Onsen - Japanese hot springs

Onsen ( 温泉 (おんせん) ) is one of the best things in life, if you ask me. Definitely an experience to have in Japan. Connecting with nature, connecting with tradition. Relaxing body and mind in the healing magical water. Sometimes I would get a car, drive far into the mountains just to stay at a remote onsen. Or after a ski trip - you go ski to the mountains, right? That’s also where the onsens are! OR after hiking, or even a bicycle ride from Tokyo can get you to a hot spring.

Look, there is even a unicode character meaning onsen, this one: ♨️. It is sometimes used used as a topographic mark, along with a kanji for hot water - 湯, or just a hirgana for its reading - ゆ.

There are many aspects to onsen, let us look a them one by one.