Photo: sii · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Wajima Onsen

Ishikawa · 輪島温泉

Wajima Onsen is a hot spring town in Ishikawa, Japan. The water leaves the ground at 41.5°C, comfortably warm. It measures pH 10.5 — strongly alkaline. Officially the water is classed as chloride spring.

Getting there

From Tokyoabout 3 h

From Kyoto / Osakaabout 2 h

CarNot needed

JR PassCovers the train

Train to Kanazawa Station (Shinkansen)
Local bus

Fly into Haneda or Narita. Times are rough estimates worked out from station locations, not a timetable — check the exact route on Google Maps.

Chloride spring

The water here

Chloride spring 塩化物泉

Salty water. The salt leaves a thin film on the skin, so you stay warm well after leaving the bath.

With tattoos

Many public baths still turn away visible tattoos, and the rule is set by each bath, not by the town. The reliable way round it is to bathe privately: a room with its own open-air bath, or an inn with a private bath you can book for yourselves.

Rooms with an open-air bath — Ishikawa Inns with a private bath — Ishikawa