Some Like It Hot

There are more than 3,000 onsen in Japan, fed by 27,000 natural hot springs. Let us help you find your soak.

- BY JEN MURPHY

There is no better way to end a trip to Japan (is anyone not going there these days?) than with the centuries-old tradition of the hot water cure (touji). While onsen are now ubiquitous in urban luxury hotels, to truly experience Japan's bathing culture you should visit one of its onsen-gai, or onsen towns, developed in areas with large concentrations of hot springs. They differ by number of pools and their location (indoors or out), the mineral content of their water (sulfurous? chlorinated? alkaline?), and the style of their ryokan, the traditional Japanese guesthouses that typically feature an adjoining bathhouse or even a private in-room onsen. Here are three easy-to-reach