Outdoor pool, Naruko, Miyagi

Guidebook to Hakone from 1811

An onsen (温泉, onsen^?) is a Japanese hot spring. A volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth. Onsen were traditionally used as public bathing places and today play a central role in directing Japanese domestic tourism. Outdoor pool at Naruko Onsen, Japan. ... Outdoor pool at Naruko Onsen, Japan. ... Naruko (鳴子町; -chou) is a town located in Tamatsukuri District, Miyagi, Japan. ... Download high resolution version (648x986, 172 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (648x986, 172 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Green Dragon Spring at Norris Geyser A hot spring is a place where warm or hot groundwater issues from the ground on a regular basis for at least a predictable part of the year, and is significantly above the ambient ground temperature (which is usually around 55~57 F or... // Public baths originated from a communal need for cleanliness. ...

Onsen come in many types and shapes including outdoor (露天風呂, rotenburo^?) and indoor (野天風呂, notenburo^?) baths. Baths may be either public run by a municipality or private (内湯, uchiyu^?) often run as part of a hotel, traditional inn (旅館, ryokan^?) or B&B (民宿, minshuku^?). ‹ The template below (Expand) is being considered for deletion. ... Tourists of various nationalities chatting over breakfast at a B&B in Quebec City. ...

Onsens 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 wife of the 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 Chinese character 湯 (meaning hot water). Sometimes the simpler hiragana character ゆ is used, to be understandable to younger children. Technical note: Due to technical limitations, some web browsers may not display some special characters in this article. ... Hiragana ) is a Japanese syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system, along with katakana and kanji; the Latin alphabet is also used in some cases. ...

Onsen characteristics

Outdoor onsen on Nakanoshima in Nachikatsuura, Wakayama.

Indoor onsen in Oofuka (大深温泉).

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. Onsen should be differentiated from sentō, indoor public bath houses in the city where the baths are filled with heated tap water. 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^?). Download high resolution version (1234x878, 261 KB)This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons, a repository of free content hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation. ... Download high resolution version (1234x878, 261 KB)This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons, a repository of free content hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation. ... Categories: Towns in Wakayama Prefecture | Japan geography stubs ... Image File history File links Oobuka_Onsen_Akita_02. ... Image File history File links Oobuka_Onsen_Akita_02. ... Earth cutaway from core to exosphere. ... Entrance to the sentō at the Edo Tokyo Open Air Museum Sentō ) is a type of Japanese communal bath house where customers pay for entrance. ... // Public baths originated from a communal need for cleanliness. ...

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. Binomial name Chamaecyparis obtusa (Siebold & Zucc. ... For other uses, see Marble (disambiguation). ... Close-up of granite from Yosemite National Park, valley of the Merced River Quarrying granite for the Mormon Temple, Utah Territory. ... Mission, or barrel, roof tiles A tile is a manufactured piece of hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, porcelain, metal or even glass. ... Look up acrylic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The 630 foot high, stainless-clad (type 304L) Gateway Arch defines St. ...

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 ^{[citation needed]}, 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. 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. The Meiji period ), or Meiji era, denotes the 45-year reign of Emperor Meiji, running, in the Gregorian calendar, from 23 October 1868 to 30 July 1912. ...

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.

Onsen 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. The indoor baths have faucets with removable shower heads and stools to sit on, for showering and shampooing.^[4] Entrance to the sentō at the Edo Tokyo Open Air Museum Sentō ) is a type of Japanese communal bath house where customers pay for entrance. ...

Swimsuits

Many traditional onsen out in the countryside do not allow swimsuits in the bath, saying that these make it harder to clean. Some modern onsen in larger towns though have more of a waterpark atmosphere, and actively encourage the use of swimsuits, especially in their mixed baths. Fun at a water park Aerial view of Sunway Lagoon, a popular Water Park in Malaysia. ...

