Black, white, green, red, brown…hot spring waters in Japan come in many different colors. Black hot springs are common in Tokyo and Chiba.
The dark color, which always surprises at first glance, comes from organic plant material. White hot springs are also quite common. In this case, clear waters develop cloudiness due to ingredients that have dissolved and become suspended in the water. Nyuto Onsen in Akita is popular for its white hot spring open-air bath.
Nagano’s Kumanoyu Onsen and Iwate’s Kunimi Onsen feature bright green waters, which supposedly occur due to components from sulfur and other substances. And Beppu Onsen in Oita is famous for its “Blood Pond Hell,” whose blood-red waters bubble vigorously and certainly do remind visitors of hell. Other hot springs—Ikaho Onsen in Gunma and Arima Onsen in Hyogo—are famous for brown waters, which come from the waters’ high iron content. Also of note is Nagano’s Goshiki Onsen, which means “waters of five colors,” a fascinating place where the color of the water changes depending on the temperature and the weather.
These colorful hot springs are miracles of nature—to enrich your travels, experience them for yourself.