Editorial Policy

Editorial Independence

Japan Onsen Explorer operates independently. We are not owned by, affiliated with, or funded by any onsen facility, hotel group, tourism board, or booking platform. Our onsen listings, ratings, and editorial content are not for sale.

We accept advertising (Google AdSense) and sponsored listings. Sponsorships are clearly disclosed and do not influence editorial rankings, descriptions, or recommendations. A sponsored listing may appear prominently, but its editorial content is held to the same accuracy standards as every other listing.

How We Source Onsen Data

Each onsen listing on this site is compiled from:

• Official facility websites and published documentation
• Regional tourism board resources (prefectural and municipal)
• Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) materials
• Direct research and cross-referencing of multiple sources
• Reader-submitted corrections and updates (reviewed before publishing)

Critical fields — including tattoo policy, water mineral type, bath type, and accessibility information — are verified against at least two independent sources before publication. Where information cannot be independently verified, we note the uncertainty explicitly.

Accuracy & Corrections

We strive for accuracy in all published content. Onsen policies, pricing, and opening hours change regularly. If you find information that is incorrect or outdated, please contact us with the details and a source link where possible.

Corrections are processed as quickly as possible. Substantive corrections to factual content are applied directly to the relevant page, and the last-updated date is revised accordingly.

Update Policy

All content carries a published and last-updated date. Our review schedule:

• High-traffic listings: Reviewed at least once per year
• Guides and educational content: Reviewed at least every two years, or when significant changes occur (e.g. policy shifts on tattoos)
• Blog articles: Reviewed annually; date-sensitive content refreshed when needed

Outdated content that cannot be verified is either updated with a caveat or removed from publication.

AI & Automated Content

Japan Onsen Explorer does not publish AI-generated content without human editorial review. AI tools may be used to assist with research, translation, or draft structuring, but all published content is reviewed, edited, and approved by a human editor before going live.

Contact

For editorial enquiries, corrections, or questions about this policy, contact us at hello.japanonsenexplorer@gmail.com.