Hottarakashi Onsen

Hottarakashi Onsen opened its first bath, Kocchi-no-yu, in 1999, followed by a second bath, Acchi-no-yu, in 2003. Both draw an alkaline simple hot spring water — Acchi-no-yu is recorded at pH 10.1 — described as clear, mild, and gentle on the skin. Perched at roughly 700 meters overlooking the Kofu Basin, a valley recognized as one of Japan's best viewpoints for night scenery, Acchi-no-yu opens an hour before sunrise year-round so bathers can watch Mount Fuji's snow shift color at dawn. The onsen's name, roughly translating to 'left alone' or 'abandoned,' reportedly comes from the site's earlier history as a shelved health facility.