salt's cation — pairs with chloride to make the water salty.
Known good for
Smooth skindry, rough skin
Recoveryfatigue, stress
A strongly alkaline simple thermal spring at pH 9.9. With only about 168 mg/kg of dissolved solids it is lightly mineralized and gentle on the body, while the high alkalinity gives the pronounced slippery feel of Japan's beauty-water family. At the source the water shows a faintly pale-yellow, slightly turbid look with a weak sulfur note.
555. Hottarakashi Onsen, Yamanashi ★★★
Mirror cross-review of Hottarakashi relative to Mitama onsen.
Top 1-2 onsen in Yamanashi, an incredible place. Its main rival in Yamanashi for the top spot is Mitama. They're very similar in format, located on opposite mountain sides, and both have epic views of the city and mountains, so comparison is inevitable.
In Hottarakashi's favor: better countryside atmosphere at the location, the postcard-worthy view of Mt. Fuji from the rotenburo, having two separate onsen zones in one place, opens very early. In Mitama's favor: more interesting water, infinity onsen, slightly richer city view with more landmarks, slightly more panoramic view from the onsen overall, more services. So on a day with Fuji visibility, Yamanashi's #1 onsen is Hottarakashi, and when Fuji isn't visible, Yamanashi's #1 is Mitama.
Hottarakashi actually has not one but two onsens next to each other with separate entrances, separate fees, and schedules. The main onsen is 900. Operating hours are listed from one hour before sunrise to 22:00. They stamp the Yamanashi 100 Onsen book. Bath photos are from the internet, match the real thing.
The additional onsen was listed as open from 10:00 to 17:00, but on one visit I was there before opening, and on our second visit it still wasn't operating.
1. Outdoor area. Incredibly cool panoramic view of the city, mountains, and Mt. Fuji.
1.1. Rectangular bath, positioned higher than the other baths. Excellent overall and Fuji view. There are stones in the bath to sit on and be even higher for a better panorama. Clear water, temperature around 41.
1.2. Right stone bath. If you submerge a bit you get a picturesque view: water from the rotenburo, stones on the edges of the bath, and Mt. Fuji. Clear water, temperature around 41.
1.3. Left stone bath, shallow. Clear water, temperature around 40.5.
2. Indoor bath. Clear water, temperature around 40. Breathing inside is fine.
Top-tier place. If visiting Kofu and the area — it's a must. This onsen alone can be a reason to come to the city.
13.05.2025 16.05.2025
