How to enjoy "Onsen" in Japan?

How to enjoy “Onsen” in Japan?

February 17, 2012 February 17, 2012 Juju Kurihara 2 Comments

The spring is just around the corner and people are fidgeting that they have a need for a trip. Japan perhaps one of the destinations. Japan is famous for Onsen (温泉/ hot springs). You may be hesitated about the idea that you have to be naked in public, well so am I. But actually, no one cares about your body that much. I´m sure you find it´s relaxing and soon you´ll be in the hot bath just like those Japanese monkeys you might´ve seen in photos.

There are some small etiquette when you go to a public bath or even the bath in a Japanese family´s house. Do you know it? Here, there is a short instruction of how to use Onsen bath.

Japanese bath is usually very hot, like 40 – 43C°. It´s hot enough to cook you but that´s so good! It´s inevitable letting "ooooooooh" out from your mouth. Look, even this old monkey. You may see one of these face just next to you.

Enjoy Onsen!

More about Japanese bath

22nd of December is Toji

22/12 is Toji

Japanese kids learn to count in the bath

Good bath day

2 Comments

Coen 8 years Reply

Hi,

Are you generally allowed (as a non-japanese) to visit onsen or soto-yu if you have tattoos? A few years ago I was in an onsen with a friend and the locals seemed a bit wary towards people with tattoos.
- juju.kurihara 8 years
  
  Hi Coen
  
  Usually no. I´ve recently read an article about a Maori woman who came to Hokkaido for a conference. As she loves Onsen, she went to a local onsen and she wasn´t allowed to enter since she has a traditional tattoo on her face. Perhaps your tattoo isn´t revealed but showed when you take off the clothe? Even though tattoo is a pure fashion in the western world (even in Japan it´s becoming more common), still you see the signs at the entrance of the onsen or swimming pool saying “no one with tattoo”.