Located conveniently close to Shinjuku's famous Golden Gai lies the hot spring Thermae-yu, a day spa. The beautiful interior is designed to resemble the baths of ancient Rome and each floor is scented pleasantly with a different aroma. The water is brought every day from Nakaizu's Jindai no Yu hot spring, also known as the "waters of beauty" due to the positive effects it is said to have on people's skin. Besides this, Thermae-yu also offers Tokyo's biggest carbonic acid baths which have a positive effect on the capillaries and thus do wonders for blood circulation! Particularly popular in the stone sauna area called Healing Terra is the so-called "Loyly Healing" sauna. Aromated steam is used to generate heat waves and perspiration which doesn't just have an anti-aging effect on the skin but also helps against fatigue.
The hot spring operates throughout the night making it the perfect spot to relax and refresh even after a very long day - or night.

Hours: 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. the next day
Indoor Bath: 11:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. the next day
Open-air Bath: 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. the next day
Holidays: none, besides irregular maintenance days
Entry: 2,364 yen for adults (2,688 on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays and specified days)
Regular and Premium members: 2,148 yen (2,472 on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays and specified days)
No admission for people with tattoos and body art (even tattoo stickers).

Tokyo Somei Onsen Sakura is a long-established Japanese inn with an incredibly charming atmosphere and its very own natural hot spring. The water, gushing up from about 1,800 meters underground, is incredibly rich in natural minerals which have both a thermal and a moisturizing effect - your skin and entire body will feel much smoother after a nice soak!
One of the different baths found at this hot spring is the Silky Bath. Ultra-fine bubbles in the water make sure to clean any kind of dirt out of your pores.
Also make sure to experience the stone sauna for a small extra fee. It is built from Kyushu's so-called tenshoseki, a certain kind of stone that is said to have a positive effect on one's immune system.

Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. (last entry: 10:30 p.m.)
Holidays: none, besides irregular maintenance days
Entry: 1,296 for adults
Sauna (25 minutes): weekdays: 1,080 yen regular, 864 members
Saturdays, Sundays, holidays: 1,296 yen regular, 1,080 members
No admission for people with tattoos and body art (even tattoo stickers).

It takes around 30 minutes by train from Shibuya Station, no transfer required, to reach Miyamaedaira Station in Kanagawa Prefecture. From there, it's just a short walk to the natural hot spring called "Miyamaedaira-Gensen Yukemuri no Sho," a wonderful day spa with its own natural hot spring water. The spa's own recommendation is its carbon amber bath. The amazing water quality and the rich amounts of carbon are said to have a synergistic effect on one another, making your skin moist and smooth. Besides the hot spring and the six different kinds of stone baths, various wellness services such as massages and aroma therapy. After a nice, long body soak and a good massage, why not relax in the recreational room featuring a television and comfortable reclining chairs, or enjoy a meal at the hot spring's restaurant? There's no need to hurry, just spend a nice day of wellness in your own pace at Yukemuri no Sho.

Hours: natural hot spring: 10:00 a.m. - midnight, opens at 9:00 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays
Stone baths: 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m., opens at 9:00 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays
Holidays: none
Entry: 1,240 yen for adults (1,500 yen on Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays), stone bath: 800 yen
Elementary school children and older can visit the hot spring.
No admission for people with tattoos and body art (even tattoo stickers).

Written by: Ikutomo Inoue