Winter in Iwate Prefecture is especially wonderful at a hot spring, and one would be hard-pressed to find a better place to enjoy the snow than at Matsukawa Onsen and its three ryokan traditional Japanese inns. Seen here is the mixed-bathing outdoor bath at Kyounso, a fabulous little inn that is worthy of a stay anytime. Photo: The mixed-bathing outdoor bath at Kyounso inn at Matsukawa Onsen is toasty even in Iwate Prefecture’s frigid winter temperatures. Matsukawa Onsen: Kyounso … [Read more...] about Bask in winter wonderland at Matsukawa Onsen in Tohoku
Outdoor bath
Outdoor baths, known as rotenburo (露天風呂) in Japanese, are the ultimate experience. Sitting naked in an outdoor bath but being toasty is *amazing.*
The first step: Discovering Japan’s hot springs
"Every journey begins with the first step," JRR Tolkien wrote. My visits to Japan’s onsen (温泉) hot springs began more than two decades ago. With Onsen Adventures, I’m building on all the subsequent journeys taken since then to create a useful resource to the best hot springs, ryokan (旅館) traditional Japanese inns and places that I’ve found along the way. Photo: The women's outdoor bath at Tsuru no Yu inn in Akita Prefecture is filled with blue-tinged sulfurous onsen water. Nyuto Onsen … [Read more...] about The first step: Discovering Japan’s hot springs
