This Country Was Named the No. 1 Wellness Destination in Asia — and It's Famous for Hot Springs and Forest Bathing

Feeling overworked, undervalued, and generally a bit frazzled? Then, it's time to start planning a wellness-focused getaway that will totally re-align you. And Book Retreats has just got the place to go.

In December, Book Retreats released its Holiday Relaxation Report, which ranked the best relaxation destinations around the world, including a special focus on the top spots for wellness.

To determine its rankings, the team created a seed list of 76 places, which it selected based on their "safety, solitude, serenity, nature, and wellness." The team at Book Retreats then ranked those selections using nine data points, including the percentage of protected area, forest coverage, crowd density, noise and light pollution, peacefulness, and total wellness experiences. Finally, it gave each destination a score of 1 to 100 to reveal the top spots.

After looking into each country, it named Japan the No. 1 spot in Asia for wellness — and the second-best nation in the world. It took home the silver medal spot thanks to its ability to blend "ancient tradition with modern wellness trends."

"The country's network of onsen (hot springs) and established healing practices like reiki offer visitors authentic therapeutic experiences in settings from remote mountain villages to vibrant cultural capitals," the team added.

While there are plenty of public onsens to visit sprinkled all around Japan, a Travel + Leisure favorite is Banyan Tree Higashiyama in Kyoto, which offers private onsens in certain room categories, allowing guests to unwind in total privacy. "Having a private onsen in your suite is a true luxury," Susmita Baral, an editor at T+L, said. "It lets you unwind whenever you please in the comfort of your room. I found myself using the onsen whenever I had downtime, which I wouldn't have normally done in a communal space."

Even if you don't spring for a room with a private onsen, that's OK, as the hotel also has a natural hot spring in its spa, alongside a steam sauna and treatment rooms, so you can indulge in whatever wellness offering you'd like.

As for the rest of Japan, it ranked 15th globally for relaxation on Book Retreat's list, making it Asia's most relaxing destination for 2025. Across the nation, travelers can visit its more than 9,000 wellness experiences, including plenty of forest bathing opportunities. Japan also ranked fifth in the globe for Book Retreat's list of Best Destinations for Nature. According to the report, nearly 67 percent of Japan has forest coverage, the most out of anywhere the team analyzed.

The only place to top Japan on the list for wellness, coming in at No. 1, is the United States.

"The United States dominates the global wellness scene with over 10,000 experiences for visitors seeking restoration and rejuvenation in 2025," the team revealed. "The country's diverse landscapes create distinct wellness experiences: thermal springs wind through the Colorado River region, wellness centers nestle in Utah's red rock country, and beach retreats dot shorelines." Perhaps 2025 is the year you book a trip to Japan, you know, just so you can compare and contrast to see if Book Retreats' findings are correct. 

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