This content is supplied by Reputio.
December in Otago marks the peak of summer, when most New Zealanders traditionally head to the beaches of Fiji or Bali. However, a growing segment of travelers from New Zealand is choosing a different destination: Japan’s snow-covered mountains and therapeutic onsen resorts. In 2024, according to various estimates that between 76,000 and 115,000 New Zealanders visited Japan, one of the highest recorded figures, with a significant portion attributed to wellness tourism during the Japanese winter season.
Such a significant shift in preferences reflects a transformation in how New Zealanders approach leisure. Instead of the usual passive beach time, travelers are seeking meaningful experiences that combine physical rejuvenation with cultural immersion.
A practical question arises: how to organize such a trip as comfortably as possible when Japan’s mountain resorts are thousands of kilometers away and reliable mobile connectivity becomes critical for navigation, bookings, and safety? The answer lies with next-generation eSIM operators like Yesim, which combine flexible settings, ease of use, and reliable network access even on the most remote mountain slopes.
Why Japan Beats the Tropics
Japan was named the best wellness destination in Asia in 2025 by Book Retreats’ Holiday Relaxation Report, surpassing popular destinations like Bali and Thailand. The country offers over 9,000 wellness programs — from onsen bathing to Reiki therapy and forest bathing (shinrin-yoku).
Personalized programs at Japanese wellness resorts sharply contrast with mass beach tourism. Traditional ryokans (Japanese inns) in onsen villages offer an individual approach: from selecting the type of mineral water to adjusting temperatures in private baths. Shiatsu massage treatments are tailored to guests’ specific requests, and kaiseki dinners are prepared considering dietary preferences and seasonal local ingredients.
Contrasting vacations act as a psychological reset. When it’s summer in New Zealand, immersing yourself in the winter atmosphere of Japan’s mountains creates a sense of complete escape from your usual environment. Bathing in an outdoor hot spring with air temperatures around zero while snow falls overhead offers an experience impossible to replicate on a tropical beach.
Logistics also play a role. Air New Zealand operates daily direct flights from Auckland to Tokyo (Narita), taking about 11 hours and 20 minutes. From Dunedin to Auckland, it’s roughly a 2-hour domestic flight, making the total travel time quite reasonable for a one- or two-week vacation.
Practical Guide: What a Typical Onsen Trip Looks Like
The theory sounds appealing, but how do you organize such a trip in practice? Let’s look at a typical onsen itinerary from Dunedin — from route selection to budgeting expenses.
Where to Stay: Ryokans with Private Outdoor Baths
New Zealanders often choose mid-range to premium ryokans with private outdoor baths (rotenburo). This allows enjoying the onsen at any time without following public bath schedules. Rooms in such ryokans typically include a sleeping area with tatami mats and futons, a relaxation area with low tables and zaisu chairs, and a private bath with a rotenburo.
Popular ryokans in Hakone, such as Gora Kadan or Mount View Hakone, offer rooms with views of the mountains and forests. In Nagano, the Nozawa Onsen area is known for authentic family-run ryokans, where visitors can experience the true spirit of rural Japan. In Hokkaido, Noboribetsu offers a variety of mineral water types — from sulfuric springs to iron-rich baths.
Daily Rhythm: Baths, Meditation, Walks, Local Cuisine
A day in a traditional ryokan begins around 7 a.m. After waking, guests enjoy a morning soak in the onsen, when the water is especially clean and there are few visitors. This is followed by a traditional Japanese breakfast: rice, miso soup, tsukemono (pickled vegetables), grilled fish, tamagoyaki (omelet), and several side dishes.
In the morning, many ryokans offer meditation sessions or short hikes in the surrounding area. After lunch, there’s free time for reading, relaxing, or additional treatments. From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., it’s a popular time for shiatsu massage or a repeat visit to the onsen.
Dinner is the Day’s Main Event
Kaiseki meals usually consist of 7–10 dishes, served in stages over 1.5–2 hours. Each dish is presented on individual, elegant tableware, often locally made ceramics. After dinner, most guests return to the onsen — an evening soak under the stars is considered especially relaxing.
Average Budget and Key Expenses
Accommodation in a mid-range ryokan costs around $170–$340 NZD per person per night, including dinner and breakfast. Premium ryokans with private onsens can cost $340–$780 NZD per night. Budget options with basic amenities are available from around $45 NZD.
