12 of the Best Onsen & Inns in Shikoku - A Must for Onsen Lovers!

The Shikoku region, which is surrounded by the sea and mountains and is rich in nature, is home to many high-quality onsen, including the nationally-famous Dogo onsen. It is also attractive that the atmosphere varies depending on the region, such as a secluded mountain area or a seaside resort. Soak in the hot onsen in an extraordinary atmosphere and relax your mind and body.

In this article, we will introduce 12 onsen areas in Shikoku. We will also introduce recommended inns, so please find your favorite spot and enjoy a healing onsen trip.

source:Contribution of Masa2016

Dogo onsen is one of Japan's three ancient hot springs with a history of about 3,000 years. It is also famous for being the stage of Soseki Natsume's novel "Botchan". The hot spring is a simple alkaline onsen spring, and it is said that it is less irritating to the skin and can be expected to have beauty effects. You can enjoy walking around the retro onsen onsen town while looking at the stately buildings like the Dogo Onsen Honkan.

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At Dogo onsen, I would like to recommend “Oborozukiyo”. A popular luxury ryokan with the image of an adult retreat. All rooms are suites with open-air baths, so you can spend a luxurious time. After exploring the onsen area, retreat to your inn and enjoy some private time.

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Oborozukiyo is also known for its cuisine. You can enjoy kaiseki cuisine that makes use of Ehime ingredients at the elegant restaurant "Nijusanya". It looks beautiful and feels luxurious. Why not treat yourself to a relaxing stay at a luxurious ryokan?

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“Dogo Onsen Funaya” is ryokan that represents Dogo onsen. This long-established inn has been in business for over 390 years and has been loved by many haiku poets and intellectuals, including Soseki Natsume, Shiki Masaoka, and Eiichi Shibusawa. You can enjoy 100% onsen water from Dogo Onsen in the large public baths Hinokiyu and Mikageyu.

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There are various types of guest rooms to choose from, including tasteful Japanese-style rooms, sophisticated Western-style rooms, and spacious Japanese-Western style rooms. If you have a room with onsen, you can enjoy bathing as many times as you like. There is also a 1,500 tsubo natural garden that shows different expressions in each season.

Nibukawa onsen is a onsen onsen area in the mountains of Imabari City ryokan The hypotonic alkaline cold spring water contains a large amount of radon and is famous for its skin-beautifying properties. Moisturize your skin while enjoying the fresh greenery and autumn leaves of the valley.

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At the large public bath at the quiet onsen inn Mikado, you can take a relaxing bath while gazing at the Nibukawa Valley through the glass windows. onsen that are soft and gentle on the skin will nourish your soul. After taking a bath, you may be surprised at how smooth your skin is.

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The inn is also proud of the Nibukawa specialty, Inobuta Nabe. Inobuta is a hybrid of a wild boar and a pig. The miso-flavored nabe, which uses plenty of local wild boar pigs and vegetables, is so popular that many repeat customers want to eat it again. The unique local cuisine will be a great memory of your trip.

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Yunoura onsen, located along the coast in the southeastern part of Imabari City, is the first onsen in Shikoku to be designated as a national hot onsen. The hot water is a hypotonic weakly alkaline cold spring containing radon. It is said to be one of the best in the prefecture for both quantity and quality of hot water. Effects include recovery from fatigue and neuralgia. It is a popular onsen area near "Sakurai Beach" and a base for the "Shimanami Cycling Road".

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"Yunoura onsen Hotel Azur Shionomaru" is an inn where you can feel the historical romance of the Murakami Navy, who was active in the Seto Inland Sea. It can be used for various purposes such as sea bathing, forest bathing, cycling, pilgrimage, and sightseeing. In addition to the spacious indoor bath, there is also an open-air bath in the large public bath, where you can refresh yourself while feeling the sea breeze.

