Hakone has a history of 1200 years as a hot spring hot spot. A short 1 to 2-hour journey away from the city center, it’s just right for a day trip to see the sights as you go around the abundant shops ...

With Tokyo Fashion Week coming to a close, there is much to see and do outside of the collections—from the gardens to the shrines and the obligatory (and adorable) stationery store romps. However, few ...

As a volcanic archipelago, Japan boasts one of the world’s largest number of onsen. Many of the areas around these hot springs were originally developed as health resorts to provide treatment and ...

The winter solstice ― occurring annually between Dec. 21 and Dec. 22 ― officially marks the start of the coldest, darkest day in the Northern Hemisphere, synonymously kicking off Capricorn season. Of ...

There’s nothing like a good soak in a nice, hot onsen (hot spring), especially in the cold months of winter. Luckily, onsen are everywhere in Japan, thanks to the volcanic activity that heats water ...

Making a creaking sound, the wooden entrance door opens, and Sumie Tamura is standing there with a friendly smile. "Irashaimase" - welcome - she says while bowing gracefully to greet me. Her ...

With more than 100 active volcanoes, Japan has the world’s third-largest geothermal resources, but a powerful industry has steadfastly opposed developing the sector: hot springs. Geothermal energy is ...