My Favorite Onsen

I’ve been to many different hot springs, baths, hot tubs and onsen in my life. Here are three of the most unique and interesting.

Hamat Gader, Israel

Two of my friends and I were in the Golan Heights and decided to find out one day. We drove along a road with Danger Land Mine signs, old watch-towers, lots of UN vehicles, and a bombed-out bridge, the Allenby Bridge (above). Something struck me about this bridge as the journey as the area is beautiful, peaceful, even biblical, and yet here is this constant reminder of the conflict in this beautiful area.

Amazingly enough, in this arid region, and in the area which borders Israel, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, there is a crocodile farm. The Hamat Gader Crocodile Farm and Hot Springs to be exact. This is Israel’s only naturally flowing mineral hot springs. These springs began as a 2nd century spa, established by the “10th Legion of the Roman Empire” and became the second largest bathhouse in the Roman Empire, known as the "Three Graces", symbolizing charm, youth and beauty.

Takaragawa in Gunma Prefecture, Japan

Tokyo is an awesomely fun place. So much so, that you can literally spend years in Japan and never leave the city limits (or sleep). As Japan is an amazing and almost desolate country (95% of the population lives on 5% of the land), my friends and I used the book Hidden Onsens of Japan to explore some of these hot springs.

There are literally thousands of different types of onsen in Japan. Onsen in caves, low tide onsens where at low tide you can climb into a one-person hole that is filled with hot water, onsen with monkeys, onsen on mountains. My personal favorite is at Takaragawa in Gunma prefecture. I have fond memories of sitting surrounded by snow 5 meters deep, naked, under a hot waterfall, next to a raging cold river, drinking lots of alcohol. And I do indeed have to consider what is published for the “rest of the story”. But the guides say it all with the commentary “Some onsen are reluctant to accept foreigners because of previous bad experiences”.

Bagby Hot Springs

I think the Bagby Hot Springs represents my idea of heaven: old growth trees, hot rivers, and running naked through the deep-snow forest. Bagby Hot Springs are situated in an awe inspiring setting of old growth Douglas Fir, Hemlock and Cedar trees.

But the common aspect of all these places:

“Please Remember: Clothing is optional”