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.

While friends and family carve up the powdery mountains, treat yourself to a trip to one of these famous onsen towns, writes Arundhati Hazra. Sitting in a hot spring pool in the chilly winter air, ...

Going to an onsen or a public bathhouse is a quintessentially Japanese experience. Onsen waters are natural and volcanic, pumped up from the ground, while bathhouse waters are simply reheated.

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I specialize in luxury hotels, Latin America and adventure travel. If tropical heat is a top item on your vacation checklist, ...

Thanks to its abundance of natural hot springs, bathing is an important part of Japanese culture. In fact, there are over 3,000 hot spring resorts across the country. While it’s easy to find an onsen ...

In Japan, bathing is more than just a way to get clean—it’s an ancient tradition elevated to an art form. Long regarded as both a physical and spiritual experience, communal bathing has historically ...

Japan is world-famous for its abundance of onsen hot springs, but those looking for a slightly more unique bathing experience should look no further than Beppu in Oita Prefecture. Beppu, located on ...

KYOTO -- The entrance to Funaoka Onsen, a hot spring bath in the Nishijin neighborhood of Kyoto's Kita Ward, has an imposing "karahafu" gable that wouldn't look out of place at a Shinto shrine. Its ...

FUKUOKA, JAPAN -- The boss of a 158-year-old Japanese guesthouse has apologized for only changing the water in its spa bath twice a year, after it was found to be teeming with potentially deadly ...