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Wellness · Hakone · 27 Jun 2026 · 05:30 GMT+7

Japan’s onsen towns ride a quiet wellness boom

The centuries-old hot-spring ritual is finding a new global audience seeking the slow cure.
HB
By Hugo Bellamy
Wellness desk · 27 Jun 2026
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Hakone
On the ground in Hakone
Key takeaways
Japan’s onsen towns are seeing renewed demand as travellers seek the slow, screen-free ritual of the hot spring.
The appeal is doing nothing, beautifully.

Japan’s onsen towns are seeing renewed demand as travellers seek the slow, screen-free ritual of the hot spring. Ryokan stays are lengthening from one night to several.

The appeal is doing nothing, beautifully. WorldTravelBrief maps the towns leading the revival.

Hakone
On the ground in Hakone
By Hugo Bellamy · WorldTravelBrief
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