In Japan, an onsen, or hot spring, is considered part of normal life.
People go with their families on the weekend or with colleagues after a grueling day at work.
After skiing, snowboarding or camping is a personal favourite of mine.
Yet, for an outsider, the local Japanese culture and traditions can seem daunting.
So, to help you navigate onsen etiquette and immerse yourself in the Japanese way of life, we rounded up some helpful tips to follow on your next visit to the Land of the Rising Sun.
Japanese Onsen baths offer some of the most rejuvenating experiences in the world, known for their healing waters and tranquil ambiance. Yet, they come with a rich tapestry of traditions. To fully enjoy onsen, learn the rules and respect local customs for this ancient practice.
Japan Insider Secrets
Let’s dive in and have an onsen experience.
Onsen Etiquette 101
Japanese Onsen baths have some of the most healing, refreshing, and relaxing waters in the world.
These places are known for their peaceful meditation, leisure, and light socializing.
They’re also known for their strict rules.
So, here are some things concerning onsen etiquette to keep in mind for your next visit to an onsen.
What to Take to an Onsen
If you’re a guest at traditional Japanese-style inns, ryokan, then you’ll probably be offered a yukata to bring to the hotel’s onsen.
A yukata is a kimono-type of clothing made of light cotton.
It’s similar to a comfortable house robe that you wear after a bath or to relax.
You don’t have to stay at a hotel to enjoy an onsen.
There are thousands of stand-alone onsen that you can visit almost any day of the week.
Almost all Japanese onsen offer soap, and shampoo for free inside the onsen.
Another thing to bring along is a large towel.
You’ll use it to dry yourself when you come out of the onsen.
Most do offer these for free though.
I recommend you bring a plain white hand towel as well.
Oftentimes, you’ll need to bring one yourself.
Some folk use them to hide their private parts while walking around.
What to Wear
Be prepared to get naked.
No swimming costumes or bathing suits.
This is usually the one thing that throws people for a spin.
Yet, once you manage to shake off that initial self-consciousness, you’ll get used to it.
Especially once you realize that everyone is in their own little world of peace and serenity.
After all, being naked in an onsen has been a long-standard cultural tradition in Japan.
You can, however, use a small hand towel to cover your region as you walk from the showering area to the pool and back.
What to Expect
Most Japanese onsen have separate bathing areas for men and women.
Others have partitions to divide guests by gender, or they simply designate alternating bathing times.
Once you’re at the pool, the first thing to do is fully wash your body and hair.
Use the shampoo, conditioner, and soap provided.
You sit on a small stall while doing this and use your shower.
Ensure the soap is free from your body.
Then, gently step into the water and slowly immerse yourself.
It will feel quite hot to most folk at first.
After getting situated in the pool, try to avoid coming too close to other guests.
Also, don’t stare at or strike up conversations with random people; it’s considered bad manners.
Note: That does not mean some random old person will not talk to you.
Once I was relaxing and an old man asked me where I was from.
After replying “England”, he said he had been before and did not like the food lol.
That was the end of the conversation.
Not all Japanese follow the right onsen etiquette.
What to Do
- It’s recommended that you drink plenty of water before and after your onsen bath to keep your electrolyte levels well-balanced.
- Rent a locker in the changing room to store your clothes, personal items, and a large towel. The coin needed varies from onsen to onsen. It will almost always be returned to you when you unlock it after the bath, so do not forget.
- Tie your hair up in a bun if needed.
- Wash and rinse yourself thoroughly in the bathing area before entering the pool.
- Place your small towel on your head or on the edge of the bath. Do not bring it into the bath. Some people rest it on their heads.
- If bathing with friends or colleagues, you can chat among yourself, making sure to keep your voice down to not bother other guests.
- You can take a quick, cold rinse to maximize the benefits of the minerals.
- If they have one, try the sauna. But shower afterward if you plan to get back in the hot water.
- After getting out of the onsen, wipe yourself dry before entering the changing room.
