8 best infinity onsen baths in Japan with spectacular views

While there are many accommodations in Izu, Hotel Kissho Caren, located near Izu-Hokkawa Station, stands out from the pack with its spectacular outdoor infinity onsen overlooking Sagami Bay. The picturesque property features two open-air hot spring baths: one made with stones and the other made with hinoki (Japanese cypress). They are especially breathtaking at dawn when you can see the sunrise on the horizon. The evenings are no less spellbinding, with the night sky full of stars.

Atami Bay Resort Korakuen has three distinct areas – the hotel, the spa and the food market. The seven-storey spa building features five different baths in addition to saunas, bedrock baths, massage rooms and plenty of relaxation lounges.

While all the baths here overlook Sagami-nada Sea, you’ll get the best view at the outdoor infinity bath. At 25 metres-long, it’s one of Japan’s largest standing hot springs. Better yet, you don’t need to be a hotel guest to enjoy all the facilities in this sumptuous spa. Just get a one-day pass for ¥3,080 (¥2,310 for children) on weekdays and ¥3,410 (¥2,530) on weekends. Enter after 5pm and you’ll get a ¥770 discount.

One of Hokkaido’s three major hot spring destinations, Yunokawa hot springs in Hakodate has a hotel with an infinity onsen on the rooftop facing the Tsugaru Straits. Hewitt Resort Hakodate’s gorgeous alfresco hot spring bath looks out towards Honshu, Japan’s biggest island – and you won’t be able to tear your eyes away from the relaxing view. The best time for a dip is at night, when the tiny lights from fishing boats and the moon cast their mesmerising reflections on the water.

Beppu is widely known as one of Japan’s top onsen destinations, but Rex Hotel takes it a step further by featuring an outdoor infinity bath on the rooftop overlooking Beppu Bay. On sunny days when the sky is clear, you can even see Shikoku island on the horizon. Come after dark and you’ll get to enjoy a stunning starry sky as well as a glittering view of Oita city skyline. Better yet, all of the hotel’s 46 rooms look out to the same view.

Despite being up on a hill, Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu is centrally located and it’s near most attractions in Hakone. Every room in this elegant ryokan (Japanese-style inns) is equipped with a private outdoor onsen made with Shigaraki pottery, which overlooks a spectacular view of the mountains. The infinity onsen on the rooftop, however, is the highlight. Here you can gaze at the horizon while soaking in a hot spring bath – the sunset here is just gorgeous. If you’d rather stay indoors, the ryokan also has an indoor onsen on the sixth floor with similar views.

Kyukamura operates a chain of hotels across 35 prefectures in Japan. Each hotel in the group has a unique feature: Kishu Kada in Wakayama, for example, is home to an infinity onsen that opens out to the Kitan Strait, the channel that separates Awaji Island from Wakayama. While the panoramic view is spectacular at any time of day, we recommend going in the late afternoon as the sun down here has been selected as one of the 100 best sunsets in Japan by the NPO Association of Township Development Through Sunsets and Sunrises in Japan.

Surrounded by lush greenery, Akazawa Onsen Village in Izu boasts not one but five infinity hot spring baths, all with spectacular ocean views. The main hotel has a bath that faces the Pacific Ocean and the Amagi mountain range and it's made of Akazawa stone. There's another bath made from Towada stone tiles which have a calming turquoise hue. The best bath, however, is up on the rooftop, whose view is especially breathtaking at night when you can stargaze while bathing out in the open. 

The Akazawa Onsen Day Spa next door, on the other hand, has two infinity baths. The 25-metre-wide facility on the third floor boasts a panoramic view of the ocean and mountains. The 20-metre-wide rock bath also offers a similar view, but from a floor above.

Located in the heart of Kyoto’s bustling Shijo-Kawaramachi district, Sora Niwa Terrace Hotel boasts a panoramic view from its rooftop infinity onsen bath. Overlooking the Kamogawa River and the Higashiyama mountain range to the east, this 33m-high open-air bath sources its therapeutic water from natural hot springs below ground. Better yet, the bath is 1.2m at the deepest end, allowing you to take in the beauty of Kyoto while standing fully submerged. Note that guests with body tattoos are not allowed in the communal baths.