onsen

Where does the word "onsen" come from? It comes from Japanese onsen, and was adopted directly into English (1990s-2000s).

Onsen’s story begins in Japanese: onsen meant “a natural hot spring.” Named the natural hot springs found throughout volcanic Japan, long used for bathing. It reached English by 1990s-2000s as onsen. Japan has over 3,000 hot-spring resorts; Dōgo Onsen claims a 3,000-year history. Today, onsen means a traditional Japanese hot spring, typically used for communal bathing.

1. Stage 1 · Japanese · ancient onsen "a natural hot spring", named the natural hot springs found throughout volcanic Japan, long used for bathing.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1990s-2000s onsen "a Japanese hot-spring bath, often part of an inn", Japan has over 3,000 hot-spring resorts; Dōgo Onsen claims a 3,000-year history.