Ryujin Onsen

Ryujin Onsen is a secluded hot-spring village deep in the Hidaka River valley of Wakayama Prefecture. One of Japan's three great “beautifying waters,” its sodium bicarbonate springs have earned the nickname “bijin-no-yu” — the hot spring of beautiful skin — for their remarkable softening effect.

Surrounded by steep cedar-covered mountains and accessible only by winding mountain roads, Ryujin feels genuinely remote. The village has kept its character — a handful of traditional ryokan line the river, a Meiji-era wooden bathhouse still operates, and the pace of life follows the seasons. It is a destination for those seeking authentic onsen culture far from commercialized resort towns.