Hot Springs (Onsen) Are Back — All Locations & What They Do

Every onsen in Ezo mapped: 16 pins, the fastest region-to-region routes, and the rewards (health boosts, Fundoshi, and a trophy).

Hot springs (onsen) return in Ghost of Yōtei, and the community is buzzing about them again—for good reason. Beyond the light‑hearted cinematic moments they create, onsens are among the most valuable upgrades you can grab while exploring Ezo. Below you’ll find all 16 hot spring locations, smart “fast routes” to chain them together region by region, and a quick breakdown of what each bath actually does for your build. (Yes, they’re handled tastefully and very similarly to Tsushima’s scenes, which players have praised.)

What Hot Springs Do (and Why You Should Prioritize Them)

• Permanent Max‑Health Increase. Every time Atsu bathes and reflects, you gain a chunk of maximum health—a straight power bump that stacks across all springs. Multiple outlets confirm the total number and that onsens function as core health upgrades, exactly as in Tsushima.
• First Onsen Reward — Charm of Thoughtful Restoration. Your first bath also grants a Charm of Thoughtful Restoration, a defense charm that increases maximum health and grows stronger as you visit more onsens. Some players report getting it at the early Horizon View Hot Spring, but the safer rule is: your first onsen gives it.
• Completion Reward — Fundoshi Armor. Visit all hot springs and you’ll unlock the Fundoshi outfit (a stealthy novelty piece that mutes footstep noise), just like Tsushima’s easter‑egg reward. Multiple guides note Fundoshi is tied to completing every hot spring.
• Trophy Progress. Baths also count toward Body, Mind, and Spirit (complete all Bamboo Strikes, Shrine Climbs, and Hot Springs).

Good to know: Reflection topics during baths are purely narrative; they don’t alter stats beyond the health upgrade. Nothing is missable—you can mop up in free‑roam after the story. Golden birds can still guide you, and springs mark on the map when you’re near.

How to Find Hot Springs Faster

1. Look for Steam Plumes & Red Trees. Springs tend to vent visible steam and are often framed by distinctive trees—handy “read the world” cues while riding.
2. Use Traveler’s/Traveller’s Maps. Merchants/cartographers sell maps that reveal points of interest (including hot springs), which is the quickest way to get pins if you’d rather not stumble into them organically.
3. Leverage an Interactive Map. If you like checking off pins, the Game8 interactive map lets you toggle Hot Springs and track progress.
4. Follow Golden Birds. If one appears near a spring, just tail it; birds frequently lead you to cliff approaches and grapple paths you might miss.

All Hot Springs by Region — Map Pins & Fast Routes

Below, each bullet is a map pin you’ll see named in guides and on interactive maps. For each, we include a fast route from the nearest common landmark or fast‑travel point.

Yotei Grasslands (4)

• 📍 Horizon View Hot Spring — South of Kuttara Gambling Den.
  Fast route: Fast‑travel to Kuttara Gambling Den, ride to the cliff’s edge, then climb/drop to a lower ledge and cross the gap to the pool.
• 📍 Yotei’s Shadow Hot Spring — Shikotsu Woods / red flower fields.
  Fast route: Enter southern Shikotsu Woods, spot the red flowers, then climb the rock above a small lake to reach the onsen.
• 📍 Wild Clearing Hot Spring — Near the Maw of the Serpent cliffs.
  Fast route: Approach from the northeast of Yotei’s Shadow Inn (or the Maw), then climb the cliff to the clearing.
• 📍 Hidden Cliff Hot Spring — Golden Foothills, by a waterfall.
  Fast route: Ride to the northwest tip of the region (Golden Foothills), find the waterfall, then scale the rocks left of it. (GameSpot also notes it’s near the region border and reachable via handholds next to falls.)

Quick loop: Starting at Old Inn, go NE to the cliff bath, cut SE through Shikotsu Woods for Yotei’s Shadow, push NE for Wild Clearing, then ride south to Kuttara and drop for Horizon View. (GameSpot adds that golden birds often appear near both the Old Inn and Shikotsu Woods onsens.)

Ishikari Plain (4)

• 📍 Cloud View Hot Spring — Upper Rumoi River source (north/east).
  Fast route: Follow Rumoi River to its eastern source, spot the waterfall, and climb the rock left of it.
• 📍 Smoky Mountains Hot Spring — White Deer Woodlands (northeast).
  Fast route: In NE White Deer Woodlands, instead of sliding down the natural slope, climb the rocks left of the slope and follow the path up.
• 📍 Kappa’s Hot Spring — Urara Forest / tree with hanging masks.
  Fast route: Ride the eastern edge of Ishikari; when you see the red tree and the mask‑decorated tree, the pool is out in the open. (GameSpot also describes it as due north of Oni’s Breath Inn.)
• 📍 Bear Rock Hot Spring — East of Ishikari Market, mountaintop.
  Fast route: From Ishikari Fork or Ishikari Market, circle up the hill, grapple around the back side, and climb to the plateau. (GameSpot notes a golden bird loops around a cave and an Altar of Reflection nearby.)

Quick loop: Hit Bear Rock from Ishikari Fork, travel NW to Cloud View, cut NE to Smoky Mountains, then swing SE along the Urara rim for Kappa’s. That line keeps you on ridgelines and reduces backtracking.