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. 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. This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

Noise

Onsens 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]

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.^[7] Some concerns include:

• Athlete's foot fungal infection.
• The Naegleria fowler amoeba lives in warm waters and soils worldwide and can be a cause of meningitis.^[8][9] Several deaths have been attributed to this amoeba, which enters the brain through the nasal passages.^[10][11]

• Acanthamoeba also can spread through hot springs, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.^[12]

• Legionella bacteria have been spread through hot springs.^[13][14]

• There is some suggestion that a bather's toe was infected with herpes simplex virus from a hot spring in Japan.^[15]

• 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 1.5, and temperatures of 87 to 93°C. These viruses were observed to infect cells in the laboratory.^[16]

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) Athletes foot or tinea pedis[1] is a parasitic fungal infection of the epidermis of the foot. ... Alternate meanings: Amoeboid, Amoebozoa For other uses, see Amoeba (disambiguation). ... Meningitis is the inflammation of the protective membranes covering the central nervous system, known collectively as the meninges. ... Acanthamoeba is a genus of amoebae, one of the most common protozoa in soil, and also frequently found in freshwater and other habitats. ... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, is recognized as the leading United States agency for protecting the public health and safety of people. ... Species Legionella adelaidensis Legionella anisa Legionella beliardensis Legionella birminghamensis Legionella bozemanii Legionella brunensis Legionella busanensis Legionella cherrii Legionella cincinnatiensis Legionella donaldsonii Legionella drancourtii Legionella drozanskii Legionella erythra Legionella fairfieldensis Legionella fallonii Legionella feeleii Legionella geestiana Legionella gratiana Legionella gresilensis Legionella hackeliae Legionella israelensis Legionella jamestowniensis Legionella jordanis Legionella lansingensis Legionella... Species Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) This article is about the virus. ... Pozzuoli is a city of the province of Napoli, in the Italian region of Campania. ... For other uses, see PH (disambiguation). ...

Recent controversy

"Japanese only" sign at Yunohana Onsen

In recent years, there has been some controversy over the exclusion of foreigners (or non-ethnic Japanese) from entering hot springs.^[17] 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. Yunohana Onsen lost the lawsuit in November 2002.^[18] See the related discussion in the sentō article. From debito. ... From debito. ... // Debito Arudou Debito Arudou ), a naturalized Japanese citizen, is a teacher, author and controversial activist. ... Otaru (小樽市; -shi) is a city and port located in Shiribeshi, Hokkaido, Japan. ... Entrance to the sentō at the Edo Tokyo Open Air Museum Sentō ) is a type of Japanese communal bath house where customers pay for entrance. ...

Selected Onsen

A private outdoor rotenburo in Gorakadan

Old onsen in Hakone

This rotenburo at Jigokudani Onsen is for Japanese Macaques.

Macaques enjoying an open air hot spring or onsen in Nagano

• Sounkyo, Hokkaidō
• Onneyu, Hokkaidō
• Jozankei, Hokkaidō
• Noboribetsu, Hokkaidō
• Toya, Hokkaidō
• Futamata, Hokkaidō
• Yunokawa, Hokkaidō
• Nyuto, Akita
• Asamushi, Aomori
• Sukayu,Aomori
• Geto, Iwate
• Kindaichi-Onsen,Iwate
• Hanamaki, Iwate
• Naruko, Miyagi
• Sakunami, Miyagi
• Zao Onsen, Yamagata
• Akayu, Yamagata
• Sabakoyu Onsen, Fukushima, the oldest community onsen in Japan
• Senami, 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
• Goura, Kanagawa
• Yugawara, Kanagawa
• Itou, Shizuoka
• Atami, Shizuoka, Major onsen resort town near Tokyo
• Hokkawa, Shizuoka
• Shuuzenji, Shizuoka
• Sumatakyo, Shizuoka
• Kanzanji, Shizuoka
• Shimobe, Yamanashi
• Jigokudani, Nagano
• Kakeyu, Nagano
• Suwa, Nagano
• Gero, Gifu - famous for its free open bath on riverbank
• Hira-yu, Gifu
• Unazuki, Toyama
• Wakura, Ishikawa
• Takarazuka, Hyōgo
• Kinosaki, Hyōgo
• Onsen Town, 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
• Dogo, 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

