Japan’s Meda Onsen Hotel and Iya Valley hot‑spring resorts spotlight regional onsen tourism

Meda Onsen Hotel in Hokkaido’s Nukanan River valley has operated since 1901, offering a natural 100 % source sulfur hot spring at 62 °C that is piped directly to its indoor and open‑air baths without reheating. Guests can view the river, surrounding forest and, in season, wildlife such as Ezo deer and the occasional owl. The inn provides Japanese‑style rooms, a dining bar serving regional specialties like Hokkaido beef and crab, and a live‑cooking kitchen.

In Tokushima’s Iya Valley, several hot‑spring lodgings are promoted for their scenic cliff‑side baths and local cuisine. Highlights include Wano Yado Hotel Iya Onsen with a cable‑car accessed open‑air bath overlooking the gorge, Kazurabashi Hotel offering rooftop baths and a thatched‑roof dining hall, and the all‑room‑with‑private‑onsen Ryokan Iya Bijin. Nearby Daiboki Iya Awa Onsen Awa no Sho features alkaline “beauty water” reputed for skin care, and the Daiboki Gorge central inn provides both a traditional large communal bath and a terrace stone‑heater pool. Each property emphasizes regional ingredients such as Awa beef, river fish and mountain vegetables in their kaiseki meals.