Wellness & Spa in East Asia
East Asia’s wellness traditions run deep, centred on the volcanic hot springs that steam up from the region’s restless geology. Bathing is woven into daily life, from Japan’s revered onsen and Korea’s sociable bathhouses to Taiwan’s hot-spring resorts, each with its own rituals and etiquette.
Beyond the waters, the region offers temple stays, tea ceremonies, forest bathing, and traditional medicine, all rooted in centuries of practice. Autumn and winter are especially magical seasons for an open-air soak amid snow or foliage.
From alpine onsen towns to grand urban bathhouses, the destinations below cover the region’s finest wellness experiences.
Wellness destinations#
Hakone, Japan A classic hot-spring resort area within easy reach of Tokyo, dotted with ryokan inns offering open-air baths, some with views of Mount Fuji. Its blend of onsen, art museums, and lake scenery makes it Japan’s most popular wellness escape.
Beppu, Japan One of the world’s great hot-spring towns, where steam rises from streets, rooftops, and vividly coloured thermal pools known as the Hells. It offers an extraordinary range of baths, from sand and mud to steam, on the island of Kyushu.
Kusatsu, Japan A historic mountain onsen town famous for the volume and healing reputation of its acidic waters, cascading through a wooden field in the town centre. Traditional water-cooling performances add to its old-world charm.
Korean jjimjilbang These sprawling bathhouse-and-sauna complexes are a pillar of Korean life, combining hot and cold pools, steam rooms, scrubs, and relaxation halls. Open around the clock, they offer an affordable, sociable, and deeply local wellness ritual.
Beitou, Taiwan A hot-spring district in the hills above Taipei, easily reached by metro, offering everything from public pools to luxury spa resorts amid a steaming, sulphurous valley. It is the island’s most accessible and atmospheric thermal retreat.
Japanese onsen culture Across the country, thousands of hot-spring towns invite visitors to soak in mineral waters, sleep in traditional inns, and follow time-honoured bathing etiquette. The onsen ritual is central to how Japan relaxes and restores itself.
Kinosaki, Japan A picture-perfect onsen town on the Sea of Japan coast where willow-lined canals link seven historic public bathhouses. Guests stroll between them in yukata and wooden sandals, making an evening of bath-hopping the quintessential Japanese hot-spring ritual.
Noboribetsu, Japan Hokkaido’s most famous hot-spring resort, set beside a steaming volcanic valley called Hell Valley whose vents feed a remarkable variety of mineral waters. Its potent, sulphurous baths and dramatic setting make it a premier northern wellness escape.
Icheon hot springs, South Korea A traditional spa town southeast of Seoul long prized for its mineral-rich waters, favoured historically by Korean royalty. Its resorts and public baths offer a relaxing, distinctly Korean thermal retreat within easy reach of the capital.
Guanziling, Taiwan A rare mud hot spring in southern Taiwan whose grey, mineral-laden water is one of only a handful of its kind in the world. Set in scenic hills, its historic bathhouses draw visitors seeking the reputed skin benefits of the silty thermal waters.
Huaqing Hot Springs, China An ancient imperial spa near Xian, celebrated for over three thousand years and famously associated with a Tang dynasty emperor and his consort. Landscaped gardens and restored pavilions surround the historic thermal pools at the foot of the mountains.
Yufuin, Japan A refined onsen town on Kyushu set beneath a twin-peaked volcano, blending hot-spring inns with art galleries, boutiques, and a serene morning-misted lake. Quieter and more stylish than neighbouring Beppu, it offers a gentle, cultured wellness getaway.