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The specialty of this hotel is "Horaku ware", which is said to have been eaten by the Murakami navy during their celebrations. It is a local dish in which seafood is served on hot stones and sake is sprinkled on top. The sizzling sound and steam are a feast unique to this dish. We best the Kaiseki Kaiseki "Isohana no Zen", which comes with Horaku-yaki and sea bream rice.

It is a onsen area that spreads out at the foot of Kotohiragu Shrine, which is famous for "Konpira-mairi". A relatively new onsen area, it is characterized by many gorgeous onsen inns. The spring quality is hydrogen carbonate spring, which is said to be effective for neuralgia and muscle pain. After visiting Konpira, which involves climbing a long staircase, relax your tired feet in onsen.

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onsen Kotohira Grand Hotel Sakuranosho, located along the approach to the shrine, is recommended for girls traveling in Konpira Onsen. There are services that women will love, such as the "Women's Flower Bath" with floating roses, and the head chef's original Japanese-style kaiseki cuisine that is low in calories and focused on quantity and quality, so you can fully enjoy the elegant atmosphere.

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The guest rooms have a stylish Japanese modern taste and will lift your mood. If you choose a room with an open-air bath, you can see Kotohira-gu Shrine or Sanuki Fuji from your private bath. If you soak in the hot water while looking at the mountains, you will feel the power of Konpira-san.

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Kotohira Kadan is a long-established ryokan with a history of nearly 400 years since its establishment in the Edo period. It is a historic inn where many artists and calligraphers stayed as well as entertained writers and artists who visited Konpira Rikyu. This is the large hot onsen bath "Kissho no Yu" that overlooks the Sanuki Plain. At night, it is lit up and the floating bamboo grove is fantastic. In addition, there is a private open-air bath, so couples and families can relax and enjoy onsen.

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Guest rooms include the high-class "Sukiya-zukuri Annex" and three accommodation buildings surrounding the garden: "Fujimidai", "Shogetsu Terrace" and "Sansuikaku". This is a Japanese-Western style room with an open-air bath at Fujimidai. You can enjoy a hot bath whenever you like, and enjoy a relaxing time! There is also a spa on the premises, where you can receive a traditional Thai massage.

"Shioe onsen" is a historic onsen resort discovered by the Nara period monk Gyoki. The hot springs are sulfur and radioactive springs. The idyllic atmosphere makes you feel like you've traveled back in time. A beautiful river flows through the area, and you can even see fireflies dancing wildly in early June. Why not relax and stretch your wings as if you were going to the countryside?

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Shionoe onsen has many old-fashioned ryokan and hotels, but we also recommend the modern Hyper Resort Villa Shionoe for girls' trips. The cypress open-air bath has a pleasant scent of wood and has an excellent healing effect. In the summer, you can enjoy the pool and feel like you are in a small resort.

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You can choose from a variety of guest rooms, including Japanese-style rooms, Western-style rooms, and suites. This is a junior suite room with two twin rooms and a large living room. The modern guest rooms are spacious, and you can enjoy your private time as if you were renting out a cottage.

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On Shodoshima, a popular tourist destination in Kagawa, there is onsen called "Shodoshima onsen". There are several types of onsen, including Olive onsen, Yumoto Olive onsen, and Rie onsen, which are said to be effective in recovering from fatigue. After enjoying various sightseeing spots such as Angel Road, a sandy road that emerges from the sea only twice a day at low tide, take a relaxing break at a onsen inn.

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``Olivian Shodoshima Yuhigaoka Hotel'' is a large resort hotel located on the west side of the island. In addition to natural onsen, there are various facilities such as a pool and putt golf, so you can play all day long within the hotel. After playing a lot, moisturize your skin by soaking in the "Shodoshima onsen Olivean no Yu" overlooking the sunset over the Seto Inland Sea.

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In the morning and evening, you can have as much as you like in a casual buffet style. Olive oil is also available, so you can fully enjoy the blessings of Shodoshima. If you recharge your energy with plenty of Shodoshima's seasonal delicacies, you'll be able to enjoy your trip with full power from tomorrow.

