As I walk into the Hinotani Onsen at Misugi Resort, I’m hit with a mixture of scents from cedar to hops. This being my first onsen experience in Japan, I step over the threshold in the Kangetsu Noten ...

Bathing in an “Onsen,” or hot spring, should be on any bucket list for Japan, even if you aren’t a big wellness girlie — although the physical and mental benefits are definitely part of the draw. Each ...

Onsen are baths filled with geothermally heated, mineral-rich water. They’ve long been part of Japanese culture, but foreign travelers often struggle with the nudity aspect. - Boaz Rottem/Alamy Stock ...

The FINANCIAL — The city of Beppu, on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, has long been a favourite with locals as an onsen retreat. Today, the city will enjoy a boost as an international spa ...

On a recent concert tour in Japan, I had the chance to visit several thermal baths and to chat with people about the tradition of bathing. I was fascinated by their differences with American spas.

It was a cold February day in northern Japan, snow piled high outside the onsen locker room windows as I slipped out of my clothes. Nervously, I stepped into the plumes of steam wafting from the next ...