Elderly person enjoying a hot spring bath at home.

Hot Springs at Home: Can a Soothing Soak Prevent Long-Term Care?

Lena Kashyap in Health & Wellness July 2025 • 5 min read.

"Discover the surprising link between having a hot spring water supply at home and its potential to reduce the risk of needing long-term care. Learn how easy access to therapeutic bathing could benefit your health and well-being."

As Japan faces an aging population, finding ways to support the elderly and prevent the need for long-term care has become a national priority. The Japanese government established a long-term care insurance system in 2000 to provide financial assistance to those who require it. With long-term care costs on the rise, maintaining physical function and preventing decline is crucial for both individual well-being and economic stability.

Many studies suggest that hot spring bathing offers various physical and mental health benefits, including pain relief and improved mobility. With over 27,000 hot spring sources throughout Japan, these natural resources have the potential to promote healthy aging. But is there a direct link between regularly using hot springs and preventing the need for long-term care?

A unique opportunity to explore this connection exists in Atami City, where a municipal hot spring management system pipes hot spring water directly into residents' homes. This allows a significant portion of the population to enjoy daily hot spring bathing. By combining data on long-term care insurance with information on hot spring water supply, researchers aimed to uncover whether having easy access to hot springs at home could indeed play a role in preventing or delaying the need for long-term care.

Hot Spring Home Setups: How Does Easy Access Impact Long-Term Care Needs?

Elderly person enjoying a hot spring bath at home.

Researchers in Atami City, Japan, embarked on a case-control study to investigate the link between residential hot spring access and long-term care. The study focused on 2,719 Atami residents who were already receiving long-term care insurance benefits as of March 2017. The team then linked these individuals' long-term care records with data on whether or not their homes had a hot spring water supply.

For 2,194 participants with multiple long-term care assessments, the researchers compared their initial care levels with their care levels as of March 2017. Participants were divided into two groups: those whose care level remained the same or improved (the "no change/improvement" group) and those whose care level declined (the "worsening" group).

Initial Assessment: Track each participant's starting level of required care.
Hot Spring Access: Determine if a hot spring water supply was installed in their home.
Care Level Changes: Monitor changes in care level over time.
Group Classification: Sort participants into "no change/improvement" or "worsening" groups.
Statistical Analysis: Compare the groups, considering factors like sex and initial care level.

The researchers then analyzed the data to determine if there was a statistically significant association between having a hot spring water supply at home and the likelihood of either maintaining or improving one's care level. Odds ratios (ORs) and confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to quantify the strength of this association.

The Bottom Line: Is a Hot Spring at Home Worth It?

The study's findings suggest a potential link between having a hot spring water supply at home and preventing the worsening of care level, particularly among women. The results indicated that easy access to hot spring bathing may contribute to maintaining or improving physical function and overall well-being, potentially delaying or preventing the need for more intensive long-term care. While this study offers encouraging insights, further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore the underlying mechanisms. Factors such as bathing frequency, water composition, and individual health conditions should be taken into account to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the benefits of hot spring bathing for healthy aging.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.10.001, Alternate LINK

Title: Association Between Having A Hot Spring Water Supply In The Home And Prevention Of Long-Term Care

Subject: Complementary and alternative medicine

Journal: Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Authors: Shinya Hayasaka, Minoru Uchida, Manori Hattori, Hideaki Watanabe, Toshiyuki Ojima

Published: 2018-11-01

Everything You Need To Know

What are the key components of the case-control study conducted in Atami City, Japan, to examine the relationship between hot spring access and long-term care needs?

The case-control study in Atami City, Japan, comprised several key steps. First, an 'Initial Assessment' tracked the starting level of required care for each participant. Then, 'Hot Spring Access' was determined by checking if the participant's home had a hot spring water supply. 'Care Level Changes' were monitored over time to assess any changes in care needs. Participants were then categorized into groups, either the "no change/improvement" or the "worsening" group. Finally, a 'Statistical Analysis' was conducted to compare these groups, taking into account variables such as sex and the initial care level. These steps helped researchers determine if having a hot spring water supply at home was associated with maintaining or improving one's care level.

How did the researchers in Atami City measure the impact of hot spring access on long-term care needs?

Researchers in Atami City utilized a case-control study design to evaluate the link between residential hot spring access and long-term care needs. They examined 2,719 residents already receiving long-term care insurance benefits. The team linked individual long-term care records with data indicating whether or not each resident's home had a hot spring water supply. For those with multiple care assessments, they compared the initial care levels with those as of March 2017, classifying participants into 'no change/improvement' or 'worsening' groups. By calculating odds ratios and confidence intervals, researchers quantified the association between access to a hot spring water supply and the likelihood of maintaining or improving one's care level.

What role does Japan's long-term care insurance system play in the context of hot springs and health?

Japan's long-term care insurance system, established in 2000, provides crucial financial assistance to individuals requiring long-term care. This system directly relates to the study's findings by highlighting the significance of preventing the need for care or delaying its escalation. With the rising costs of long-term care and Japan's aging population, this system emphasizes the necessity of maintaining physical function and overall well-being. The study in Atami City investigates if easy access to hot spring water, through home supply, could contribute to maintaining or improving an individual's care level, thus potentially alleviating the burden on the insurance system and improving the quality of life for the elderly.

What were the main findings of the study regarding the link between hot spring water supply at home and long-term care?

The study's findings suggest a potential link between having a hot spring water supply at home and preventing the worsening of care level, particularly among women. The research indicated that easy access to hot spring bathing may contribute to maintaining or improving physical function and overall well-being, potentially delaying or preventing the need for more intensive long-term care. The researchers analyzed data on long-term care insurance and hot spring water supply and discovered a possible association. While these results are encouraging, the study also emphasized that further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore the underlying mechanisms in more detail.

Beyond the study, what additional factors should be considered to fully understand the benefits of hot spring bathing for healthy aging?

Beyond the specific study in Atami City, a more comprehensive understanding requires considering additional factors. These include the frequency of bathing, the specific composition of the hot spring water, and individual health conditions. Bathing frequency could influence the degree of benefit, with more frequent bathing potentially leading to greater positive outcomes. The water composition, varying between different hot spring sources, might affect the therapeutic properties. Furthermore, an individual's existing health conditions and overall health status would play a role in how they experience the benefits of hot spring bathing. Further research should take these factors into account for a more complete picture of the advantages of hot spring bathing for healthy aging.