San’in is a treasure trove of hot springs. Tottori and Shimane are dotted with onsen that each have their own character, and it’s easy to wonder, “Where should I actually go?” On this page, I’ve organized the onsen that are easy to reach from Yonago, sorted by what you’re in the mood for.
Onsen map
You can check each location on the map. Broadly speaking, they fall into four clusters: around Yonago (Kaike); the central lakeside (Hawai and Togo) and the mountain valleys (Misasa and Sekigane); Matsue (Tamatsukuri); and around Tottori City (Iwai, Yoshioka, Hamamura, Shikano, and Tottori).
Comparison table (atmosphere and location)
| Onsen | Area | Atmosphere and location |
|---|---|---|
| Kaike Onsen | Yonago | A large seaside onsen town. In summer, a swimming beach is right out front |
| Misasa Onsen | Misasa | One of the world’s richest radon springs. Riverbank baths and strolls in yukata |
| Tamatsukuri Onsen | Matsue | A 1,300-year-old “beauty bath.” An elegant onsen town along the river |
| Hawai Onsen | Yurihama | Inns that jut out over Lake Togo |
| Togo Onsen | Yurihama | On the south shore of Lake Togo. A sunset bath |
| Sekigane Onsen | Kurayoshi | The radium-rich “platinum water.” The quiet of a mountain valley |
| Iwai Onsen | Iwami | Said to be the oldest onsen in San’in, home of the “yukamuri” bathing song |
| Yoshioka Onsen | Tottori | A quiet spring near Lake Koyama. Fireflies in early summer |
| Hamamura Onsen | Tottori | A seaside onsen, birthplace of the Kaigara-bushi folk song |
| Shikano Onsen | Tottori | To pair with the townscape of the castle town of Shikano |
| Tottori Onsen | Tottori | A city-center onsen welling up in front of the station in the prefectural capital |
*For details on water quality, temperature, and benefits, and on whether day-use bathing is available, please check the official information for each onsen town and facility.
Recommendations by purpose
- Want to enjoy the sea and a large onsen town → Kaike Onsen. Plenty of inns, and in summer you can pair it with sea bathing
- Strolling in a yukata and onsen-hopping → Misasa Onsen and Tamatsukuri Onsen. The charm of the onsen town runs deep here
- Lake and sunset → Hawai Onsen and Togo Onsen. The waterside of Lake Togo becomes the scenery itself
- A quiet bath with few people → Sekigane Onsen, Yoshioka Onsen, and Shikano Onsen. The calm of a mountain valley or castle town
- Want to soak in a spring with a long history → Iwai Onsen (said to be the oldest in San’in)
- To pair with Mt. Daisen → Kyukamura Okudaisen. A public-style highland lodge with an onsen, too
If you can’t decide, I’d suggest anchoring on Kaike Onsen, close to your base, and adding one more bath to match where you’re headed (toward Mt. Daisen, toward Izumo and Matsue, or toward Tottori City).
