SUBMERGE
Volume 04.
The Onsen Soak

In this instalment, we explore the ritual of a restorative onsen soak. Capturing the quiet intimacy of steaming water, the tactile contrast of cold air on warm skin, and the stillness of autumn landscapes that invite reflection.

Across Japan’s thermal regions, onsens sit quietly in the terrain. Some framed by timber and rock; others completely open to the mountain air. The practice remains unchanged. Rinse. Enter with intention. Allow the water to settle the body. There is no urgency. No instruction beyond presence.

Each pool carries its own character — soft, mineral and elemental. Sound folds into the ritual; water falling from a spout, a faint breeze through the leaves, the quiet repositioning of another bather. In the heat, the body loosens and unknots. The contrast of cool air against the face sharpens awareness. Thoughts quieten.

The onsen reflects a philosophy of care shaped over centuries. A reverence for water, for the landscape it rises from, and for the shared quiet between bathers. Each visit serves as a reminder that restoration is often found in small, consistent practices — moments where we slow down, immerse and emerge renewed.