Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Japanese Hot Springs - One with Nature...

I was never one for baths until I lived in Japan, the land of natural hot springs (onsen.) In the beginning, I was embarrassed in my prudish American ways and not used to the Japanese bathing culture where the spring water is considered pure and one must strip down to nothing to cleaning one's self before getting into these hot springs. And now, I'm hooked. I can't visit Japan without visiting a traditional hot spring now. The Japanese have such a way with building their landscapes into the natural environment. It's like the heaven, when soaking in a hot spring by a river or forest. The following are examples of very traditional outdoor hot springs in Japan. You certainly won't find this in a city like Tokyo...but if you venture out far enough, there are many of them to explore. I've always fantasized about building such a landscape/soaking place for myself if I had a yard.


Riverside Outdoor Hotspring A Secluded Hot Spring


Secluded hot spring by a River



A soaking spring taking advantage of the view.

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