ONSEN

Onsen etiquette can be confusing for a foreigner visiting for the first time, and there are many small rules and customs that even many Japanese people aren’t quite clear on.

I'm a little bit addicted to going to onsen in Japan.

You don’t have to break the bank to enjoy the relaxing experience of taking a long soak in an onsen while basking in breathtakingly natural beauty.

All water isn’t the same. Every natural spring passes through layers upon layers of rock that can give the water a unique chemical makeup said to have a variety of health effects depending on the mineral content of the water.

Japan has as many locations famous for their autumn foliage as it has onsen—in other words, a lot!

There are plenty of sites and pamphlets explaining how to visit an onsen like a pro. But how about a quick checklist of what not to do?

Sure, hot springs can be found all over the world—but onsen are unique to Japan. Or are they?

There’s a bathload of sites out there on onsen, but we found our information pools best filled by the following sources.