Jose Sanchez
Research expert covering society, economy, & politics for Latin America
Onsen in Japan - statistics & facts
Japan鈥檚 geological activity provides the island country with ample thermal springs, referred to as 鈥onsen鈥. These naturally occurring wellsprings have been used since immemorial times and are an integral part of Japanese culture. This can be seen in the number of publicly available bathing facilities, of which there are two types of in Japan:鈥sento鈥痑苍诲鈥onsen.鈥疭别苍迟辞 is a type of public bath encountered in cities that provides bathing amenities at an affordable price. In most cases, sento use artificially warmed water and offer no other amenities.鈥Onsen鈥痟ot baths, on the other hand, are commonly located in mountainous regions and provide visitors with natural thermal water often enriched with minerals.鈥Facilities around鈥onsen鈥痑re typically Japanese-style inns (ryokan). They provide bathing amenities, as well as lodging, food, and various services for relaxation. Onsen resorts represent a stronghold of the tourism industry in Japan, especially for domestic leisure travel.
