Highlighting JAPAN

THEME FOR March
From Hot Springs to Art: Japan’s Bath Culture

For most Japanese, finding themselves in hot water is one of the surpassing joys of life. Whether they’re immersed in hot springs out in the wilderness or in a tub at home, soaking away the aches and cares of the day is integral to the culture. In this issue, we show how Japan’s bathing culture evolved, how deep it goes, and how to submerge yourself in The Way of the Bath.

PDF(756KB)

Rediscovering the Multifaceted Attractions of Japanese Bathing Culture

An interview with essayist and Japan Sento Culture Association board member Yoko Kishimoto

PDF(709KB) | HTML English | Japanese

Total Immersion: Buddhism, Bathing and the Rise of Japan

The spiritually cleansing tenets of Buddhism extend to the bath, and influenced the Japanese state’s development

PDF(1,162KB) | HTML English | Japanese

Digging Your Own Outdoor Riverside Hot Spring

Pick a bubbling pool and build your own custom onsen bath along a river in remote northern Nagano Prefecture

PDF(2,944KB) | HTML English | Japanese

Famous Onsen in the Country of Hot Springs

The waters and environs of Norboribetsu, Gero and Arima are legendary in their delights and healing powers

PDF(1,564KB) | HTML English | Japanese

Japan Self-Defense Forces Bring Comfort to Disaster Victims

SDF personnel soothe frazzled disaster victims onsite with bathing amenities and massive baths

PDF(2,008KB) | HTML English | Japanese

Bath Salts: The Healthy Instant Upgrade to Home Bathtubs

Featuring formulas that replicate the scent and sensation of Japan’s best hot springs, bath salts make bathing at home a joy

PDF(738KB) | HTML English | Japanese

An Ephemeral Art - Decorating the Walls of Public Bathhouses

As they soak, bathers at sento (public bathhouses) can also contemplate fantastic murals by painters like Kiyoto Maruyama

PDF(1,196KB) | HTML English | Japanese

Public Baths 101 for Visitors to Japan

A young Frenchwoman has made it her mission to show travelers to Japan how to achieve the peak sento experience

PDF(1,547KB) | HTML English | Japanese

PRIME MINISTER’S DIARY

PDF(342KB) | HTML English | Japanese

TOPICS

Connecting Sanriku, Connecting People

PDF(1,284KB) | HTML English | Chinese | Japanese

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
An AI Accompanist Even Avid Musicians Can Appreciate

PDF(710KB) | HTML English | Chinese | Japanese

MY WAY
On the Board: Japan’s First Foreign Female Shogi Professional

PDF(949KB) | HTML English | Chinese | Japanese

FROM JAPAN TO THE WORLD
Fresh and Clean: Creating a New Toilet Culture

PDF(675KB) | HTML English | Chinese | Japanese

A TRIP BY LOCAL TRAIN
The Aizu Railway: Connecting the City with Nature and History

PDF(2,852KB) | HTML English | Chinese | Japanese