“Come, I’m going to take you on a tour of hell,” my guide explained as we climbed into her van. With our hotel far behind us, the entire town of Beppu suddenly came into view through the windshield; ...

A cornerstone of Japanese culture, onsen runs the gamut—but these experiences take hot-spring soaks to a whole new level.

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 ...

After getting married to my Japanophile husband, annual trips to Japan are now a common fixture in my life. Over time, I’ve learnt to really appreciate Japanese culture and the natural wonders of the ...

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 ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I specialize in luxury hotels, Latin America and adventure travel. If tropical heat is a top item on your vacation checklist, ...

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 ...

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.