Forest bathing emerged in Japan in the 1980s as a physiological and psychological exercise called shinrin-yoku, meaning “forest bathing” or “taking in the forest atmosphere.” Now this type of walking ...

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.

A visit to the forest may do more than calm the mind. It could strengthen the body’s immune system. A Japanese study has found that “Shinrinyoku”, or forest bathing, helps improve natural killer (NK) ...

Forget the ocean. In Ibusuki, a beachside city on Kyushu Island in Japan’s subtropical south, it’s all about the sand. Not the dark color of the sandy granules or even the length or width of the ...

In Japan, home to tens of thousands of mineral-rich onsens (hot springs), hydrotherapy isn’t just an occasional indulgence—but rather a way of life. I tried to remember this as I descended into what ...

Even if you don’t consider yourself a bath person, or are turned off by the idea of sitting in a tub of your own grime, you still might be charmed by the ritual of visiting a Japanese hot spring, or ...

Spending time in the forest isn't just enjoyable, it's good for your health. NPR's Life Kit has research-backed exercises to try the next time you're among trees. Step into the forest, it's hard not ...

We often rush through our cleansing routines daily. In the mornings, we take quick showers and head out to face the crazed modern world. If we are lucky, we can wind down at the end of a busy day with ...

When Princess Cruises introduced the Diamond Princess, its only ship to exclusively sail around Asia, the designers included something that would appeal to its clientele: a Japanese hot spring, or ...