If you don’t love taking a shower, you’re doing it all wrong. Located directly at the crossroads of hygiene and self-care, showers are, of course, a must — but they’re also a great way to sneak in a ...

Thanks to the abundance of natural hot springs in Japan, 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 ...

Hot springs, or onsen, are a big deal in Japan. Not to be confused with sento, which are usually public baths using heated tap water, onsen are comprised of volcanic spring water that's full of ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Joni Sweet is a journalist who covers travel, wellness, and adventure. A trip to an onsen is a quintessential part of a trip to ...

There are a few rules to know before you go: Each onsen has separate male and female baths, and most ryokans offer a pass to enter the public onsens on a complimentary basis. Though some offer bath ...

Many foreign visitors to Japan are curious about taking a dip in one of Japan’s many hot springs or sento public baths, but are deterred by two factors: the embarrassment of being naked in public, and ...