Onsen outside of Tokyo

[melvynlim]

any onsen (hot springs) outside of tokyo to recommend? be there end of the month.

many thanks fellas!

[thomas_highstreet]

go to gunma..

takawagara is the only one i can remember name of in gunma right now, but it is literally the onsen hot spot of japan, there is loads there.. the most beautiful ones etc.

my girl is from a village there, ill ask her which are good ones.. ill post back later with the info'

[thomas_highstreet]

she said 'shima' is a real good town where lots of great onsen are.. chck that outtttt

[xcoldricex]

done onsens everywhere else but i never got to one in japan

guess that gives me a good excuse to go back though.

[greentea]

what if you got tatoos all over your body? can you still go?

[englandmj7]

what if you got tatoos all over your body? can you still go?

You just have to hang out in the Yakuza tub.......

[xcoldricex]

in korea you're not allowed.

in japan i don't think they care.

[herpsky]

a lot of public bath places have signs that say

"no person with tatoos allowed" (assuming yakuza-style-covering-your-back tattoos

my buddies always go to "tokyo onsen monogatari" which is a onsen theme park in daiba (followed by drunken karaoke)

[DaBestSpoona]

what if you got tatoos all over your body? can you still go?

I've been to a dozen in the last 4 years and I've seen half of them with "no tattoo" signs

[DaBestSpoona]

check out this place

http://www.kuramure.com/english/

[mizanation]

no, tattooed people are not allowed.

[xcoldricex]

hmm... i read a few articles about people talking to yakuza in onsens. with pictures. maybe they were just a few special onsens.

[thomas_highstreet]

they arent allowed.. its true, but of course you do get the odd bad ass going in with one..

tat's were a mark of the gang member in japan for hundreds of years.. its not suprising really that they dont want them in the springs. but of course recently tats are alot more common there, but i stil know alot of japanese families who would be genuinely very upset if their sons/daughters were to get tattoos..

theyre stil pretty taboo in jp..

[melvynlim]

cheers guys.

thanks Thomas, will definitely check out Shima, though I have a couple of tatts on me... heh.

[melvynlim]

btw, any good tattoo shops in tokyo? traditional and modern ones?

[mizanation]

hmm... i read a few articles about people talking to yakuza in onsens. with pictures. maybe they were just a few special onsens.

coldrice, my understanding is that 893 have their own onsen.

[neme216]

when i visited japan i went to a little resort type town called Hakone. there are very many onsens there and many onsen/hotels which can pose an interesting experience, and a very expensive one.

♪

[Jake Unkutt]

u got a chick from gunma now tom?

[djrajio]

Recommended areas:

Hakone

Nikko

Izu / Ito

All these areas take a couple hours by regular train from Tokyo.

I particularly would recommend Izu's Bousui onsen. I've been there a few times. Izu / Ito is famous for there onsen by the sea. Bousui is very nice and has a private gazebo onsen that overlooks the ocean. Nothing is more romantic than chilling with your girl in a warm private onsen watching the sunrise on a winter morning. TRUST ME.

[daikonyama]

http://www.wftv.com/slideshow/news/2691965/detail.html?qs=;s=11;w=480

This looks fun.