John Daub: Welcome to central Fukushima.
Japan is one of the world's most geothermically active countries
and that means hot springs and onsens.
Surrounding me is an onsen water from Fukushima.
It's got a light blue color to it.
It's filled with interesting chemicals, minerals.
Sulphur, that makes this place smell a little bit like a rotten egg.
But alot of people have told me that Japan's onsen water has some sort
of magical property.
It makes their skins smoother.
It makes them feel more energetic.
And it even makes them feel younger.
It's a reason why some people say they live to be 100 or older.
So in this episode, I wanted to examine the onsen around Japan and see,
if any of this water really does have some kind of magical property.
Is this, the fountain of youth?
Irrashaimase! (Welcome!)
Peter von Gomm: ONLY in Japan
Oh, this is nice!
Onsen, or hot spring water, is found everywhere around Japan.
Each one around the country is unique: different chemicals, minerals, and colors too.
And all have good health properties.
But does it really keep us looking and feeling younger?
How, and why?
And where are we?
Japan basically sits on four tectonic plates that are constantly moving.
In other words, it sits on:
The Ring of Fire
Giving the country loads of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions.
And geothermically heated ground water that rises from the earth.
The onsen we're at is located in the Tohoku region.
Fukushima Prefecture
Right in the center between Lake Inawashiro and Mount Bandai...
is Nakanosawa Numajiri Onsen.
This peaceful little hot spring town with 16 traditional Japanese inns
is located seven kilometers away from the source.
Numajuri Onsen is 1,250 meters above sea level and requires a hike to get there.
With the established onsen, the ones where you pay to get in,
they've all been set up in that area.
So it's very easy and convenient to pay the money and stay the night
at an onsen resort like a hotel.
But when it comes to these onsen where you'd have to find out in the wild,
you gotta hike it. And sometimes you feel like you're going through the jungle
but, I'm guessing when we make it to the other side,
it's gonna be a really relaxing experience and totally worth it.
They say that the waters have the power to rejuvenate.
I'm gonna need a lot of that.
But what a view! Look at that!
♫ Dramatic music ♫
The trail is a little narrow, overgrown in parts, with some drop offs on the edges
so trek slowly and carefully.
A guide is highly recommended from the local tourism office.
The view when you arrive... is stunning.
13,400 liters of hot water per minute gush out from here.
The source water comes out at 68.3°C (155°F) but cools as it travels, mixing with
the natural mountain water along the way.
There are areas which are off limits.
Some of the gases near the source are lethal.
Respect the signs and keep a safe distance.
It's got a pH of 1.9 to 2.1, which is the same as lemon juice or vinegar, very acidic.
The water contains many minerals and has properties with so many health benefits.
The source is Numajiri Motoyu discovered about 380 years ago.
But it was in 1887 that these transport canals were built
and there are many remains from the past all around the area.
The water at the source is a white-yellow.
The spring water containing sulphur, calcium, and aluminum.
It gradually turns a bluish color as it makes its way downstream.
There are no facilities here. Just get in wherever you want.
But test out the water first.
The minerals are caked on the rocks.
(Sighs)
Many people say that the onsen, the hot springs, in Japan have some sort of
magical property.
Again, Japan has one of the longest life spans in the entire world.
People living to 100.
And many people visit the onsens.
I wanted really to find out if there was something to it.
If these chemicals, these minerals, in the water did increase life span.
So I went and asked a professional.
To do that I had to travel back to Tōkyō to the Japan Onsen Association's office
where I met with Professor Maeda.
Many centenarians told me the onsen is one of the reasons they lived past 100.
But, will bathing in Japanese onsen help me to live longer? And how?
Maeda: There's no proof to fully back that up, but
when you go into an onsen,
your body temperature rises, of course.
Generally, it rises between 1°C and 1.5°C
Outside Japan, it might sound high but
41°C to 42°C generally tends to be the
preferred onsen temperature for Japanese.
In that hot water,
if you spend 10 to 15 minutes,
your body temperature will rise 1°C to 1.5°C.
This, in reality,
when your body temperature rises,
isn't actually too good for your body.
The human body is meant to
stay at a constant temperature, which lets us
create proteins and also energy.
That's how we're built.
So, when the body temperature
suddenly rises like that,
it isn't natural for the body.
In response to this unnatural state,
the body's defense system kicks in.
The body recognizes that
it shouldn't heat up anymore,
so various defense mechanisms come into play.
One of the mechanisms
actually helps boost the immune system.
Besides this, it also includes the ability
to repair essential proteins.
