Tokyo’s Top Onsen

The Best Places to Soak on a Rainy Day

I write this during mid-October in what has been one of the worst years in recent history (a.k.a. 2020). Right now, I should be trying to forget the fact that the entirety of our world has been upended by immersing myself in some rural region. Instead, I am sitting at my neighborhood Starbucks while the untimely Typhoon Chan-hom pelters the concrete jungle with relentless downpours. While the typhoon’s effect on Tokyo has turned out to be rather minor in comparison to previous storms, traveling during a typhoon is generally not a smart move. Oftentimes, bullet train service can be suddenly halted meaning you can easily get stuck out in the boonies.

Seeing I won’t be going anywhere this weekend, I want to take advantage of the down time and highlight several of my favorite onsen in central Tokyo. Now, Japan’s capital and onsen are two constructs typically unparalleled in thought. When one conjures up mental imagery of Japan’s numerous hot spring towns, folks often think of locations such as Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture or Ginzan Onsen up north. Tokyo, on the other hand, is a megalopolis of epic proportions and doesn’t exactly jive well with the notion of rustic onsen baths nestled amongst lush natural scenery.

Alas, while it’s true that Tokyo lacks the gorgeous mountain vistas of many famous hot…