Where are some of your favorite hot springs in Japan?

I like Akazawa Onsen on the Izu peninsula. Nice view over the ocean from a height. Close to Tokyo and a nice hotel if you want to stay the night.

one I have right at home.

dont need to travel anywhere.

Kusatsu (Gunma Prefecture) is number one for me. Manza, which is close by, is also fantastic.

Gero and Yugawara are favorites too.

Cortina, Green hotel ski resort, Met my best mate and partner during 2012-13 season when she was working at the hotel's Onsen when I was working in the valley ( Hakuba ). Before that I use to visit the Highlander Hotel due to the view of the highest mountains in the japan's northern alps. So nearly all that season I got into the Cortina Onsen for free also she would also sling me her weekly allowed Buffet tickets and ski lift tickets ( Cortina/ Norikura ). So I did most of my eating and snowboarding at Cortina/ Norikura that season and it still my favourite in the valley. The Onsen at Cortina ski resort is the best in the Valley due continuous 3 m message water fall and many selection of Onsen and temps from 14c to 40c

Zao (Yamagata), Yumoto (near Nikko) - both are wonderful outdoors when it's snowing; Tamatsukuri in Shimane has a nice old-world atmosphere.

Arima is nice but getting too crowded nowadays.