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1195x1600, 632 KB) Private Rotenburo in the Gorakadan Onsen (http://www. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1195x1600, 632 KB) Private Rotenburo in the Gorakadan Onsen (http://www. ... Download high resolution version (800x1067, 237 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (800x1067, 237 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Mt. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1500x1000, 611 KB) Japanese macaque Macaca fuscata Jigokudani Onsen, Yamanouchi, Nagano Prefecture, Japan Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Onsen Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1500x1000, 611 KB) Japanese macaque Macaca fuscata Jigokudani Onsen, Yamanouchi, Nagano Prefecture, Japan Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Onsen Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create... Macaque in outdoor bath at Jigokudani Monkey Park Japans Jigokudani Monkey Park (地獄谷野猿公苑 Jigokudani Yaenkōen) is in Yamanouchi, Shimotakai District, Nagano Prefecture. ... Binomial name Macaca fuscata Blyth, 1875 The Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata), also known as the Snow Monkey, is a terrestrial Old World monkey species native to northern Japan, although an introduced free-ranging population has been living near Laredo, Texas since 1972. ... Image File history File links Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata) Jigokudani Hot Spring in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. ... Image File history File links Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata) Jigokudani Hot Spring in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. ... Type Species Simia inuus Linnaeus, 1758 = Simia sylvanus Linnaeus, 1758 Species See text. ... Green Dragon Spring at Norris Geyser A hot spring is a place where warm or hot groundwater issues from the ground on a regular basis for at least a predictable part of the year, and is significantly above the ambient ground temperature (which is usually around 55~57 F or... Categories: Host cities of the Winter Olympic Games | Cities in Nagano Prefecture | Japan geography stubs ...   literally North Sea Circuit, Ainu: Mosir), formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japans second largest island and the largest of its 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. ... Categories: Cities in Hokkaido Prefecture | Japan geography stubs ... Tōya or Toya can refer to several different things, including: Places Lake Toya in Hokkaido, Japan People St. ... The Yunokawa Onsen (湯の川温泉) is a well known onsen in Japan. ... Akita (秋田, autumn ricefield) is a Japanese surname and the name of serveral places. ... Aomori Prefecture (青森県 Aomoriken or frequently Aomori-ken) is located in the Tōhoku Region of Japan. ... Sukayu (酸ヶ湯) or Sukayu Onsen is a well-known onsen (hot spring) in the city of Aomori, Aomori Prefecture. ... Iwate Prefecture (岩手県; Iwate-ken) is located in the Tohoku region on Honshu island, Japan. ... Kindaichi-Onsen (金田一温泉) is a hot spring in Ninohe, Iwate. ... Hanamaki (花巻市; -shi) is a city located in Iwate, Japan. ... Naruko (鳴子町; -chou) is a town located in Tamatsukuri District, Miyagi, Japan. ... Miyagi Prefecture (宮城県; Miyagi-ken) is located in the Tōhoku Region on Honshu island, Japan. ... Sakunami is an onsen district in northern Japan about 25 kilometres to the north-west of Sendai. ... Zao Onsen is a famous hot spring area on Mount Zao in the northern part of HonshÅ«, the main island of Japan. ... Yamagata Prefecture (山形県; Yamagata-ken) is located in the Tohoku region on Honshu island, Japan. ... Akayu (赤湯), is a town in Nanyo City, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. ... Sabakoyu Onsen Sabakoyu Onsen during the Meiji Era Sabakoyu Onsen before its renovation in 1993 Sabakoyu Onsens landmark water tower The Sabakoyu Onsen (鯖湖湯 or Mackerel Lake Hot Spring) in Iizaka, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan is the oldest community onsen in the country. ... Fukushima Prefecture (福島県 Fukushima-ken) is located in the Tohoku region on Honshu island, Japan. ... Niigata Prefecture ) is located on HonshÅ« island on the coast of the Sea of Japan. ... Iwamuro (岩室村; -mura) is a village located in Nishikanbara District, Niigata, Japan. ... Tsubame (燕市; -shi) is a