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It is onsen that wells up in "Iyakei", which is said to be one of Japan's three great unexplored regions. Alkaline onsen containing minerals are said to soften and gently remove dead skin cells. In this unexplored region where an emerald green river flows through a deep V-shaped valley, you can forget about everyday life and spend a quiet time.

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The open-air bath of “Hotel Iya Onsen” is located at the bottom of the valley, so you can bathe while feeling the beautiful scenery up close. Have fun on the way to the bath. Take a special cable car to the bathhouse, overlooking the valley. It is full of unexplored places and you can feel extraordinary.

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The rooms are located high in the valley and offer spectacular views. Why don't you spend a relaxing time reading a book, drinking tea, and enjoying the splendid fresh greenery and autumn leaves?

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Iya Bijin, also known as a soba restaurant, is a hidden inn with a superb view overlooking the fresh greenery and clear streams of the Iya Valley. Each guest room has an open-air bath where you can enjoy hot water flowing directly from the source. Each room has a different taste, such as a pottery bath or a cypress bath, so please choose a room that suits your taste and budget.

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You can enjoy the magnificent beauty of the valley from your room, and just looking at it will cleanse your soul. This is a deluxe suite with a 14 tatami mat Japanese-style room and a 12 tatami mat Western-style room with a bed. A room where you can enjoy two types of open-air baths: cypress and pottery. meal can be eaten in the private hearth in the room, so you can spend a private time with friends, couples, and families.

“Oboke onsen” is a onsen area near the Iyakei Gorge. The spring quality is a strong alkaline spring, and it is said to be so good for your skin that you don't need lotion. Together with Koboke downstream, it is called "Oboke/Koboke", and in the summer, there are plenty of menus where you can experience the great outdoors, such as rafting, kayaking, and sightseeing boats. Activities are also recommended for those who want to enjoy onsen.

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"Sunriver Oboke" is a popular hotel that overlooks the rich nature of Oboke. If you have a room with an open-air bath, you can enjoy the view all to yourself while warming yourself in the bathtub. Enjoy the outstanding feeling of openness and wash away the daily fatigue cleanly and refreshingly.

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After spending time in the bath while enjoying the beauty of the valley, savor the inn's specialty cuisine at the restaurant "Satoyama". You can enjoy dishes unique to Oboke that make use of local ingredients, such as sweetfish in the summer and amego in the winter. Each dish will be a good memory of your trip.

This is onsen that springs out near the Naruto Strait in Tokushima. The spring quality is sodium chloride spring containing minerals. It is said to be effective in creating beautiful skin and improving sensitivity to cold. There are many popular sightseeing spots in the surrounding area, such as ``Naruto Whirlpools'' and ``Otsuka Museum of Art.'' You can enjoy onsen with an ocean view while feeling like you're at a resort.

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AoAonaruto Resort, which is built near the beach, has a tropical resort-like atmosphere. There are not only onsen baths with ocean views, but also pools, beaches, churches, romantic rooms with canopy beds, and fashionable cafes, so you can spend an elegant time.

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There are four bathhouses, each with a different atmosphere where you can enjoy onsen. Hanada, which has an ocean view, is an open-air rock bath with a Japanese feel. At the observation bath ``Ruri'' on the 8th floor, you can soothe yourself with the unusual hot water that is filled with Sudachi and Iyokan from Tokushima. The refreshing citrus scent will refresh your mood.

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Tosayama onsen is onsen located in a quiet mountain area about 30 minutes by car from Kochi City. The spring quality is an alkaline simple sulfur cold mineral spring, and the hot water can be expected to beautify the skin. Although the area was depopulated, a onsen ryokan called "Auberge Tosayama" was created by local residents, and it is now popular as onsen area rich in nature. You can enjoy a trip that will soothe your mind and body by soaking in onsen in a relaxed atmosphere and enjoying Tosa gourmet food.

