So very little. Or maybe everything is becoming so non-informative.
Anyway we start from Taiwan, not even in the region.
TaipeiTimes (Oct. 21) on another natural soak set to disappear. Also the lead photo.
'The Fanfan wild hot spring (梵梵溫泉) in Yilan County is to be diverted to formal tourist facilities and closed to the public if approved by the local council, as overtourism is harming the area’s ecology and disturbing residents....The Fanfan hot spring has become popular in recent years, with many visitors driving their vehicles directly onto the riverbank, barbecuing and leaving trash behind.The situation has raised the ire of local residents, who have closed off the access road to try and stop people from coming to no avail'.
Hotspringjourneys (Feb. 4) lists 12 "best" Indonesian finds. Oddly no. 1 isn't even a hot spring, then there's also a duplication.
A report from the Philippines News Agency (Jan. 10), where apparently new hot springs are occuring:
"Reports of hot springs in Barangays Sinisian and Calawang in Lemery date back even before (the) 2020 eruption. The(re) are videos on YouTube as early as 2014," Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol said in an interview.A video posted recently by Facebook user Imman Supremo showed an apparent hot spring at Sinisian East Beach.The video had 105,000 views as of writing'.
Plugging
A wider look at soaks and soaking.
From New Zealand (even outside the wider region) intriguing news concerning the fate of Waiwera hot spring (NZHerald, Mar. 9). The main points of the article:
Further more, the prospect / potential nightmare:
- 'After decades of decline, Waiwera’s famed coastal artesian hot springs are showing signs of recovery.
- That recovery has come after the 2018 closure of the iconic Waiwera Thermal Resort, which was demolished altogether in 2023.
- Scientists say it’s possible the springs could again become a tourist draw if the remaining leaking boreholes are plugged'.
'If the springs were to return through sustainable management of the system, Viskovic [ study lead author] said they could again become a major tourist attraction.He noted the 700,000 visitors who flock to Coromandel’s Hot Water Beach each year.“The community in Waiwera is not set up for those numbers of visitors, but these kinds of natural springs are hugely popular with international visitors, so [it] could have a positive economic effect on the economy of the local area,” Viskovic said'.
Further Magazine has a shout out (Dec. 24, 2024) to Greta Rybus's world tour of hot springs, in book form:
'Hot springs aren’t just great for unwinding. As Rybus demonstrates in the essays accompanying her photographs, their depths contain stories — and diverse ideas about wellness, environmentalism, and social life. For the book, she visited 23 hot springs on five continents over several years, a journey that sent her from the wind-whipped salt flats of Bolivia to the desert sands of South Africa and the fjords of Greenland. We talked to the Maine-based photojournalist about what she found'.
Snippets from the ensuing Q and A:
'You’re an American who spent part of her childhood in Japan. How did that affect your perspective?I grew up going to hot springs as a kid in Idaho, where we did things like climbing and skiing, and where enjoying nature was almost this competitive or work relationship. But then my parents, who were schoolteachers, moved us to Japan to teach on a military base and I noticed this difference in the hot springs there.How so?I saw more families going. I have a very distinct memory of going to this onsen that was really popular with old ladies and having an elder tell me to clean more thoroughly. I wasn’t being admonished; I was being invited in. They’re using buckets of water, washing their hair, scrubbing under their nails, brushing their teeth. For most Americans, this whole process is not something we’re used to'.
So Japan then. Japan Times reports (Dec. 23) on how the town of Ginzan onsen is trying to limit the number of visitors:
'Many [visitors] share photos online of its old-fashioned buildings blanketed in snow and illuminated by lamplight that create a nostalgic atmosphere.However, authorities in Ginzan Onsen, as in more famous destinations such as Kyoto and Mount Fuji, have become fed up with a rise in road problems, quarrels and other nuisances.From Monday, only people staying at local hotels will be allowed to enter the town after 8 p.m., while those wishing to visit between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. will need a reservation'.
Knobbly
Over to soaking culture, we would like to share from the region, though it's mostly from Japan.
The Times (Feb. 28) for instance, comes with another one of those "how taking an onsen changed me; to the positive":
'Because, as I bore it all that day, unshaved legs and knobbly knees included, I joined a crowd of women who were comfortable with how they were. And it made me realise that my body hang-ups were the most insignificant thing in the world. Here were all kinds of bodies. Young. Old. Wrinkled. Smooth. Decrepit. Sexy. And no one cared. I had been so desperately worried about taking my kit off and — now that I had — I was just another bare arse in the crowd.It was something quite beautiful to behold. A sea of security. A celebration of the female form and an acceptance that just to be, as you were, was good enough''.
