An onsen (温泉, onsen^?) is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language though the term is often used describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. Naruko (鳴子町 -chō is a former town located in Tamatsukuri District, Miyagi, Japan. A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated Groundwater from the earth's crust. is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities A volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth. Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the Onsen were traditionally used as public bathing places and today play a central role in directing Japanese domestic tourism. Public baths originated from a communal need for cleanliness Often the term public is misleading to some people as they will have restrictions based upon who can use the facility

Onsen come in many types and shapes including outdoor (露天風呂or野天風呂, rotenburo or notenburo^?) and indoor baths. Baths may be either public run by a municipality or private (内湯, uchiyu^?) often run as part of a hotel, ryokan or Bed and Breakfast (民宿, minshuku^?). A is a type of Traditional Japanese Inn dating from the Edo period ( 1603 – 1868) when they served travelers along Japan's highways Bed and breakfast, also known as B&B, is a term originating in the United Kingdom, but now also used all over the world for an establishment that offers accommodation

Onsen are a central feature of Japanese tourism often found out in the countryside, and are a major tourist attraction drawing Japanese couples, families or company groups who want to get away from the hectic life of the city to relax. Japanese often talk of the virtues of "naked communion" (裸の付き合い, hadaka no tsukiai^?)^[1] for breaking down barriers and getting to know people in the relaxed homey atmosphere of an onsen inn.

Japanese TV often features programs where the hosts visit a local onsen, interview the (female) owner (女将さん, okami-san^?), and try out some of the local delicacies. ^[2]

The presence of an onsen is often indicated on signs and maps by the symbol ♨ or the kanji, 湯, (meaning hot water). are the Chinese characters that are used in the modern Japanese logographic writing system along with Hiragana (ひらがな 平仮名 Katakana Sometimes the simpler hiragana character ゆ is used, to be understandable to younger children. is a Japanese Syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system, along with Katakana and Kanji; the Latin alphabet

Contents 1 Characteristics 2 Etiquette 2.1 Ensuring Cleanliness 2.2 Swimsuits 2.3 Towels 2.4 Noise 3 Therapy 4 Infections 5 Recent controversy 6 Selected Onsen 7 See also 8 References and notes 9 Further reading 10 External links

Characteristics

Traditionally, onsen were located outdoors, although a large number of inns have now built indoor bathing facilities as well. Onsen by definition use naturally hot water from geothermally heated springs. In Geology, geothermal refers to heat sources within the planet Onsen should be differentiated from sentō, indoor public bath houses in the city where the baths are filled with heated tap water. is a type of Japanese communal bath house where customers pay for entrance Major onsen resort hotels often feature a wide variety of themed spa baths and artificial waterfalls in the bathing area (打たせ湯, utaseyu^?). Public baths originated from a communal need for cleanliness Often the term public is misleading to some people as they will have restrictions based upon who can use the facility

Onsen water is believed to have healing powers derived from its mineral content. A particular onsen may feature several different baths, each with water with a different mineral composition. The outdoor bath tubs are most often made from Japanese cypress, marble or granite, while indoor tubs may be made with tile, acrylic or stainless steel. Chamaecyparis obtusa ( Japanese cypress, Hinoki cypress or Hinoki; Japanese: 檜 or 桧 hinoki) is a species of Marble is a nonfoliated Metamorphic rock resulting from the Metamorphism of Limestone, composed mostly of Calcite (a crystalline form of Granite (ˈɡrænɪt is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, Felsic, igneous rock. A tile is a manufactured piece of hard-wearing material such as Ceramic, stone, metal or even Glass. Poly(methyl methacrylate ( PMMA) or poly(methyl 2-methylpropenoate is a Thermoplastic and transparent Plastic. In Metallurgy, stainless steel is defined as a Steel Alloy with a minimum of 11

Many bathers come for only an hour or so to soak in the waters. Food also plays an important part in the attraction of a particular inn. ^[3] While other services like massages may be offered, the main reason most people visit the onsen is to enjoy the baths.

Traditionally, men and women bathed together at the onsen, as they did at the sentō, but single-sex bathing has steadily become the established custom since the opening of Japan to the West during the Meiji period. The, or Meiji era, denotes the 45-year reign of the Meiji Emperor, running in the Gregorian calendar, from 23 October 1868 to 30 July Mixed-sex bathing persists at some onsen in the rural areas of Japan, which usually also provide the option of separate "women-only" baths or different hours for the two sexes, although young children of either sex may be seen in both the men's and the women's baths.

People often travel to onsen with work colleagues, as the relaxed and open atmosphere helps to break down some of the hierarchical stiffness inherent in Japanese work life. However, most visitors to onsen are not work groups but friends, couples and families.

