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
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
Jenny Hewett
also
: a bathhouse or room used for such a bath
Examples of onsen in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Washing your body thoroughly before stepping into an onsen is essential.
—
Catherine Heald,
Travel + Leisure,
22 June 2026
Sleek rooms were designed by Andre Fu, there’s a central courtyard garden that pivots around a huge cherry tree, and expansive hot spring onsen pools in the basement.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
The Blakiston’s fish owl is the rarest owl in Japan but often visits the Yoroushi onsen in the evening.
—
Catherine Garcia,
TheWeek,
27 May 2026
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Catherine Heald,
Travel + Leisure,
22 June 2026
Sleek rooms were designed by Andre Fu, there’s a central courtyard garden that pivots around a huge cherry tree, and expansive hot spring onsen pools in the basement.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
The Blakiston’s fish owl is the rarest owl in Japan but often visits the Yoroushi onsen in the evening.
—
Catherine Garcia,
TheWeek,
27 May 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Onsen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onsen. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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