On a recent concert tour in Japan, I had the chance to visit several thermal baths and to chat with people about the tradition of bathing. I was fascinated by their differences with American spas.

These days, it’s hard not to know what an onsen town is. But back when I visited Japan for the third time in 2019, I had no idea this side of Japan even existed. It was only thanks to Papu’s ...

When a friend of mine returned from his first trip to Japan, he couldn’t help but rave about the country. From the extraordinary food to the rich history to the hospitable locals, there really weren’t ...