Etiquette

Ensuring Cleanliness

At an onsen, as at a sentō, guests are expected to wash their bodies and rinse themselves thoroughly before entering the hot water. is a type of Japanese communal bath house where customers pay for entrance The indoor baths have faucets with removable shower heads and stools to sit on, for showering and shampooing. Entering the onsen while still dirty or with traces of soap on the body is considered unacceptable. ^[4]

Swimsuits

Soakers are not normally allowed to wear swimsuits in the baths. However, a couple of modern onsen having more of a waterpark atmosphere require their guests to wear a swimming suit in their mixed baths. See List of waterparks (for a list of all waterparks in the world A waterpark is an Amusement park that features waterplay areas such

Towels

Onsen guests generally bring a small towel with them to use as a washcloth. The towel can also provide a modicum of modesty when walking between the washing area and the baths. Standards of modesty (also called demureness or reticence) are aspects of the Culture of a Country or people at a given point in time Some onsen allow one to wear the towel into the baths, while others have posted signs prohibiting this, saying that it makes it harder to clean the bath. ^[5] In this latter case, people normally set their towels off to the side of the water when enjoying the baths. However, some people place their folded towels on top of their heads.

Noise

Onsen are generally considered a respite from the hectic pace of life and consequently they are usually fairly quiet. However, sometimes bathers will engage in conversation in this relaxed situation. ^[6]

Therapy

The volcanic nature provides plenty of springs. When the onsen's water contains distinctive minerals or chemicals, the onsen establishments display what type of Onsen it is.

e. g.

• Sulphur onsen (硫黄泉, iō-sen^?)
• Sodium chloride onsen (ナトリウム泉, natoriumu-sen^?)
• Hydrogen carbonate onsen (炭酸泉, tansan-sen^?)
• Iron onsen (鉄泉, tetsu-sen^?)

In Japan, it is said onsen has various medical effects. ^[7] Japanese people believe that a good soak in proper onsen heals aches, pains and diseases, and visit onsen to treat the illnesses, such as arthralgia, chronic skin diseases, diabetes, constipation, menstrual disorders and so on. ^[7]

These medical benefits have given onsen a central role in balneotherapy which is called as Onsen Therapy (温泉療法, onsen-ryōhō^?). Balneotherapy (from Latin balneum "bath" the treatment of Disease by Bathing. Onsen Therapy is a comprehensive bathing treatment conducted to maintain health, normalize dysfunctions and prevent illness. ^[7]

Infections

Although millions of Japanese bathe in onsen every year with few noticeable side effects, there has been concern that the warm wet conditions lead to the transmission of infections. ^[8] Some concerns include:

• Athlete's foot fungal infection. Athlete's foot, also called Tinea Pedis, is a Parasitic fungal infection of the epidermis of the human foot
• The Naegleria fowleri amoeba lives in warm waters and soils worldwide and can be a cause of meningitis. Naegleria fowleri (pronounced /nə'ɡlɪəɹiə/ (also known as "the Brain -eating amoeba" is a free-living Excavate form of Protist Meningitis is Inflammation of the protective membranes covering the Brain and Spinal cord, known collectively as the Meninges. ^[9][10] Several deaths have been attributed to this amoeba, which enters the brain through the nasal passages. ^[11][12]
• Acanthamoeba also can spread through hot springs, according to the U. Acanthamoeba is a genus of Amoebae one of the most common Protozoa in soil and also frequently found in Fresh water and other habitats S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (or CDC) is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services based in unincorporated ^[13]
• Legionella bacteria have been spread through hot springs. Legionella is a Gram negative Bacterium, including species that cause Legionellosis or Legionnaires' disease most notably L ^[14][15]
• There is some suggestion that a bather's toe was infected with herpes simplex virus from a hot spring in Japan. Herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 ( HSV-1 and HSV-2) are two species of the herpes virus family Herpesviridae, which cause infections ^[16]
• There has been some concern that the temperature and mineral composition of natural hot spring water does not represent as much protection from infection as had been thought previously. There are viruses that have been collected from even very extreme environments in hot springs. For example, viruses were found in a hot spring in Pozzuoli, Italy, living in acidic water with a pH of 1. Pozzuoli is a city of the Province of Naples, in the Italian region of Campania. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a Solution. 5, and temperatures of 87 to 93°C. These viruses were observed to infect cells in the laboratory. ^[17]

Many onsen have posted notices for visitors, reminding anyone with open cuts, sores, or lesions to not bathe. This precaution limits the overall risk to bathers and the overall risk to individuals in good health is very slight. The case scenarios of herpetic and amoebic infections are remarkable not so much in that they occur, but rather that the affected persons are predominantly persons with reduced immune systems and likely skin lesions. (The herpetic infection cited above occurring on the foot of a diabetic individual is a good anecdotal representation)