But even this is slowly evolving.
Hotspringaddict suggested (Jan. 28) bathing habits are changing in Japan, notably that's how he experiences it:
'Around three decades ago, my Japanese wife brought me to Suzume-no-yu, a traditional hot spring within the boundaries of Kyushu's Aso-Kujo National Park. It was my first time bathing naked or almost naked with men and women that I had never met before. But soaking unclothed in the hot mineral water of this konyoku, which means a mixed-sex bathing area, felt natural and relaxing....So I was shocked when I recently returned and discovered all the bathers wearing swimming suits. Japan has changed considerably in the last thirty years....The fear of being photographed while innocently bathing and having one's body exposed on the internet shows the pernicious influence of smartphones and SNS on bathing culture.I predict the number of public baths where naked men and women can bathe together in a relaxed environment will continue to decrease'.
Chic
Then an article on the above (communal bathing dare we say?) from Sydney Morning Herald (Feb. 1) which likens this as the new fade in Australia (thus the neccesity to report on):
'But as they [the rest of the " older"? world] have done for millennia, public baths are evolving and driven by our ever-expanding interest in wellness. Now a new generation of bathhouses is rising in urban destinations, including Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney....Chic design and easy accessibility for those living in and visiting cities are the hallmarks of these places. So too, bathing suits – unlike many of the traditional experiences where nudity is requisite. Dean says what also sets the new-style bathhouse apart from the traditional is connection.“While traditional bathhouses focus on silence and introspection, we believe wellness is about conscious connection as much as self-care. Soak is a space where you can spend quality time and enjoy genuine in-person connection with friends, family, or even just yourself. We’ve also brought the healing powers of the natural world into the urban location, creating a serene environment where guests can reconnect with both themselves and the natural world around them.”
So just a notch above the swimming locale?
'While the idea of ‘wellbeing’ is supposed to help us move away from destructive behaviours and move toward a healthier, happier version of ourselves – the commercialisation of what makes us well could be doing the opposite....Recent reports show that the relentless pursuit for wellbeing is actually keeping us from being well. Misinformation on social media platforms is adding to societal pressure to ‘appear well’. This is obviously counter-intuitive to avoiding further stress, anxiety and burnout. To quieten the noise of wellbeing messaging, we now need to make a conscious choice to resist the clutter. To allow oneself to rest has become a radical act of self compassion.One of the possible solutions:Instead of accumulating more things, invest in a visit to the bathhouse, taking yourself to a film or simply a day off to do nothing at all'.
Finally the sauna movement of Japan as reported by Japan Times (Nov. 25) is gaining ever more popularity in the country:
'According to a 2024 survey by the Japan Sauna Institute, the number of sauna enthusiasts — or “saunners” (pronounced saunā), as they’re called in Japan — has grown by an additional 1 million in the past year alone....If you’re a budding saunner looking for a place to start your journey, why not start at the top? Mimicking the authority of Michelin’s gourmet rankings, sauna consulting collective TTNE confers its own prestigious Saunachelin Awards upon a handful of locations each year.This year’s No. 1 spot went to Totopa, a gorgeous location in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward with several saunas, breathing rooms and other amenities. An hour there will only set you back just over ¥2,000 with tax. Coming in at second and third place were Tokyo Sauna and Treatment Sauna SteaMs, both in Minato Ward.
Concerning the popularity among younger generations:
'With pandemic restrictions over, saunas not only provide young people with a place to meet but a reprieve from electronic devices. As an escape from the relentless barrage of notifications, social media and surveillance, saunas have become spaces where patrons can savor meaningful bonds or find contemplative solitude.An architect of sauna and sentō (public baths), Kentaro Imai notes that financial challenges also play a part in their popularity.“One factor is that young people today don’t earn much,” he says. “In that context, I think many young people prefer to spend time with just a small group of close friends or like-minded individuals. For just a few thousand yen, it’s the perfect leisure activity.”At the same time, amid broader trends of self-improvement, fitness and beauty in Japan, saunas also offer the tangible benefits of radiant skin and relief for tired muscles, making them an appealing choice for young people seeking both wellness and connection'.
The forest birthed her soul in me, and I belonged to every tree. 🍃
