Towards a Nude Architecture: A Visual Compendium of Japanese Hot Springs

A deep dive into the hidden world of Japanese hot springs, from fabled origins to modern manifestations

As one of the most volcanically active terrains in the world, Japan's islands gush with more than 30,000 naturally occurring hot springs of various temperatures, colors and mineral compositions. As such, they have functioned as sites of communal gathering, ritual and relaxation across the country's history and have become a lasting fixture of its national identity. The springs, together with the bathhouses and inns constructed around them, are known as onsen. Bathing in a hot spring is a bucket-list activity for international visitors to Japan, but guests should be aware of one critical rule: no clothes allowed.
Towards a Nude Architecture approaches the story of onsen through an architectural lens. Across three chapters examining past, present and future, author Yuval Zohar discusses the spiritual roots of bathing, the diverse contemporary structures housing hot springs and the lasting influence of this poetic mingling between architecture, nature and the naked body. With wanderlust-worthy photographs of Japan across the seasons and informational diagrams on everything from mineral distribution to regional topography, Towards a Nude Architecture is not to be missed.
Yuval Zohar is an architect and designer based in Japan.