city located in Niigata, Japan. ... Yuzawa (湯沢町; -machi) is an onsen (hot spring) town located in Minamiuonuma District in the mountains of the Chuetsu region of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. ... Tochigi Prefecture (栃木県 Tochigi-ken) is a located in the Kanto region on the island of Honshu, Japan. ... Kinugawa (鬼怒川) is a hot spring resort in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. ... Gunma redirects here. ... Nakanojō (中之条町; -machi) is a town located in Agatsuma District, Gunma, Japan. ... Gunma redirects here. ... Nakanojō (中之条町; -machi) is a town located in Agatsuma District, Gunma, Japan. ... Kusatsu (草津町; -machi) is a town located in Agatsuma District, Gunma, Japan. ... Ikaho (伊香保町; -machi) is a town located in Kitagunma District, Gunma, Japan. ... Akagi (赤城村; -mura) is a village located in Seta District, Gunma, Japan. ... Kanagawa Prefecture ) is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of HonshÅ«, Japan. ... Mt. ... Kanagawa Prefecture ) is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of HonshÅ«, Japan. ... Ginzan Onsen is an onsen (hot spring) area in Obanazawa, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. ... Goura can mean: One of several species of large, crested ground pigeons of the genus Goura, inhabiting New Guinea and adjacent islands. ... Yugawara (湯河原町; -machi) is a town located in Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa, Japan. ... Itō (伊藤) is the sixth most common Japanese surname. ... Shizuoka Prefecture ) is located in the ChÅ«bu region on HonshÅ« island, Japan. ... Atami (熱海市; -shi) is a city located in Shizuoka, Japan. ... Map of Yamanashi Prefecture. ... Macaque in outdoor bath at Jigokudani Monkey Park Japans Jigokudani Monkey Park (地獄谷野猿公苑 Jigokudani Yaenkōen) is in Yamanouchi, Shimotakai District, Nagano Prefecture. ... Nagano Prefecture (長野県; Nagano-ken) is located on Honshu island, Japan. ... Suwa (諏訪市; -shi) is a city located in Nagano, Japan. ... Gero (下呂市; -shi) is a city in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. ... Gifu Prefecture (岐阜県 Gifu-ken), is located in the Chubu region of central Japan. ... Gifu Prefecture (岐阜県 Gifu-ken), is located in the Chubu region of central Japan. ... Toyama Prefecture ) is located in the ChÅ«bu region on HonshÅ« island, Japan. ... Ishikawa Prefecture ) is located in the Chubu region on Honshu island, Japan. ... , Takarazuka ) is a city located in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. ... Hyōgo Prefecture (兵庫県 Hyōgo-ken) is located in the Kinki region on Honshu island, Japan. ... Kinosaki (城崎町; -cho) is a town located in Kinosaki District, Hyogo, Japan. ... Onsen (温泉町; -cho) is a town located in Mikata District, Hyogo, Japan. ... Arima Onsen (Hot Spring) (有馬温泉) is one of Japans most famous old hot springs. ... Categories: Towns in Wakayama Prefecture | Japan geography stubs ... Wakayama Prefecture ) is part of the Kii Peninsula in the Kinki region on HonshÅ« island, Japan. ... Okayama Prefecture ) is located in the ChÅ«goku region on HonshÅ« island, Japan. ... Tottori Prefecture (鳥取県; Tottori-ken) is located in the Chugoku region on Honshu island, Japan. ... Dogo Onsen bathhouse Dōgō Onsen (道後温泉) is a hot spring in Shikoku, Japan. ... Ehime agency Ehime Prefecture (愛媛県; Ehime-ken) is a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. ... Tara ) is a town and peninsula located in Fujitsu District, Saga, Japan. ... Beppu (別府市; -shi) is a city located in Oita, Japan. ... ÅŒita Prefecture ) is located on KyÅ«shÅ« Island, Japan. ... A view of Yufuin Yufuin ) was a town located in ÅŒita District, ÅŒita, Japan. ... Nuruyu (奴留湯温泉; -onsen) is an onsen in Oguni, Aso District, Kumamoto, Japan. ... Kumamoto Prefecture (熊本県; Kumamoto-ken) is located on Kyushu Island, Japan. ... Categories: Cities in Kumamoto Prefecture | Japan geography stubs ... Aso (阿蘇町; -machi) is a town in Aso District, Japan. ... For the city in Kumamoto Prefecture, please see Aso, Kumamoto. ... Ibusuki (指宿市; -shi) is a city located in Kagoshima, Japan. ... Shimabara Castle Feeding carp (nishikigoi) along the streets of Shimabara Shimabara (島原市; -shi) is a city located in Nagasaki, Japan. ... Oranda-zaka (Dutch Slope) in Nagasaki Castle in Shimabara The island of Hirado boasts a fine castle Nagasaki Prefecture (長崎県; Nagasaki-ken) is located on Kyushu island, Japan. ...

