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fHotSpringsbcaednsen(HotSpring)温泉OHot-SpringHeaven:ImmerseYourselfinaJapaneseCulturalTraditionWithover3,000onsen(hotsprings)locat-edthroughoutJapan,visitorsmayfinditdifficulttochoosewhensearchingforaplacetorelax.BathinginonsenhasbeenpartofJapanesecultureforcenturies,forbothrestorativeandrecreationalpurposes.Thewaterusuallycontainsavarietyofminer-als—thetypeandquantitydependingontheregion—thatareoftenbelievedtocure,oratleastease,certainailments.Onsenwaterisreputedtoeaserheumatismsymptoms,aiddigestion,improvecertainskinconditions,andmore.Thesedays,however,hot-springvisits,especiallywithanovernightstayatanonseninn,areusuallyanopportunitytoget20HottarakashiOnsen(YamanashiCity,YamanashiPrefecture)aThisfamousonsenofferstwoopen-airbathsthatgivebathersunrivaledviewsofthemajesticMountFuji.Kocchi-no-yuisthesmallerbathandisopenuntileveningonweekdays,whileAcchi-no-yuistwiceasbigandcanbeexperiencedbothdayandnight.Rawayfromthedailygrindandenjoyagoodsoak.Thebathisusuallyfollowedbyaheartymulticoursemeal—andforthetrulydedicat-ed,anotherbathbeforebedtime.otenburo(open-airbaths)offerscenicviewsofforests,rivers,andmountains,allowingvisitorstofullyenjoyJapan’ssea-sons—especiallythevibrant-redleavesinfallandsnowcappedmountainsinwinter.Althoughfirst-timevisitorsmayfinditdauntingtojoinothernudemenorwom-eninacommunalbath,thatconcern—alongwithanyachesandpains—willslowlymeltawayinthehotwater,makingonsenbathinganexperienceworthtrying.