5 Best Onsen Towns Near Tokyo with Camping

Japan has over 3,000 onsen (hot spring) areas, but not all of them are practical for camping. The best onsen towns for campers combine natural hot spring baths with nearby campgrounds, good public transport from Tokyo, and enough attractions to fill a weekend. Here are five towns where you can camp by day and soak by night, all reachable in under two hours from central Tokyo.

1. Hakone

Travel time: 85 minutes from Shinjuku (Odakyu Romancecar)
Spring type: Sulfur, sodium chloride, alkaline simple

Hakone is Japan's most famous hot spring destination near Tokyo, and for good reason. The town sits inside a volcanic caldera with over 20 distinct hot spring sources, each with different mineral compositions. Several campgrounds and glamping facilities in the area offer on-site baths or easy access to public onsen.

For glamping with private onsen, see our detailed Hakone glamping guide. For traditional tent camping, the Sengokuhara and Gora areas have options with shared bathing facilities nearby.

2. Yugawara

Travel time: 90 minutes from Tokyo Station (JR Tokaido Line)
Spring type: Simple alkaline, sodium sulfate

Yugawara is a quieter alternative to Hakone, sitting along the coast between Odawara and Atami. The town's hot springs have been celebrated since the Manyoshu, Japan's oldest poetry collection, and the water is known for its gentle, skin-softening properties. Campgrounds here offer a mix of mountain and coastal settings.

The town is small enough to explore on foot, with several public bathhouses (日帰り温泉) charging 500 to 1,500 yen for a single visit. Some campgrounds in the area include bath access in the camping fee.

3. Tanzawa hot springs

Travel time: 90 minutes from Shinjuku (Odakyu Line + bus)
Spring type: Sodium bicarbonate, alkaline

The Tanzawa Mountains in western Kanagawa have several natural hot spring sources scattered along the river valleys. These are more rustic than Hakone or Yugawara — think small wooden bathhouses rather than resort spas. The combination of mountain river camping and secluded hot springs makes Tanzawa ideal for campers who prefer a wilder setting.

For budget riverside camping in this area, see our Tanzawa riverside camping guide. Several of the campgrounds along the Nakatsugawa and Doshi rivers have nearby onsen facilities.

4. Atami

Travel time: 45 minutes from Tokyo Station (JR Tokaido Shinkansen)
Spring type: Sodium chloride, calcium sulfate

Atami is the closest major onsen town to Tokyo by bullet train. The town sits along the coast of Sagami Bay with ocean views and a warm microclimate. While Atami is more of a hotel town than a camping destination, there are glamping and outdoor accommodation options on the hillsides above the town, and the concentration of public bathhouses means you are never far from a soak.

Atami's seaside setting makes it unique among onsen towns near Tokyo. The water here has a salty, mineral-rich character distinct from the mountain springs of Hakone.

5. Chichibu / Nagatoro

Travel time: 80 minutes from Ikebukuro (Seibu Railway)
Spring type: Simple thermal, sodium bicarbonate

Chichibu and the nearby Nagatoro area in Saitama Prefecture offer mountain camping with access to several natural hot springs. The area is less touristy than Hakone and more affordable. River activities (rafting, kayaking on the Arakawa River) pair naturally with a post-adventure onsen soak.

Several campgrounds along the Arakawa River have partnerships with local bathhouses, offering discounted entry for camping guests. The autumn foliage here rivals Hakone but with fewer crowds.

How to choose

• Luxury + convenience → Hakone (most options, best transport, highest prices)
• Quiet + coastal → Yugawara (fewer crowds, seaside atmosphere)
• Rustic + budget → Tanzawa (wild setting, cheapest camping)
• Speed + ocean → Atami (fastest access, seaside hot springs)
• Adventure + value → Chichibu (river activities, lower prices, less foreign tourism)

Keep reading

For the full guide to camping with hot springs, read our Hot Spring Campgrounds guide. If you are new to Japanese bathing culture, our onsen etiquette guide covers everything from tattoo policies to washing rules.