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Onsen

• Ashiyu
• Balneotherapy
• Public bathing
• Sauna
• Turkish bath

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Categories: Possible copyright violations ... Treatment bath at a spa in Hot Springs, Arkansas Balneotherapy involves the treatment of disease by bathing. ... // Public baths originated from a communal need for cleanliness. ... For the music festival in Finland, see Sauna Open Air Metal Festival. ... This article is about the Turkish bath establishment. ...

References and notes

1. ^ This term should be carefully differentiated from the word skinship (スキンシップ, sukinshippu^?) which refers to the benefits of physical contact, for instance, on babies by their mothers.
2. ^ In March 2003 it was reported that there were 3,102 spa resorts in 2,292 municipalities in the Japan. There were also 15,400 lodging facilities, or ryokan, associated with the 6,740 public onsen. About 138 million people a year visit these facilities, according to this article
3. ^ Because most people tend to eat their evening meal around 6 pm, the baths are often empty at this time. This can be a good time to visit the baths in relative privacy.
4. ^ Entering the onsen while still dirty or covered in soap can be very unsettling for others and might even cause an uproar. At the very least, onsen users are expected to use a scoop provided to splash water over their genitals and feet. This symbolically cleanses these areas.
5. ^ It is sometimes against the rules to immerse or dip towels in the onsen bath water, since this can be considered unclean.
6. ^ There are usually prohibitions against rowdiness in the washing and bathing areas of onsens. A small amount of excess energy and splashing around is usually tolerated from children, however.
7. ^ Given the popularity of Japanese hot spring bathing, it is not surprising that many of the reports of infection in the medical literature come from Japan.
8. ^ emedicine article on naegleria
9. ^ Occurrence and Distribution of Naegleria Species in Thermal Waters in Japan, Shinji Izumiyama, Kenji Yagita, Reiko Furushima-Shimogawara, Tokiko Asakura, Tatsuya Karasudani, Takuro Endō, The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology Vol. 50 Issue s1 Page 514 July 2003
10. ^ Primary amebic meningoencephalitis due to Naegleria fowleri: An autopsy case in Japan, Yasuo Sugita, Teruhiko Fujii, Itsurou Hayashi, Takachika Aoki, Toshirō Yokoyama, Minoru Morimatsu, Toshihide Fukuma & Yoshiaki Takamiya, Pathology International, Volume 49 Page 468 - May 1999
11. ^ Southern New Mexico web site article
12. ^ CDC description of acanthamoeba
13. ^ Molecular determination of infection source of a sporadic Legionella pneumonia case associated with a hot spring bath, H. Miyamoto, S. Jitsurong, R. Shiota, K. Maruta, S. Yoshida, E. Yabuuchi, Microbiol Immunol., 41(3):197-202, 1997.
14. ^ An outbreak of legionellosis in a new facility of hot spring Bath in Hiuga City, Eiko Yabuuchi, Kunio Agata, Kansenshogaku zasshi (Kansenshogaku zasshi), ISSN 0387-5911, vol. 78, no2, pp. 90-98, 2004.
15. ^ Indolent herpetic whitlow of the toe in an elderly patient with diabetic neuropathy, Maki Ozawa, Tomoyuki Ōtani, and Hachirō Tagami, Dermatology Online Journal 10 (1): 16, 2004.
16. ^ Viral Diversity in Hot Springs of Pozzuoli, Italy, and Characterization of a Unique Archaeal Virus, Acidianus Bottle-Shaped Virus, from a New Family, the Ampullaviridae, Monika Häring, Reinhard Rachel, Xu Peng, Roger A. Garrett, and David Prangishvili1, J. Virol., 79(15): 9904–9911, August 2005.
17. ^ This might be because of Japanese stereotypes that foreigners are unclean, rowdy and/or more prone to criminal activities.
18. ^ Arudou visited the hot spring after having heard of its discriminatory practice. This incident is often used to make statements that Japan is strongly xenophobic, despite the fact that out of thousands of onsens that exist in Japan, only three were reported to have practiced racial discrimination in recent years.

Skinship (スキンシップ) is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese word coined using English root origins, initially to describe the closeness between a mother and her child due to the physical contact of their naked skin. ... This article is about the Zen monk. ... Xenophobia means fear of strangers or the unknown and comes from the Greek ξενοφοβια, xenophobia, literally meaning fear of the strange. It is often used to describe fear of or dislike of foreigners, but racism in general is sometimes described as a...

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., 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

• Onsen of Fukuoka Prefecture from official page of Fukuoka Prefecture Tourism Association

• Reviews of onsen in Fukuoka prefecture

• Secret Onsen a database of onsen all around Japan

• Konyoku Konyoku Onsen visit reports with information, and evaluations
• The Way of the Hot Springs Beppu Onsen Rally Blog