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At "Auberge Tosayama", which is filled with the thoughts of the residents, you can fully enjoy the charm of the area. Local materials such as cedar, cypress, Tosa Japanese paper, and Tosa are used for building materials, creating a warm atmosphere. The design is modern, calming and uplifting. In the open-air bath, you can take a leisurely bath while looking at the seasonal nature of Mt. Tosa. Feel the breeze blowing from the mountains during the day, and enjoy the starry sky at night while forgetting about everyday life.

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As the name Auberge suggests, the food is also appealing. The menu of dishes based on Japanese cuisine changes depending on the season so that you can enjoy the four seasons of Kochi. The egg-cooked rice from Tosa Jiro, which is grown in Mt. Tosa, is known for its rich and rich yolk.

Ashizuri onsen is onsen located in Tosashimizu City, Kochi, at the southernmost tip of Shikoku. This high-quality onsen contains radon and is said to be effective for neuralgia, sensitivity to cold, and joint pain. There are many scenic spots such as Cape Ashizuri and Tojindaba, and on clear nights you can sometimes see a sky full of stars. You can enjoy onsen in a relaxed atmosphere while enjoying the rich nature.

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“Ashizuri Therme” is a place where you can get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and feel the extraordinary in nature. Located on a mountain slope overlooking the Pacific Ocean, you can feel the movement of the sun and moon and the passage of time from the many windows and terraces of the building. It also has a glamping facility. There is a large public bath where you can enjoy the hot water of "Ashizuri onsen", and it will blow away the fatigue of your trip.

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best the ocean view rooms where you can overlook the ocean. This room has a private jacuzzi on the terrace, so you can enjoy a luxurious time as if you were at an overseas resort. There are no clocks or televisions in the guest rooms because we want guests to feel the changing nature. Why don't you turn off your smartphone and spend a different time than usual?

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"The Mana Village" is located on Cape Ashizuri and boasts a spectacular view of the majestic Pacific Ocean. This is a resort area centered around hotels, as well as Italian restaurants. The view from the open-air bath is also spectacular, and during the day you can look out at the endless sea and sky while soaking in onsen, and at night you can spend a fantastical moment under a star-filled sky that you can't experience in everyday life.

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All guest rooms have an ocean view. This is a luxurious room with an open-air bath and a compact kitchen, and is best for couples. There is also a Japanese-style room with a calm atmosphere, so please choose according to the number of people and your preferences.

The Shimanto River still has untouched nature and is widely known as ``Japan's last clear stream.'' The ``Shimanto onsen'' that springs up here comes from a well excavated 800 meters underground in the Shimanto Ceramic Belt, which is said to have high energy vibrations. It is a sodium/calcium chloride cold spring that contains a lot of iron, so it oxidizes in the bath. The water will be thick and amber in color.

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Yamamizuki is located on the west bank of the mouth of the Shimanto River where it flows into the Pacific Ocean. Located on a cliff about 60m above sea level, it is a great location where you can see the Shimanto River and the Pacific Ocean at the same time. This is an open-air bath that flows directly from the headwaters. You can feel close to nature while soaking in the amber-colored hot water. There are also private baths that can be used by couples, families, and groups.

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There are 5 detached houses that can be rented out on the premises, including a lodging with a wooden deck terrace where you can have a barbecue, and an lodging with an open-air Goemon bath. Glamping and camping are also possible, so you can stay in your preferred style. It doesn't have the luxury of a luxury hotel, but it's an inn where you can fully enjoy nature.

source:Contribution of Toota

We introduced the recommended onsen resorts in Shikoku. Whether it's a retro hot onsen town, an ocean view resort, or a secluded area in the mountains, each has a different atmosphere as well as the quality of the hot springs. When you feel tired physically and mentally, how about spending a relaxing time at your favorite onsen resort?