Flights from Dunedin to Auckland (round-trip) range from $84 NZD to $200 NZD depending on the season. Auckland to Tokyo (round-trip) costs between $620–$1,300 NZD. In total, a Dunedin–Tokyo round-trip costs approximately $722–$850 NZD for budget options and around $1,400–$1,500 NZD for direct flights on convenient dates.
Domestic transportation in Japan (7-day JR Pass) costs around $560 NZD. Additional expenses include shiatsu massages (about $80–$120 NZD per session), tours, and souvenirs. Thus, a typical budget for a one-week wellness trip to Japan from Dunedin ranges from $5,000–$7,000 NZD per person for mid-range ryokans and $8,000–$12,000 NZD for a premium experience.
The Technological Side: Connectivity and Mobility as Part of Comfort
Roaming with New Zealand operators in Japan can be very expensive. For example, if you inadvertently use up all your traffic (2 GB) in a Spark roaming package, further browsing will be charged at $1.15 NZD per MB.
Buying a local SIM card in Japan is possible but requires time upon arrival, when fatigue from a long flight is at its peak. Many airport kiosks operate on limited hours, and the language barrier can complicate the process. Additionally, a physical SIM card occupies a slot, which can be inconvenient for those who want to keep access to their New Zealand number for important calls or SMS.
Public Wi-Fi is common in Japanese cities, but coverage is unstable at mountain onsen resorts. Many traditional ryokans offer Wi-Fi only in shared areas, not in rooms, making it difficult to comfortably use the internet to plan the next day from your own room.
eSIM as a Way to Ensure Stable Internet Abroad
All the drawbacks mentioned are eliminated by travel eSIM services. Technically, an eSIM is a microchip built into your device, onto which packages from different operators can be remotely downloaded and activated. This is how Yesim works — one of the most popular international eSIM providers, with over 2 million users.
Why Travelers Choose Yesim
Yesim stands out with several features that are critically important for long-distance travel. Automatic network switching means that even in the mountainous areas of Nagano or Hokkaido, the app selects the operator with the best signal without any manual setup. When one operator loses coverage in a valley, the system switches to another — seamlessly for the user.
Yesim plans are divided into three categories: single-country packages, such as a one-week unlimited plan in Japan for $48 NZD, regional packages, and global packages, including the Global Package for 80+ countries and the Global Plus Package for 140+ countries. For a traveler from New Zealand planning stops in Singapore or Thailand on the way to Japan, this means one eSIM for the entire trip instead of purchasing separate profiles for each country.
Another global plan, Pay & Fly, works on a pay-as-you-go model — you only pay for the data you actually use, without fixed limits. This is especially convenient for those unsure of their consumption: if you planned to use 50 GB but only needed 3 GB, you’re charged just for 3 GB. One card covers the whole world, paying only for what you use, with no surprises.
The activation process is extremely simple. Download the Yesim app at home, set up your profile, and activate it upon arrival. The QR code for installation is delivered instantly, but you can activate it later — for example, on the plane before landing or immediately after touchdown. There’s no need to worry about technical details — the app automatically selects the best network.
An important advantage is transparency. You can test the connection quality for a nominal fee by purchasing a trial 500 MB package for 3 days for just $1.04 NZD before a big trip. After the trip, there are no unexpected bills — all expenses are tracked in the app in real time. By the way, new Yesim users can use the promo code GETYESIM15 to get 15% off their first order.
An Alternative to Beaches — with Comfort
Japanese onsens are becoming a full-fledged summer trend for New Zealanders seeking an alternative to traditional beaches. The growth of this segment is driven by the cultural depth of Japan’s wellness traditions, the therapeutic effects of mineral springs, and the convenience of digital infrastructure.
The combination of traditional Japanese ryokan practices and technological support, including eSIM solutions like Yesim, makes these trips among the most comfortable and appealing for the summer season of 2025–2026. For residents of Dunedin and the surrounding region, this opens the opportunity to spend the December holidays in Japan’s snowy mountains, immerse themselves in ancient culture, and return home truly refreshed.
This content is supplied by Reputio.
AloJapan.com