Japanese Onsen

Hakone is a short one and a half hour train ride from the city and is a popular area for Japanese hot springs, or "onsen." The traditional onsen are typically outside, scalding hot, tinted yellow with a hint of sulfur. There is also a strict rule against swimming suits. For all of the above reasons, we chose a western style resort, Yunnessun, which caters to the birthday suit bashful, most commonly the military and foreigners.

With over 25 unique baths, you could spend a full day at Yunnessun. Our favorites were the green tea bath, milk bath (with huge, ceramic cows watching over you),and the giant red wine bath. Yes, people try to drink the wine water, despite all the signs begging you not to. An essential experience at the spa was the Dr. Fish Bath. Teeming with bacteria eating fish, you dip your feet into the warm, soothing water, sit back and squirm as the fish eat the unmentionables off the bottom of your feet. When

I took my legs out of the water, there were still a couple attached between my toes. They must've found something good! Judging from the hairy old men sitting around us, I think the Dr. Fish ate well that night...

After the fish bath, we got well deserved shinto massages in the relaxation lounge overlooking the mountainside. A couple vending machine beers, and some delicious soft cream later, we headed home, a little tired, and a lot more relaxed...

Cool Times at Ice Bar Tokyo

A visit to the Absolut Ice Bar Tokyo can evoke any number of clichés about being cool, but the gimmicky lounge in Roppongi’s Nishi-Azabu District is just that. Kept at a chilly –5° C, reservations can be booked in 45 minute time slots, and when coupled with the steep cover charge of 3,500 Yen, seems like pure piracy. But 30 minutes in the subzero ice box is plenty of time to sip vodka cocktails and chill. The cover charge includes a sci-fi-esque cape and gloves and your choice of cocktail. The exotic menu features green tea liquer, champagne and cassis concoctions, all mixed with vodka of course and served in a frozen tumbler. The bar also features a frozen love seat to lounge around, eskimo looking bartenders, and a "cool crowd." We had to huddle together to stay warm, but beware; if you happen to melt your ice glass you'll be charged another 800 yen to replace it...