What is the charm of the world-class Japanese culture and hot springs? Explain the difference from overseas

Hot springs are familiar to us Japanese and are very familiar to us.
Japan has about 10% of the world's active volcanoes and is blessed with volcanic hot springs. In this article, we will explain the world-class Japanese culture and the charm of hot springs in an easy-to-understand manner. We will also introduce overseas hot spring facilities, so please check it out.

Japan, a world-class hot spring resort

In addition to the quality of the hot springs, Japan is proud of its overwhelming number of hot springs.

First, let's check the number of hot spring facilities and the number of hot spring facilities, which are abundant resources in Japan.

The number of sources exceeds 27,000

Japan, which has abundant hot spring resources, has more than 27,000 hot springs.

In the ranking of the total number of sources by prefecture,

1. Oita Prefecture ... 4,445
2. Kagoshima Prefecture ... 2,755
3. Shizuoka Prefecture ... 2,252

Oita prefecture is by far the best, far behind Kagoshima prefecture, which is second.

In addition, the amount of hot springs in Japan is more than 2.5 million liters per minute, including self-injection and power. Thanks to the blessings of this abundant hot spring resource, Japan is said to be one of the world's leading hot spring powers.

* Data based on the "2018 Hot Spring Usage Status" released by the Ministry of the Environment's Natural Environment Bureau as of the end of March 2019.

Over 20,000 hot spring facilities

The number of hot spring facilities, including accommodations and public baths, exceeds 20,000, and there are hot springs and accommodations in all 47 prefectures of Japan.

It is a hot spring that exists as a matter of course in Japanese life, but if you express it in numbers again, it is surrounded by so many hot springs. You'll be a little surprised.

Hot springs as Japanese culture

The hot springs, which have been popular for a long time, not only cleanse the body, but also develop as a culture with the rich sensibility of the Japanese people. How did Japanese hot spring lovers take root?

Japanese who have been fond of hot springs since ancient times

There are many ruins and documents that show the relationship between Japanese people and hot springs, and traces of being used for hot springs have been found in the remains of the Jomon period about 6000 years ago.

In the books, "Kojiki", "Nihonshoki", "Fudoki", and "Manyoshu" also have descriptions of hot springs. The word "onsen" was first used in "Fudoki", and from that time to the present, many people have been healed by hot springs, such as recovering from physical disorders and warming their bodies.

Hot springs are grateful for the natural springing of warm water, and were worshiped as sacred to cure illnesses and injuries.

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Enjoy the atmosphere of hot springs through travel and sightseeing

Many of the areas around the source are being developed as tourist destinations throughout the area, and in addition to taking a hot spring, the Japanese way of enjoying hot springs is to enjoy the scenery and travel of hot spring inns and hot spring towns.

In addition to open-air baths and indoor baths, you can experience much of the area through a trip to the hot spring area, such as famous places and meals unique to the area.

Go to a hot spring for hot springs or recreation

"Toji", which aims to cure illness by taking a hot spring, has been popular for a long time. In the Showa era, transportation has become more and more convenient, and we are now in an era where we can easily go to hot spring areas. Then, not only the hot springs but also the number of people going to hot springs for the purpose of recreation will increase.

In the period of high economic miracle, the economy improved, more people and group guests increased, and accommodation facilities became larger. The hot spring town has also evolved from a hot spring resort to a hot spring tourist destination.

Differences from overseas hot springs

The image of hot springs is slightly different between Japan and the world, and there are also differences in how they are used.

From here, we will introduce in detail how to enjoy and enter hot springs overseas.

Enjoy overseas hot springs as leisure

In Japan, in addition to hot springs, you can enjoy hot springs in search of travel, but in Western countries, you can enjoy playing in the water as a leisure activity in the open nature.

Rather than adjusting the temperature of the hot springs as in Japan, most of them are used in their natural state, and there are some places where the temperature is low, such as lukewarm water.

Even inside a building that is considered to be a hot spring facility, it is often made in a large shape like a pool because it feels like playing in the water rather than slowly soaking in the bath.

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European hot springs are often medical practice

In Germany, Austria, France, etc., medical resorts have been created for medical treatment, and medical insurance is also applied there. Therefore, it seems that hot spring bathing is often recognized as a medical practice in Europe.

This therapeutic resort is called "Kurort", and the spa therapy resort is also a type of this.

Kurort

• The surrounding natural environment such as climate and scenery is good
• There is an appropriate recreation / medical facility
• There are specialized therapists and therapists

There are some other regulations, such as, and it is very popular because of its high quality and environment.
Nowadays, more and more people are using the facilities at their own expense for health promotion as well as for medical treatment.

Enter by wearing a swimsuit

In Japan, hot springs are basically entered naked, but overseas it is common to wear a bathing suit. Originally, there is no custom of taking a bath or hot spring naked with others, so it seems that many foreigners are confused by such Japanese customs.

In recent years, as a "hot spring theme park" in Japan, the number of leisure facilities where you can enjoy various types of hot springs indoors and outdoors by wearing swimwear is increasing.

Summary

Since ancient times, the Japanese have used the hot springs, which are a blessing of nature, to maintain their health and to develop their own hot spring culture as a tourist destination. It is now very popular with overseas travelers as it allows you to enjoy the Japanese atmosphere along with the hot springs.

Even if you say hot springs in a bite, there are differences in scents, colors, ingredients and effects depending on the area, and the depth is one of the attractions. It may be fun to go out to experience the difference in hot springs all over Japan.

This article is a partial re-edit of the article published in Nihongo Biyori by KARUTA.
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