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Best Ryokans in Gunma

Gunma Prefecture quietly holds more natural hot springs than almost any other region in Japan. Kusatsu Onsen draws visitors from across the world for its scalding, sulfurous waters and the theatrical yumomi cooling ceremony. Minakami, straddling the Tone River gorge, offers a different mood — clear mountain water, river rafting in summer, and deeply warming baths after hiking in the Tanigawa highlands. Together, these make Gunma one of Japan's great onsen prefectures.

YUMOTOAN KIYOHIME#1

YUMOTOAN KIYOHIME

Kirishima, Kyushu

10$$$$
Private OnsenSodium bicarbonate spring (Bijin no Yu / beauty bath — removes dead skin cells, leaves skin smooth)Design-conscious travelers seeking a modern take on ryokan culture
  • All 9 rooms feature private open-air baths with 100% natural spring water
  • Designer ryokan opened 2018 as annex of century-old Kiyohime Onsen
  • Farm-to-table dining with vegetables from the property's own garden

Recommended stay: 1-2 nights

Neboya#2

Neboya

Shima, Kansai

9.6$$$
Private OnsenSodium chloride and bicarbonate cold mineral spring (privately sourced)Seafood lovers seeking the freshest Ise-Shima cuisine
  • Newly opened boutique ryokan with only 9 rooms and private hot spring source
  • Seven rooms with private open-air onsen baths plus five additional private baths
  • Bespoke seafood cuisine featuring Ise lobster, abalone, and Matsusaka beef

Recommended stay: 1-2 nights

Ryokan Kirishima Yuukyu No Yado Isshin#3
Private OnsenHydrogen carbonate spring (iron-rich with distinctive brown coloration — valued as a beauty spring)Couples seeking a secluded villa-style onsen retreat with complete privacy
  • Eight detached Japanese-modern villas each with private indoor and outdoor onsen
  • Own hydrogen carbonate hot spring source with naturally iron-rich water
  • Farm-to-table kaiseki with vegetables from the ryokan's organic garden

Recommended stay: 1-2 nights

Tsumikusa No Yado Komatsu Ryokan#4
9.5$$$$
Private OnsenSulfur hot spring (volcanic, from the Kirishima mountain chain)Couples seeking a private, intimate ryokan with in-room onsen baths
  • Only 6 folk house-style guest rooms, each with private open-air and indoor baths
  • Natural sulfur hot spring water from the Kirishima volcanic chain
  • Kagoshima kaiseki cuisine featuring wagyu beefsteak and black pork shabu-shabu

Recommended stay: 1-2 nights to enjoy the private baths, kaiseki dining, and nearby Kirishima Jingu Shrine and Ebino Kogen hiking

#5

A traditional Kusatsu Onsen ryokan set around Japan's most famous Yubatake hot spring field — experiencing the town's unique yumomi water-cooling paddle ceremony.

Strongly acidic sulfurous spring (pH 2.1) — Japan's most powerful hot spring waterHot spring enthusiasts wanting Japan's most famous and most powerful mineral spring experienceSkin and wellness travelers — Kusatsu's acid waters have exceptional cleansing and bactericidal properties

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