Onsen (pronounced OWN-sen) are the volcanically heated baths that are so popular in Japan, and some hot springs like Arima Onsen near Osaka or Dogo Onsen on the island of Shikoku are mentioned in Japan’s oldest written documents, indicating that the Japanese have been taking volcanically heated baths for longer than they’ve been writing kanji. But humans aren’t the only creatures that like to take a hot bath here in Japan. If you visit Jigokudani (“Hell’s Valley”) in Nagano Prefecture, you might catch a glimpse of Japanese monkeys beating the cold of winter by going for dip in the hot water. Japan’s “snow monkeys” are quite a famous image of winter, and the sight of a monkey family enjoying a hot bath together just like a human one is very touching.
Japanese monkeys take a dip in the hot springs.
