kurayoshi, Sekigane Onsen, and Iwai Onsen nearby Tottori City. By all means, please stay at a ryokan and relax in the hot springs when you come to Tottori.

Information on ryokans and hot springs in Tottori::
https://www.tottori-tour.jp/en/accommondation/

For more information on Tottori Prefecture, please take a look at our article section on Tottori.

Sponsored by Tottori Prefecture