onsen

noun

on·​sen ˈȯn-ˌsen 

ˈän-

plural onsens or onsen

1

a

: a Japanese hot spring

When Japan began to modernize in the late 1800s, trains made it relatively easy for city dwellers to travel to the countryside, and traditional-style inns … sprang up around the onsen …

—Andrew Curry

b

: a traditionally Japanese resort or hotel with hot springs

2

: a Japanese bath in which bathers soak in a hot spring or hot-spring fed bath after first cleansing with a shower

The Japanese tradition of onsen (public baths) is high on the list of après-ski activities in Niseko [Japan].

—Jenny Hewett

also : a bathhouse or room used for such a bath

Examples of onsen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The complex includes a thermal spring garden with daybeds, two private onsen bathing pavilions, an Aqua Movement Suite for water treatments and a hydrotherapy area with a dry sauna and steam room. —Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 9 May 2026

Ancient societies have long regarded the element as a form of holistic medicine for their well-being, as seen in Roman thermal baths and Japanese onsens. —Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026

Nearby Hakone makes for a lovely excursion, home to centuries-old onsen, cute shopping streets, winding mountain roads, lakes and shrines. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

This property, however, is not only punctuated by surprising touches (like wild Sogetsu ikebana arrangements and abstract art), plus an indoor heated pool and outdoor hot tub to complement the two public onsen. —Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026

There was an onsen, and the food was the most adventurous yet. —Matt Bomer, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026

Once visited by emperors seeking clarity and samurai tending to battle wounds, these onsen remain cornerstones of Japanese culture. —Kelsey Eisen, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2026

Japan’s onsens are ingrained as part of the country’s cultural landscape, with the practice of soaking in them dating back to the sixth century. —Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025

Every onsen in the village has different healing properties: injuries, bad luck, a broken heart. —Rebecca Chace july 14, Literary Hub, 14 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Japanese, from on "warm" + sen "spring, fountain"

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1