ABSTRACT
Widespread volcanic activity makes the islands of Japan one of the world’s greatest hot spring (onsen) destinations. Bathing in hot springs has been a quintessentially Japanese form of leisure for centuries; the country’s oldest hot spring, Dogo Onsen on Shikoku, has a history stretching back over 1500 years. However, the attraction of onsen is about much more than hot water; the essential components of the modern onsen experience are nutrition, sightseeing, exercise, and relaxation in natural surroundings (Seki & Heilman Brooke, 2005). Throughout the centuries, the interpretation and utilization of hot springs in Japan has undergone signifi cant changes. While during the Edo period (1603-1868) travelling to hot springs also represented a spiritual journey, partly a pilgrimage and partly a way to relax one’s mind, in the Meiji era (1868-1912) onsen visits became institutionalized
events for school and company groups, with an emphasis on learning (Raveri, 2002). In the second part of the 20th century, as the popularity of recreation-oriented tourism increased, many traditional onsen were transformed into large-scale holiday resorts that are among the most visited destinations in the country, offering outdoor and indoor communal bathing facilities, hotel spas, as well as private baths (Chartrungruang & Mitsutake, 2007) in addition to supplementary services such as aromatherapy, foot and hand baths, and a wide range of restaurants and shopping facilities (Mansfi eld, 2001; Kobayashi, 2004). According to the Japan Spa Association, the country’s 16,000 onsen get over 140 million visits every year (population: 127 million) which is an indication of how many people, especially the elderly, return repeatedly (Ellis, 2004).
