By far one of my best and favorite discoveries in Tokyo. The Onsen at Tokyo Haneda International Airport is not to be missed and is well worth a visit after a long flight. In fact, I came here before and after long flights from North America and worldwide.
If you are departing from Tokyo Haneda HND, then the Villa Fontaine Tokyo Haneda Onsen & Spa is perfect. The location is perfect, and incredibly convenient lodging at the airport, either before flights or when arriving late into Tokyo.
The Onsen is a great experience, as is the lodging at the Hotel Villa Fontaine, the restaurants and drinks, and the spa.
How I Heard About the Onsen
The Onsen is very recent, having only opened in January 2023. The stunning complex is part of a larger facility with two hotels and the Onsen and spa. I heard about it from a friend, so I was eager to try it out.
Researching the facility a little further, I also discovered that it is part of the Haneda Airport Terminal 3 shopping complex. The complex features many great restaurants and shops within ten-minute walk from Terminal 3. The shopping complex is connected to the terminal via an interior walkway.
If you want to spend the night at either end of your trip, you can choose between the Villa Fontaine Grand and Premier Hotels.
Getting To The Onsen
Getting to the Onsen is relatively straightforward, although there is a couple of different ways, depending on whether you are arriving from the hotel or directly from the airport.
Direct Access from the Airport
Follow the signs to the Villa Fontaine, about a 10-minute walk. Once you are there, you have a couple of options.
First, you can head directly to the spa via its dedicated elevator. Take the dedicated elevator to the 12th floor.
Alternatively, if you are staying at the hotel, you can always head to the second floor and check in at Villa Fontaine Grande or Premier Hotel.
From Within The Hotel
Ironically, getting to the Onsen from within the hotel is a little more complicated. Although the Building is 11 stories tall, only one floor connects everything: the 6th floor.
Follow the signage to the Gym; remember you will have to use key cards at the various doors in your path.
On the 6th floor, you will need to switch elevators and take the Onsen’s dedicated elevator up to the 12th floor.
The Onsen at Tokyo Haneda
Once at the Onsen, you need to check-in. The process is pretty simple.
First, you drop off your shoes and belongings into a locker and pick up a key. This key is essential since the RFID will be used for checkout.
You should always keep this key with you or store it in the second set of lockers at the Onsen itself.
You then get to choose the service you want; however, typically, a hotel room comes with Spa access for both the Villa Fontaine Grande and Premier. Finally, you pick up the garments, towels, and other accessories across from the front desk.
The Onsen Layout
The Onsen is not open 24/7. In fact, it is open from late afternoon at 1:00 pm all the way through the night before closing for maintenance at 10:00 am.
The spa features lots of different rooms, including the following:
- Hot Stones rooms.
- Lounging spaces, with massage chairs and TVs.
- Lie flat areas where you can sleep on the ground.
Interestingly I found that many people chose to spend the night at the Onsen and slept on the ground instead of booking a hotel room.
The Onsen Experience
The experience at the Onsen was fantastic. Sadly, since it is a Japanese bath, Photography is strictly prohibited inside the Onsen. While I saw one person videotaping the inside, I did not engage in this and chose to respect the rules.
While the Onsen is busy and tends to have people at all times, it still has stunning views. You can see Mount Fuji clearly in the Winter and Fall mornings to the Northwest. Not only that, but it also has a beautiful outdoor deck with stunning views to the West.
I first headed to the hot stones section, which featured several options.
- Lava Stones
- Rock Salt
- Black Geranium
- Cool Room
Although it is the hot stones section, the experience is peaceful and relaxing; a person can lie down and sleep in any of these rooms.
The following images come from the Onsen’s website itself:
Onsen Features
The Onsen is packed with features, including the following:
- Main pre and post-wash area with 40 stations
- Outdoors: Open Air Deck with views to the West.
- Lie flat pool, typically 37-39 C
- Hot Bath, typically 41-43 C
- Mid-Hot Bath, typically 39-41 C
- Indoors:
- Mid-Hot Bath
- Soda Bath
- Cold Bath
- Massage Bath
- Other:
- Steam Room
- Multi-level Sauna
Food & Service at The Restaurant
The spa features its own restaurant; the eatery has Similar views to the west towards Yokohama as in the Onsen.
It also offers a variety of seating options including plenty of booth and counter seating. After having some food and drinks, I found the service excellent.
In terms of food and drinks, I tried a Volcano Curry, Coffee, juice, and a few more breakfast options to boot. I found the portions generous, and the food was absolutely delicious.
Check Out & Payment
The checkout process was fully automated, with a machine handling everything. The process is as follows:
- Head to the checkout machines.
- Scan your key and accept the charges.
- A ticket is printed out, and a checkout QR code is also provided.
- Scan the QR code at the gates to leave.
- You can pay on the spot or add the charge to your hotel bill.
Final Thoughts
Without a shadow of a doubt, this is one of my favorite destinations in Tokyo, especially when arriving from a long transpacific flight. If you are looking for the perfect facility to relax and lie in, look no further than the Villa Fontaine Onsen at Tokyo Haneda International Airport.
Pros:
- Convenient Onsen right at the airport
- Unlimited time.
- Variety of baths, super relaxing.
- Great food.
- Very relaxing.
- Overnight operation. You can also watch the sunset and sunrise from the baths.
Cons:
- Foreigners may find the Japanese Onsen experience unusual, as it’s fully naked/nude.
- No tattoos are allowed and must be covered. I did see one man once come in with exposed tattoos and his son.
- Viewing air traffic from the hot baths themselves is difficult, as they look in the opposite direction.
Verdict: 10/10
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