Recent controversy

In recent years, there has been some controversy over the exclusion of foreigners and non-ethnic Japanese from entering hot springs. ^[18] This issue was highlighted in February 2001 when Debito Arudou and two co-plaintiffs sued Yunohana Onsen in Otaru, Hokkaido, for refusing service to customers based on race. is a Japanese author and an activist against Racial discrimination in Japan. is a city and port located in Shiribeshi, Hokkaidō, Japan, northwest of Sapporo. Yunohana Onsen lost the lawsuit in November 2002. ^[19] See the related discussion in the sentō article. is a type of Japanese communal bath house where customers pay for entrance

Selected Onsen

• Sōunkyo, Hokkaidō
• Onneyu, Hokkaidō
• Jōzankei, Hokkaidō
• Noboribetsu, Hokkaidō
• Tōyako, Hokkaidō
• Futamata, Hokkaidō
• Yunokawa, Hokkaidō
• Nyūtō, Akita
• Asamushi, Aomori
• Sukayu, Aomori
• Getō, Iwate
• Kindaichi-Onsen, Iwate
• Hanamaki, Iwate
• Naruko, Miyagi
• Sakunami, Miyagi
• Zaō Onsen, Yamagata
• Akayu, Yamagata
• Sabakoyu Onsen, Fukushima, the oldest community onsen in Japan
• Senami, Niigata
• Tsukioka, Niigata
• Iwamuro, Niigata, famous for onsen since the Edo period
• Tsubame, Niigata
• Yuzawa, Niigata
• Shiobara, Tochigi
• Kinugawa, Tochigi
• Takaragawa, Gunma one of the largest outdoor co-ed baths in Japan
• Shima, Gunma
• Sawatari, Gunma
• Kusatsu, Gunma
• Ikaho, Gunma
• Akagi, Gunma
• Tsurumaki, Kanagawa
• Hakone, Kanagawa Famous onsen resort town near Tokyo
• Ginzan Onsen, Yamagata
• Gōra, Kanagawa
• Yugawara, Kanagawa
• Itō, Shizuoka
• Atami, Shizuoka, Major onsen resort town near Tokyo
• Hokkawa, Shizuoka
• Shuzenji, Shizuoka
• Sumatakyō, Shizuoka
• Kanzanji, Shizuoka
• Shimobe, Yamanashi
• Jigokudani, Nagano
• Kakeyu, Nagano
• Suwa, Nagano
• Gero, Gifu - famous for its free open bath on riverbank
• Hirayu, Gifu
• Unazuki, Toyama
• Wakura, Ishikawa
• Takarazuka, Hyōgo
• Kinosaki, Hyōgo
• Onsen Town(Shin'onsen), Hyōgo
• Arima, Hyōgo - one of the most famous onsen outside Japan, in Kobe
• Shirahama, Wakayama
• Yubara, Okayama, one of the largest co-ed baths at the foot of a dam
• Misasa, Tottori
• Dōgo Onsen, Ehime
• Tara, Saga
• Beppu, Ōita - famous for its multi-coloured baths
• Yufuin, Oita
• Nuruyu, Kumamoto
• Kumamoto, Kumamoto
• Aso, Kumamoto; A famous Onsen area alongside Mount Aso, an active volcano
• Ibusuki, Kagoshima
• Shimabara, Nagasaki
• Yudanaka,Nagano

See also

• Ashiyu
• Balneotherapy
• Public bathing
• Sauna
• Turkish bath
• Taiwanese hot springs

References and notes

Further reading

• Hotta, Anne, and Yoko Ishiguro. A Guide to Japanese Hot Springs. New York: Kodansha America, 1986. ISBN 0870117203.

• Fujinami, Kōichi. Hot Springs in Japan. Tokyo: Board of Tourist Industry, Japanese Government Railways; Maruzen Company, Ltd. The Japanese Government Railways (JGR was the national railway system directly operated by the central government of Japan until 1949 , 1936.

• Neff, Robert. Japan's Hidden Hot Springs. Rutland, Vermont: Charles E. Tuttle, 1995. ISBN 0804819491.

• Seki, Akihiko, and Elizabeth Heilman Brooke. The Japanese Spa: A Guide to Japan's Finest Ryokan and Onsen. Boston: Tuttle Publishing, 2005. ISBN 080483671X. Reprinted as Ryokan: Japan's Finest Spas and Inns, 2007. ISBN 0804838399.

External links

• Konyoku Onsen All Japan Konyoku Onsen Information
• Secret Onsen a database with more than 125 onsen all around Japan
• Konyoku Konyoku Onsen visit reports with information, and evaluations
• Onsen Blog Providing Onsen info from an onsen lover in Japan
• Shinetsu-kogen Onsen Guide Mountain onsen guide for Myoko, Lake Nojiri, Iiyama and Togakushi
• The Way of the Hot Springs Beppu Onsen Rally Blog
• Onsen of Fukuoka Prefecture from official page of Fukuoka Prefecture Tourism Association

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