From the "sushi capital" of Japan to an island ruled by cats, Tohoku offers a side of Japan most tourists never see ...

Soak in the three-Michelin-starred baths of Hyotan Onsen. Learn more about the craft of traditional bamboo weaving by taking a class at the Bamboo Cultural Center. Take a thermal sand bath while ...

A new high-speed train stop unlocks Kaga, a destination for onsen, nourishing food and traditional crafts, as an easy-to-reach getaway from Japan’s capital. A riverside cafe pops up from spring ...

Several Japanese cities are increasing the “bathing tax” for overnight visitors to onsen (hot spring) resorts, in an attempt to deal with rising tourism. This tax has been raised in regions including ...

Six hot spring resorts in the Tohoku region were among the top 10 of a major travel website’s list of “most recommended onsen off the beaten track.” The Nyuto Onsenkyo resort in Senboku, Akita ...

It’s 5am and I’m naked on a mountainside. Night still holds sway over the sky, the air is thick with steam, and a single bead of sweat runs slowly down the back of my neck. The onsen (hot spring) I’m ...

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.