Almost 40 in Japan: Soaking in Hirayu Onsen’s Relaxing Waters

The January air bites at my face as I sink deeper into the steaming water. Soothing warmth envelops my body while the snow-covered surroundings glisten under a pale afternoon light. I’m not alone here—other naked men share the outdoor bath with me. I feel a bit conscious as their hushed conversations blend with the soft gurgle of the onsen. But the initial inhibitions I had in this area have faded, quickly replaced by relaxation. It’s as if the enchanting surroundings and the bath’s soothing heat worked together to remove more than just my layers of clothing.

I’m in Hirayu no Mori in Hirayu Onsen, the most accessible and thus most prominent village of the Okuhida Onsen-go, a collection of five hot spring resorts in the Hida region. The area is known for its natural thermal waters as well as the peaceful, even otherworldly, mood it provides guests.

A public footbath in Hirayu Onsen is surrounded by serene winter scenery.

After getting down the Shinhotaka Ropeway, I hop on the 12:55 p.m. bus to Takayama, which stops at Hirayu Onsen on the way. The drive is like a warm-up to the winter vibe that is coming my way. As the bus cruises along the snowy highways, the windows show off a beautiful winter wonderland. Pines are holding strong, their branches drooping with all that snow, and the frozen streams sparkle gently in the low sunlight. It feels like time slows just enough so I can take in the amazing beauty of nature all dressed in white.

The bus pulls up at the Hirayu Onsen terminal, and I alight into a dreamlike scene, but one that I’m becoming familiar with: a beautiful village blanketed in snow, with steam curling up like little ghostly trails from hidden hot springs. The cold air nips at my cheeks, but the prospect of a warm geothermal bath makes me giddy.

I take a quick walk to Hirayu no Mori, a cozy onsen spot right in the middle of the Hirayu Onsen area. It has a traditional appeal, with a variety of hot spring baths set in the verdant trees, making it a peaceful place to connect with nature, even in the company of a few other visitors. The facility is intended to evoke a rural feel, with wooden structures, stone roads, and open-air baths that integrate seamlessly into the snowy landscape in the winter.

The Hirayu no Mori Foot Bath Tower is blanketed in snow during winter.

A foot bath with water pouring in is set against the tranquil backdrop of Hirayu Onsen.

The Hirayu no Mori is a traditional hot spring retreat in Hirayu Onsen.

Getting into an onsen is not as simple as hopping into a hot tub, however. The entire event necessitates its own set of etiquette, and following these age-old rules is both humbling and fascinating.

To begin, I remove my shoes upon entering and pay at the counter to utilize the onsen. Then comes the bathhouse, a structure designed for thorough bathing before entering the community waters. The technique follows a rhythm: rinse, scrape, and rinse again until clean. Only then do I enter the onsen itself, my modesty preserved by a small towel (which should never come into contact with the water).

Soaking in onsens is a deeply embedded Japanese practice that is said to physically and spiritually rejuvenate—something the Japanese have loved for hundreds of years as a means to get away from the stresses of everyday life. Water in these natural come from geothermal springs, which exemplify the Japanese love of nature and simplicity, enabling guests to shed not just their garments but also their cares, totally immersed in the waters’ soothing embrace.

Outdoor baths, or rotenburo, are charming, especially when it’s wintertime. There’s a kind of allure in sitting under the open sky with snow all around, especially when the warm water is steaming up against the chilly air. It’s that time when winter starts to take its edge off a bit, and you can really feel the mix of warm and cold in the air. I thought I’d be freezing with no clothes and all, but I’m feeling the warmth of the water more than the cold of the air.

At first, the thought of entering an onsen, especially one shared with others, makes me anxious. (Hey, I’m about to hang out with naked men! We’re in Japan, but it’s not like we can pixelate parts of our bodies.) But when I hop into the outdoor bath, with the calming vibes of the water and the view of those snowy trees, I immediately relax. In that moment, I am at one with nature, the Japanese tradition, and myself. I’m just chilling—not freezing, hah. Onsens in Japan are great equalizers, where age, status, and background appear to melt away with the steam.

The snow has stopped falling in the rotenburo, but the scenery remains snowy. The difference between the chilly winter air and the cozy warmth of the onsen is just sublime. It reminds me that to really get back in touch with yourself, you sometimes need to let go of everything, both on the surface and deep down.

An open-air bath surrounded by snow-covered trees makes for a magical winter setting.

A cup of cappuccino by a window, overlooking a pretty winter landscape, is an excellent way to spend a winter afternoon.

The silence of Hirayu Onsen is oddly comforting in all its peaceful isolation, especially as I’m surrounded by middle-aged and elder men who seem perfectly at ease even in our bare-naked state. There are moments like this one, when you simply need to be in the here and now. To pause and feel a deep sense of gratitude.

And I feel this gratitude wash over me for making it this far.

Osaka’s bustling streets, bright lights, and street food. Kyoto’s intricate balance of overtourism and tradition, including the tea ceremony with a geisha. Kanazawa’s timeless garden and districts. Shirakawa-go’s gassho-zukuri houses that stand as monuments to resilience in the midst of heavy snow. Takayama’s streets evoking a bygone era of simpler times. Earlier today, even the Shinhotaka Ropeway reminded me of nature’s raw power, with its stark winter beauty that was both humbling and inspiring.

After racing through these locations over the past few days, it’s refreshing to have moments like these where I can just sit still. For most of my 30s, especially before the pandemic, I’ve lived a life of adventure and constant movement; the reality of the journey sometimes leaves me feeling drained, anxious, and running on empty. With a tight schedule, this trip has become a reflection of that.

But here, in the quiet of the onsen, with a new decade on the horizon, I can finally breathe.

Hirayu Onsen Travel Basics

Timing

If you’re after a relaxing soak in a hot spring, any season is a good time to visit Hirayu Onsen. However, it’s especially magical in winter (December–February), with its outdoor baths with snow views.
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) offer beautiful natural scenery.
Summer (June–August) is a great time for hiking in the Japanese Alps.

Access

Hourly buses between Takayama and Shinhotaka Ropeway stop at the Hirayu Onsen bus terminal:
- A bus ride between Takayama and Hirayu Onsen costs JPY 1,600 and takes about 1 hour.
- A bus ride between Shinhotaka Ropeway and Hirayu Onsen costs JPY 910 and takes about 40 minutes.
Hirayu no Mori is a 5-minute walk south of the Hirayu Onsen bus terminal.

Accommodation

Guests can book a room at Hirayu no Mori starting from approximately JPY 6,310 per person (without meals) to JPY 10,600 per person (inclusive of dinner and breakfast).

Admission

The baths are open for day-trippers from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. (last check-in at 8:30 p.m.).
For the public baths, adults pay JPY 700, while children pay JPY 500.
For the private baths, day-trippers pay JPY 1,000, but checked-in guests can use them for free.

Amenities

The public bath area includes body soap, shampoo, and conditioner.
The dressing area is equipped with a hair dryer, dressing table, shaving razors, and coin lockers.

For more practical information, visit Hirayu no Mori’s official website.

The Tourist Gaze