Japan has more than its fair share of onsen (hot spring) towns, the country¡¯s original tourist destination, but none are as easy to get to from Tokyo as Kinugawa Onsen.
This is one of the capital¡¯s okuzashiki. Originally a term for a guest room at the back of the house, it also refers to an onsen town or tourist spot that¡¯s in a major city¡¯s backyard. At just two hours from Tokyo by train, this certainly applies to Kinugawa Onsen.
Atami and Hakone, Tokyo¡¯s other onsen okuzashiki, boast pretty big selling points. Atami has hot springs and beaches. Hakone has hot springs and Mount Fuji views. Made up of the Edo Period (1603-1868) Taki Onsen area on the west bank of the Kinu River, and the Fujiwara Onsen area on the east, Kinugawa has only hot springs.
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