SpringsAtlas

About SpringsAtlas

The global directory for natural hot springs. Deeply researched listings with mineral data, transit routes, and editorial content written by people who actually visit them.

241+

Springs listed

208

Cities covered

Regions

What SpringsAtlas is

SpringsAtlas is a global directory of natural hot springs, launching Japan-first. Every listing includes water temperature, mineral spring type, pH, bathing type, indoor/outdoor classification, entrance fee, and transit access data. The kind of detail that actually matters when planning a visit.

We cover what most travel sites don't: tattoo and children policies, spring chemistry, historical context, altitude, and transit routes from major cities. Our goal is to be the most accurate and useful source in the world for anyone planning a hot spring visit.

Japan has over 27,000 registered onsen sources across 47 prefectures, more than any country on Earth. The depth of Japanese data and the scarcity of accurate English-language resources made it the natural starting point. Iceland, New Zealand, and the Philippines are on the roadmap.

How we keep listings accurate

Listings are compiled from public information, including operator websites, tourism agencies, government and geospatial sources, and published references. We correct records when we find errors, but not every field has been independently checked against a primary source, and listings are not automatically refreshed on a schedule.

Opening hours, fees, access and visitor policies change. Always confirm critical details with the operator before you travel.

When we have checked a detail against a source, the spring's page lists it under “Source checks” with a link to the source and the date we checked. A check date shows when we looked; it is not a guarantee that nothing has changed since.

Data sources

Listings originate from Google Places and are enriched with mineral data from national tourism agency records, OpenStreetMap, Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikivoyage. Our pipeline adds transit routes, spring chemistry, historical context, and nearby transport links beyond what automated sources provide.

Ratings and review counts are sourced from Google Maps via the Google Places API and reflect user-submitted Google reviews. They are not collected or moderated by SpringsAtlas.

Public forms for reporting listing errors, sharing visit reports, or submitting visitor photos are not currently available on the site.

Data: national tourism agencies · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikidata (CC0)

Map tiles: OpenStreetMap

Meet the Founder

Ryan Flores

Founder · Director of Operations APAC · Solutions Architect · Manila, Philippines

Ryan is a technology entrepreneur, solutions architect, and developer based in Manila, Philippines. By day, he serves as Director of Operations for APAC at a global technology consultancy, overseeing delivery governance, solution architecture, and multi-country deployments across the region.

SpringsAtlas began with a practical frustration. Planning hot spring visits to Japan required stitching together travel blogs, TripAdvisor threads, and Japanese-language tourism pages, none of which agreed on the basics. Temperature data was vague. Mineral types were missing. Transit directions were outdated. The gap between what a visitor needs and what the internet provides was obvious and fixable.

He built SpringsAtlas to close that gap. One carefully researched listing at a time, starting with Japan and expanding globally. The goal is simple: give every hot spring traveller the kind of detailed, accurate information that makes the difference between a great visit and a wasted trip.

SpringsAtlas is part of CuriousAtlas, a family of directories Ryan is building. Its sister site, LaundryAtlas, lists laundry shops across Asia-Pacific.

Contributing Author

Ria Flores is SpringsAtlas's primary blog author and Ryan's wife. An interior designer with over 26 years of experience and a frequent Japan traveller, Ria brings genuine first-hand expertise to her writing on onsen culture, rotenburo traditions, and hot spring travel across Japan. Her editorial work is independent; she is not compensated per article.

Matteo Esposito writes on Indonesian hot springs. A Filipino-Italian hospitality and luxury management student who has soaked at Angseri and Toya Bungkah first-hand, Matteo covers the springs of Java and Bali with a foodie's eye for the full travel experience.

Contact

Questions, feedback, or partnership enquiries: hello@springsatlas.com