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 ...

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 ...

I am watching, entranced, as a gaggle of bathers jumps into a big, steaming outdoor pool. A popular hot spot in the frozen winterscape of upcountry Japan, the bath quickly fills with enthusiasts. Some ...

Tokyo — A symbol of national pride and vital part of Japan's transport infrastructure, the famed high-speed "bullet train" got some unwanted attention from regulators this month after the driver ...

Bathing in an “Onsen,” or hot spring, should be on any bucket list for Japan, even if you aren’t a big wellness girlie — although the physical and mental benefits are definitely part of the draw. Each ...

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 ...

When the hustle, bustle, and other non-rhyming but still fatiguing aspects of big city life start to be too much for your tastes, one of the best ways to relieve yourself of urban stress in Japan is ...

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 ...

A study of older adults in Japan found that taking a hot-tub bath before bed was associated with better sleep quality.