Cultural immersion is an often-used construct to describe the pleasure of surrounding oneself entirely in the culture of the region one is visiting. In Japan, immersion is often quite literal, thanks ...

A friend who recently visited Japan declared: “Anyone who visits Japan should be sure to spend at least one night in a ryokan. What an experience!” I wholeheartedly agree. Without a doubt, Japanese ...

Tucked into the forested hills of Kumamoto Prefecture is Kurokawa Onsen, a small hot spring village that feels like it’s been preserved in time. Compared to more well-known Kyushu onsen towns like ...

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The 41-year-old is talking about the town of Ginzan Onsen, a popular winter destination in Japan’s Yamagata Prefecture. For Nakata, the importance of the region goes beyond beauty. He’s brought us ...

Nestled deep inside a valley in the far north of Kumamoto sits the steaming town of Tsuetate Onsen, an ancient pocket of Japan seemingly frozen in time. Home to a history that goes back 1,800 years, ...

I know it makes no sense in sauna-like Singapore, but I am a huge sucker for hot springs of any sort. The ultimate destination for hot spring lovers like me is Japan, the birthplace of the onsen. But ...

The legends of Unzen Onsen passed down through the ages paint a chilling picture. In this mountain resort town, stories of demons, white snakes rising from the mist and Buddhist monks using the ...