But not every pool of heated water qualifies as an onsen. Japan has strict laws governing one of the country’s most iconic ...

Head to the unsung Japanese region of Tohoku to discover its traditional inns, and immerse yourself in the thermal waters ...

My hometown is close to Nozawa Onsen (a ski resort on Japan’s Honshu island) that has been battered by snow this year). The snow is very, very wet and heavy there. I can ski much better in ...

We meet two Americans who preserve Japanese traditions. Chris Hinds ensures the safe conduct of Nozawa Onsen's fire festival in Nagano Prefecture, and Andrew Mancabelli crafts Japanese armor in ...

Next up is a resort that draws visitors with not just its fabulous skiing, but also its unique village full of Japanese charm. The Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort is located just outside of Nagano ...

Japan is actually split into 14,125 islands ... backcountry zones equally worth exploring outside these two main areas, including Myoko Kogen, Nozawa Onsen, Furano, Lotte Arai and many more.

Japan. Photograph By Jasper Doest, Nat Geo Image Collection The 1998 Winter Olympics put Nagano on the map as a year-round nature destination. In the winter, the slopes of Hakuba, Nozawa onsen ...

In 2022, the Kusatsu onsen in Gunma Prefecture toppled Hakone in annual rankings released by the Jalan Research Center, which specializes in tourism and leisure activities. Hakone had held the top ...

But not every pool of heated water qualifies as an onsen. Japan has strict laws governing one of the country’s most iconic activities, widely considered a natural treasure. Onsen water is heated ...

“I was born in Niigata Prefecture and know snow quality very well. My hometown is close to Nozawa Onsen (a ski resort on Japan’s Honshu island) that has been battered by snow this year). The snow is ...