When a friend of mine returned from his first trip to Japan, he couldn’t help but rave about the country. From the extraordinary food to the rich history to the hospitable locals, there really weren’t ...

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 there are a multitude of reasons to go to Japan — from its sublime cuisine to these spectacular sites to see the cherry blossoms — perhaps nothing beats a visit to one of the country's hot ...

There are more than 3,000 onsens in Japan, found throughout the country and these hot spring pools come in all shapes and sizes. There are outdoor pools, indoor pools and those that are traditional ...

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 ...