Tokachi Range (2)

• 📍 Quiet Valley Hot Spring — Between Yubari Lake and Huranui Cliffs; near map perimeter.
  Fast route: From Huranui’s Rest Inn (or the cliffs), ride NW, then climb the hill to the clearing. (GameSpot mentions a hilltop clearing NW of Huranui’s Rest; Push Square confirms the lake/cliff triangle.)
• 📍 Grassy Fields Hot Spring — North of Saru Plains, west of Boar’s Eye Cave.
  Fast route: Ride north from Saru Plains; as the ground rises west of “Boar’s Eye Cave” letters on the map, look for the rocky knoll with the pool on top. (GameSpot adds this region’s other spring sits at the northernmost edge near the boat to Nayoro Wilds, a useful orientation if you overshoot.)

Quick loop: Enter Tokachi from Grasslands → NE exit, grab Quiet Valley first, then sweep NE for Grassy Fields on the way toward the Nayoro boat crossing.

Nayoro Wilds (1)

• 📍 Cave Path Hot Spring — Far west of Husko Kotan, inside a cliff route.
  Fast route: Fast‑travel to Ikidomari Grove, face the cliff to the left, take the cave path (right at the fork), then climb to the pool. (Game8 also places it atop a mountain west of Husko Kotan.)

Quick loop: If you just came from Tokachi’s north edge by boat, do Nayoro’s single spring immediately so you don’t have to return later.

Teshio Ridge (3)

• 📍 Red Crane Inn Hot Spring — Inside the inn’s bathhouse (paid access).
  Fast route: At Red Crane Inn, enter the left‑side bathhouse, speak to the attendant, and pay 200 coins to use the spring. Pro tip: the inn icon overlaps the onsen pin on the map—easy to miss.
• 📍 Black Bowl Hot Spring — West of Crimson Forest, atop a small cliff.
  Fast route: From the Crimson Forest’s SW corner, climb the large rock for the pool; you may have to clear nearby enemies first.
• 📍 Valley View Hot Spring — North of Sarobetsu Lake / behind Contested Farm.
  Fast route: Ride to Contested Farm along the western edge, then climb the rock directly behind it to reach the bath. (Game8 notes it as north of Lake Sarobetsu.)

Quick loop: Do Red Crane Inn first (since it’s inside a hub), then Black Bowl (SW) → Valley View (NW) in a clockwise sweep so you end on the ridge pointing toward Oshima Coast.

Oshima Coast (2)

• 📍 Distant Castle Hot Spring — North of Miyama Village; above a waterfall.
  Fast route: From Miyama Village, follow the waterfall up, squeeze through the gap left of a broken stair, then climb to the rocky perch with the red tree. (Game8 matches the squeeze‑through and grapple up approach.)
• 📍 Cliff View Hot Spring — South of Saitō Artillery Outpost, in the Shojin Hills.
  Fast route: Head directly south from the outpost until you spot the red tree; the bath sits atop the rock. Climb the cliff’s south face from the bottom to reach it.

Quick loop: From Teshio Ridge, ride down the western highway to Miyama for Distant Castle, then cut SE to Shojin Hills for Cliff View—a clean two‑stop finale.

The Fastest Full‑Map Route (One Clean Sweep)

If you want everything quickly without backtracking, use this clockwise sweep:

1. Yotei Grasslands (4): Old Inn → Hidden Cliff → Shikotsu Woods (Yotei’s Shadow) → Wild Clearing → Kuttara (Horizon View).
2. Ishikari Plain (4): Ishikari Fork → Bear Rock → Cloud View (Rumoi source) → Smoky Mountains (White Deer NE) → Kappa’s (Urara east edge).
3. Tokachi Range (2): Huranui’s Rest → Quiet Valley → Grassy Fields (on the way north).
4. Nayoro Wilds (1): Boat in → Ikidomari Grove → Cave Path.
5. Teshio Ridge (3): Red Crane Inn (200 coins) → Black Bowl (Crimson Forest) → Valley View (behind Contested Farm).
6. Oshima Coast (2): Miyama Village → Distant Castle (waterfall climb) → Cliff View (Shojin Hills).

This order naturally carries you from central early‑game hubs into northern and western edges, ending seaside—with the best chance to keep chaining fast‑travel anchors you’ve unlocked, and with minimal elevation re‑runs.

Extra Tips & FAQs

• Can I do these after the credits? Absolutely. Nothing is missable and you can grab all springs in free‑roam.
• Do I have to choose specific reflection topics? No. The choice doesn’t affect the stat gain. Pick whatever feels right for Atsu.
• I can’t see the Red Crane Inn spring on the map. That’s normal—the inn icon overlaps the bath pin. Go inside the left building, talk to the attendant, and pay 200 to bathe.
• Is there a good map I can click? Use the Game8 interactive map to toggle Hot Springs and track progress.
• Do onsens help Spirit (for heals/abilities)? No—onsens boost max health. Spirit gains have other routes (e.g., Bamboo Strikes), as some guides note.
• How many onsens total? 16—across Yotei Grasslands (4), Ishikari (4), Tokachi (2), Nayoro (1), Teshio (3), Oshima (2). Visiting all 16 unlocks Fundoshi and helps with Body, Mind, and Spirit.

Summary

If you do nothing else while roaming Ezo, bathe early and often. The health boosts make every duel and bandit skirmish more forgiving, your first bath grants a scaling health charm, and finishing the full circuit rewards a fan‑favorite outfit and trophy progress. Follow the 16 pins above and sweep the map clockwise—you’ll be warm, resilient, and done in a single focused onsen tour.