Azabu-Jūban Onsen

Lonely Planet review

Helpful English signage hints that this onsen (hot spring) has experience with foreigners - a great thing, as the dark, tea-coloured water is scalding hot, and there's a lovely rotemburo (outdoor bath) it would be a shame to miss out on. Downstairs there's a less expensive, more bare-bones sentō (public bath). The nondescript building is on the corner of Kurayami-zaka and Azabu-Jūban-dōri.

Taking a bath may not sound like your idea of an evening's entertainment, but a good sento (public bath) or onsen (hot spring) is more than just a place to wash; it's a place to relax, socialise and forget about the world outside. This is an upmarket hot-spring bath popular with visitors to Tokyo. Don't be alarmed - the rust-coloured water is said to have curative powers.