About Private Onsen Finder
Private Onsen Finder is an independent guide to ryokan and baths in Japan where you can bathe privately, published in English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese.
Who runs Private Onsen Finder?
Private Onsen Finder is an independent comparison site, not owned by any ryokan, booking site or tourism body. We collect private-bath facts from official ryokan websites, link each fact to its source and earn commissions when readers book through our price links. Commissions never change the facts or which properties are listed.
Updated · How we verify · Open data
Who we are
We are an independent comparison and information site, not owned by any ryokan, booking site or tourism body. The details that matter for private bathing are scattered across Japanese-language websites, if they're published at all, so we collect them in one place and link every fact to its source.
What we cover
- 219 verified ryokan and onsen hotels in 19 onsen towns
- 849 private-bath facts, each linked to the official page it came from
- 12 guides to etiquette, kashikiri baths, tattoos, couples, children and trip planning
- English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese versions with identical facts
Our principles
- Official sources only. Facts come from each property's official website or its onsen-town cooperative's official listing, never from reviews, blogs or booking-site tags.
- Not stated means not confirmed. If a website doesn't say, we don't guess.
- No paid listings. Properties can't pay to be included or to change their facts.
- Dated facts. Every property shows when it was last verified.
- Corrections welcome. Send us an official link and we'll check and update.
- Open data. Our compiled facts are free to download under CC BY 4.0.
How we verify
We read each property's official website and record only what it states, with a link to the page. The full process, field definitions and limitations are on our methodology page.
Maps and other data
Maps and day-use bathhouse locations use OpenStreetMap data © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence. Map tiles are served by OpenFreeMap (OpenMapTiles schema), and maps are drawn with MapLibre GL JS. Some property records come from Wikidata (CC0).
How we make money
We earn commissions when you book through our compare-prices links. That never changes the facts we show or which properties are listed. See the affiliate disclosure.
Contact and corrections
Rules change. If you run a property or have stayed recently and something is wrong, please tell us, ideally with a link to the official source.