These get improved and strengthened.
You are less likely to get sick due to
increased resistance to various bacteria.
It also relieves psychological stress.
In regards to proteins,
those that help repair cells get produced too.
When your body heats up,
proteins go through various changes, which leads to
the production of other proteins that can recover them.
The body then works to repair each cell.
Onsen has these kinds of benefits.
In this way, the heat of the onsen,
for the human body,
is not itself too good
but what happens after, in terms of
turning on the defense system,
boosting your immune system,
improving mental health,
and strengthening repair mechanisms
by producing essential proteins,
is perhaps the secret to the
longevity of Japanese people.
At least, that's what I believe.
John: Welcome to one of my favorite onsen: Tsurunoyu at Nyutō Onsen, famous for
its milky white outdoor bath.
Breathtakingly beautiful in the autumn.
Even in the rain, the bath looks like a fantasy scene and beloved by everyone who visits.
Whatever stress you had in the outside world quickly melts away.
The mind at ease.
But what makes the water so milky white here?
I asked the owner, Kato-san.
Kato: The mountains in the area
where the hot spring flows,
is made of limestone.
So, as the water rises from the ground,
it most likely melts and incorporates limestone.
Then, when it touches the air, it crystalizes
and remains there.
These particles are very small
so rather than sinking, they float
and move through the hot water.
That's why this hot spring looks white.
John: Coming to a traditional place, eating well, and soaking in the waters here
helps us psychologically heal.
After a few days here, I felt like a new person.
Tsurunoyu has been a popular destination for hundreds of years.
But where's the most potent hot spring water in Japan?
It's actually not too far away.
Maeda: Tamagawa Onsen has the lowest pH level in Japan.
It is very acidic hot water.
The pH is 1.2
This is similar to concentrated hydrochloric acid.
So, when you dip into the water,
what's on your skin, such as different bacteria,
in a matter of just one to two minutes,
gets removed.
This is Japan's most acidic hot spring in Akita and famous for its therapeutic bathing.
It has a strong sulphur odor and that pH 1.2 acidity.
And the main component? Hydrochloric acid.
Carbon dioxide, iron, aluminum chloride, and trace amounts of
radioactive hokutolite and radium.
It's a designated national health center, and many people with diseases
including malignant cancers come here for alternate treatment.
Most Japanese ladies I know told me that they get their smooth skin from soaking
in onsen regularly.
But does it really give you better skin?
Maeda: Your skin exfoliates immediately.
Exfoliating means that
the dead skin cells on the surface thin out and
when that happens, ultraviolet rays
penetrate the skin easily, which
harms the sensitive botton tissue.
It gets damaged.
As a result, in an effort to prevent further damage,
the proteins that build skin tissue
becomes very active.
In this way, good and healthy skin develops.
That's what happens, and for this reason
people from onsen towns have smooth skin.
Onsen has this kind of benefit.
According to the Onsen Medical Science Research Center, there are nine kinds of onsen.
Each as a special benefit.
Have you tried any of these?
(Water splashing)
One reason I go to the onsen is to get away from the city and immerse myself
in Japanese culture at a traditional inn.
You can really feel Japan at onsen resorts.
And there's even something called forest therapy: immersing yourself in the forest
and feeling relaxed.
And onsen towns usually have a lot of those around.
Maeda: Based on the entire region,
of course, it varies but
it's actually more dependent
on the specific area's land.
Depending on the onsen,
its properties,
The earth - the water flows from the ground
so the minerals in the land and
in the different regions, will change
the onsen quality drastically.
Based on the region,
the views and landscapes are always different.
It might also be colder or warmer, etc.
There are a lot of factors that change.
In the same way, no two onsen are ever the same.
Every onsen is one-of-a-kind.
John: It's so true.
They are all special and a reason to travel but,
now I can understand how this can play an important part in Japanese lives.
The desire to connect with nature, relax, and use that power to reenergize.
If you visit, the waters will reward you for the effort.
Even the animals know this.
The Japanese snow monkeys and Capybara are famous for their love of soaking.
And it sure keeps them looking adorable too.
Thank you to Dream Drive for the wheels to get around the Japanese countryside.
This is the best feeling in the world. Onsen.
Out here in the wild, wow!
You got to try it.
Best feeling in the world.
I hope you enjoyed this episode on onsen.
Check out his channel, Greg from Life Where I'm From, where he's making an episode on?
Greg: Wild and secret onsens. And, uh, why don't you give this guy a sub? He needs them.
John: Mata ne (See ya) Greg: Bye bye