The mayor who pledged to create an onsen amusement park if his video received a million views now has another message for the public.
onsen (Page 10)
The clip shows a number of jaw-dropping ideas for the spa-filled amusement park, including onsen carousels and roller coasters filled with spring water.
This Rakuten Travel list has us packing our tiny towels, ready for an onsen-focused vacation.
Wanting to visit Japan? Now there’s an easy-to-follow English video guide on enjoying Japanese-style inns known as ryokan!
Tattooed guests are often turned away at the door at many Japanese hot springs, but a Chiba-area hot spring location is explicitly allowing guests with tattoos, and it’s a multi-floor relaxation paradise to boot!
At this enlightened facility, the management would rather people gaze at Mt. Fuji than worry about their fellow bathers’ body art.
Have your pet feeling rejuvenated both physically and spiritually after a getaway in Japan.
Who says sumo wrestlers can’t be sexy?
There aren’t a lot of cushy jobs in the anime industry. Aside from the pressure of having to please fickle fans and meet strict deadlines, most animators in Japan earn a pitiful salary.
Still, almost all anime professionals are also fans, and at the end of the day, being able to contribute to the art form that they love must be worth something. Plus, the employees of one particular anime studio get to enjoy the ultimate after-work perk: a dip in the hot spring that was found in their office building!
Two of the best ways to experience the pleasures of rural Japan are a long hike and a leisurely dip in a hot spring, or onsen, as they’re called in Japanese. With the country’s chains of volcanic mountains, there are plenty of spots where you where you can do both in the same day, with onsen resorts often not too far from where mountain trails start or end.
But instead of booking a room in an inn with a hot spring, you can do something even better in this part of Hokkaido by digging your own onsen!
The Egyptian pyramids stand strong in the scorching heat of the desert, as they have for over 4,500 years. It is said that the techniques that went into building them were well beyond those of human civilization at the time. They are mysteries wrapped inside of enigmas that continue to fascinate us from afar.
And apparently there is also a pyramid in Tochigi Prefecture, which really cuts down on the travel expenses for those of us in Japan wanting to bask in their wonder. One such spendthrift adventurer was RocketNews24’s own Masanuki Sunakoma, who went to investigate.
Japan may be a small country in terms of area, but it certainly makes up for it with 47 distinct prefectures that have their own vibrant personalities. Prefectures like Tokyo and Osaka dominate with their big city lifestyles, while Kyoto and Nara rely on their richly preserved history. Some have festivals that have survived for hundreds of years, others have geological formations that make them stand out or new attractions that you can’t find anywhere else.
For prefectures to separate themselves from the rest and showcase what makes them special, they have to do something grand. In Oita Prefecture, this means presenting their world-famous hot springs with a synchronized swimming team in what can only be known as “synchronized bathing”.
While dogs have no trouble emptying their bladders and bowels on busy streets in broad daylight, proudly locking eyes with you as they let rip right there on the pavement, members of the feline world are much more reserved when it comes to answering the call of nature. Even in the comfort of their own homes, kitties need their own space to do their business; no self-respecting cat would want the eyes of their human on them while they’re trying to go.
So it’s no wonder this clever new idea is getting a lot of attention in Japan. It’s the cat onsen, which houses your pet’s kitty litter box and comes complete with a cute spa-style noren curtain to provide some much needed privacy. Once your cat finishes using the kitty litter “sand bath” inside, they’ll emerge looking as fresh as a daisy!


















Japanese masturbatory aid and insect repellent companies collab on a new product
Why is Yoshinoya called Yoshinoya?
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
50-year-old instant noodle recipe is back from the past in Japan for a limited time[Taste test]
Picturesque Tokyo park plays host to millions of flowers and soap bubbles this spring
Japan’s favorite sandwich pockets now come with sakura filling, but how do they taste?[Taste test]
Create a tiny Ghibli anime world on your bookshelf with new miniature papercraft art kits
Rumors say this is Japan’s very best McDonald’s branch, but what makes it special?[Taste test]
Pick a beautiful blossom from Shinjuku Station’s limited-time flower vending machine
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
7-Eleven Japan releases a crazy new viral sandwich: Chocolate Sprinkles and Whipped Cream
Japan now has a “for foreign tourists only” Mt. Fuji sightseeing train[Video]
Totoro and Calcifer become little light-up lanterns for Ghibli-style excursions or at-home decor
Studio Ghibli releases the My Neighbour Totoro tea caddy, with a magical self-closing lid
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Picturesque Tokyo park plays host to millions of flowers and soap bubbles this spring
Japan’s favorite sandwich pockets now come with sakura filling, but how do they taste?[Taste test]
Create a tiny Ghibli anime world on your bookshelf with new miniature papercraft art kits
Rumors say this is Japan’s very best McDonald’s branch, but what makes it special?[Taste test]
Pick a beautiful blossom from Shinjuku Station’s limited-time flower vending machine
Totoro and Calcifer become little light-up lanterns for Ghibli-style excursions or at-home decor
Japanese kindness restores our faith in humanity after a highway bus accident in Tokyo
What exactly is the treat known as a “kougnané” that’s sold outside Tokyo’s Yurakucho Station?
Haku is…Chihiro’s dead brother? Studio Ghibli fans blown away by Spirited Away theory
Tokyo Station staff share their top 10 favorite ekiben
How to tie a women’s summer kimono sash 【Video】
Japan now sells…sake made with moth poop?!?
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting the lines at a popular Tokyo gyukatsu restaurant?
Pizza Hut’s new Oreo pizza is like nothing we’ve ever eaten before