Chugoku in western Honshu
Chugoku is a region in western Honshu. The Japanese regional name “Chugoku” is distinct from the country of China.
The region consists of five prefectures: Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Yamaguchi. It faces the Sea of Japan to the north and the Seto Inland Sea to the south, with the Chugoku Mountains extending from east to west between them.
Explore Chugoku on the map and look for hot springs with me.
Explore the hot springs of Chugoku on the map
Select a ♨ marker to see information such as the hot spring or source name, recorded area, temperature at the time of investigation, pH, and sampling date.
You can also search by hot spring name, source name, or municipality using text, or use the microphone button to search by voice.
Compare the Sea of Japan side, the Seto Inland Sea side, and the mountain areas as you look for hot spring records.
About the map data
The ♨ markers represent historical records included in AIST’s Hot Spring Chemical Analysis Data. They are not a list of hot spring facilities currently in operation, and the dates of investigation vary by location.
A place without a marker does not necessarily have no hot springs. Each marker shows an approximate location and does not indicate the exact site of a spring or the entrance to a facility.
The displayed temperature was measured at the source and may differ from the temperature of the water in a bathing pool. The pH value is only a guide to acidity or alkalinity. Temperature and pH alone cannot determine a hot spring’s type or therapeutic effects.
How many hot springs are there in Chugoku?
According to the Ministry of the Environment, Chugoku has 184 hot spring areas and 1,629 hot spring sources. Together, they discharge 127,835 liters of water per minute.
The number of hot spring areas and the number of sources are not the same. A single hot spring area may contain multiple sources.
The data card lets you compare Chugoku’s number of hot spring areas, total number of sources, and discharge volume with the figures for Japan as a whole.
I had expected Chugoku to have more hot spring areas and sources.
What I noticed while making the map
What surprised me on the Chugoku map was how few hot spring markers appear in Tottori.
When the Sea of Japan side and the Seto Inland Sea side are compared, the distribution of hot spring records also appears different.
Zoom in and look for differences among the prefectures.
Why not explore the map to find a hot spring in Chugoku that you would like to visit?
Sources: Ministry of the Environment, Hot Spring Use in Fiscal 2024 (data as of March 31, 2025); Geological Survey of Japan, AIST, Geothermal Resources of Japan: Hot Spring Chemical Analysis Data (published in 2020)
The data card uses Ministry of the Environment statistics, while the ♨ markers use AIST’s historical analysis records. The scope, reference date, and counting method differ, so the figures are not expected to match. Before visiting, check the facility’s or local government’s official information for its current location and operating status.