So there we were, in a tiny bar on a small side street in Ito, sipping a cocktail, enjoying a smoke (forgive me to all those who hate my nasty habit), listening to a most excellent rendition of "Take Five" played by a small transvestite keyboardist in the corner. It was his bar, actually. Though he told us his real name, we were quickly informed...

We've been in Japan for about a year now and still we havent been to the onsen. What is onsen all about and why the japanese love it so much makes us decided that this is the right time to go. We went for a one-night stay in a ryokan (japanase motels) by the coast of Pacific. Its Ito, in Shizouka perfecture. Ito is small resort town by the east ...

We headed to a small town called Ito to try a Japanese Onsen (hot spring). Onsens are actually quite small and the men and women are separated. You strip down and enter a small room steaming with spring water. The water is darn hot and takes a while to get accustomed to. My experience was not quite as memorable as my Turkish bath incident: fortu...

Richard Having packed up and checked out we headed out on the metro to Tokyo station where we would be catching the train to our next stop, Ito. Ito is on the peninsula below Tokyo and is well known as one of the main hot spring or onsen areas in Japan. We would be staying in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn. Staying at the ryokan was also p...