- After you are dressed and leave, there will be a tatami waiting area, sometimes with massage chairs and vending machines.
- Beverages you can try after your bath are Japanese cold milk, fruit milk (furutsu gyuunyuu), and coffee milk (koohii gyuunyuu).
What Not to Do
- Don’t eat anything for a couple of hours before visiting an onsen. Bathing in the mineral-laden spring water can affect digestion or make you feel nauseous.
- Don’t stand up when washing yourself in the showering area to prevent splashing on any nearby guests.
- Don’t forget to cover up any small tattoos with a waterproof band-aid. If your tattoos cover large areas of your body, your only option is to reserve a private onsen via a hotel booking.
- Don’t stay in the onsen for longer than an average of 15–20 minutes to prevent dehydration.
- Don’t let your hand towel touch the water.
- Don’t take photos or selfies. Period!
- Don’t splash, swim, or splash in the bathing area.
- Don’t wash yourself right after coming out of the hot spring bath. Instead, dry yourself off with a towel to give your skin time to absorb the minerals.
Types of Onsen
There are many different types of Japanese onsen depending on where they source their water.
In general, onsen water is usually warmer than 77℉.
These waters come from nearby hot spring sources, of which there are plenty in Japan, thanks to the country’s abundant volcanic activity.
There are indoor pools, called uchiburo, and outdoor open-air baths, known as rotenburo.
While most onsens nowadays are separated by gender, there are a few mixed-gender baths that still exist.
Known as konyoju, they can be found in more remote locations and traditional settings.
There are also a lot of private baths dotted around.
Another way onsens are classified is by the minerals found in the water, of which there are 19 types.
Here are just a few examples:
- Iron onsens
- Sulfur onsens
- Radium onsens
- Hydrogen onsens
- Alkaline onsens
5 Famous Onsen Worth Visiting
Japan has too many onsen to mention in this article.
The ones below are my personal favourites among the well-known ones.
Wakura Onsen
On the Noto Peninsula, close to Nanao Bay, there is a resort known as Wakura Onsen, which features natural hot springs.
Along the shoreline, this onsen town is dominated by enormous ryokan complexes.
The Kagaya is the most well-known of these inns, and for good reason.
It provides first-rate hospitality and boasts some of the most comfortable accommodations of any ryokan in Japan.
Gero Onsen
Gero is situated in the middle of Nagoya and Takayama, roughly an hour’s drive south of Takayama.
There are many baths that are in the town’s many ryokan.
What’s more, there are also three public bathhouses that are open to the public.
Some of the ryokan’s soothing baths are also open to the public for a fee at certain times of the day.
Kusatsu Onsen
This is arguably the best-known onsen resort in Japan.
What’s more, its water is said to be able to cure anything.
In the mountains of Gunma Prefecture, 1200 meters above sea level, is the town of Kusatsu.
Beppu Onsen
Beppu in Kyushu, is known as one of the best places to go for an onsen in all of Japan.
There are a lot of thermal waters, and visitors can choose from many different ways to bathe while they are there.
This makes it stand out from other onsen resorts.
In addition to hot water baths, the city of Beppu onsen town has sand baths, steam baths, and mud baths.
Dogo Onsen
Dogo on Shikoku is the oldest onsen in Japan, with a history that goes back 3,000 years.
It has a large bathhouse that looks like a castle and a lot of ryokan.
Parts of the Studio Ghibli movie Spirited Away were based on this bathhouse, the Honkan.
A Final Note
Ask anyone about the top five things to do in Japan and they’ll definitely include visiting an onsen.
Knowledge of Japanese onsen etiquette will stand you in good stead.
After all, few experiences feel as great as trying your hand at one of the country’s most popular wellness practices, especially one that dates back more than 1,000 years.
Yet, knowing Japan’s strict rules and traditions, it’s wise to familiarize yourself with Japanese onsen etiquette to avoid offending anyone.
So, make a traditional Japanese onsen a must-do on your next trip.
Happy bathing!
