As a foreigner it can be a bit daunting going to an onsen in Japan if you don't know what you're doing… so here are some handy tips if it's going to be your first time! Public onsens are separated by gender - so for everyone's sake, make sure you enter the CORRECT area.
Restricting tattooed guests from bathing would make it impossible for much of the global population to experience this vital part of Japanese nature and culture. Today, having a tattoo will not prevent you from experiencing an onsen or sento.
Do NOT bathe in an onsen if you are at the active stage of a disease (especially if you have a fever); Onsen bathing imposes a large burden on your body, so avoid bathing in an onsen when you are weak and tired as the symptoms may become worse.
Soaking in an onsen bath is one of the best ways to relax. The hot spring water helps you relax by relieving your tense muscles, and the peaceful surroundings of most Japanese onsens help clear your mind. You'll find that you sleep better after an onsen bath.
Onsen entrance fees range anywhere between JPY 200-2,000, but some of the good ones fall between JPY 400-800. You can bring your own bath towel, though some onsens provide towels or let you rent one.
No clothes or bathing suits are allowed in the onsen bathing areas. People try hard to preserve the cleanliness of onsen. They are somewhat sacred places. Clothes and bathing suits can bring dirt and soap into the hot spring waters from outside and are, therefore, considered unhygienic.
Most onsen will not tell you explicitly that you cannot use the bath on your period. Some people will enter the bath with a tampon, but the topic is often debated. If you're worried, maybe sit this one out.
wear ANY clothes or swimsuits in the bathing area; the small towel can be used to cover yourself when out of the water. Some onsen may offer a thin gauze bathing cover-up for women to rent. submerge your face or head, it is considered unclean. yell or speak loudly, onsen are for relaxing.
The frequency of bathing shall be at most 1-2 times per day, and when people get used to Onsen, they can enjoy 2-3 times per day. Duration of bathing depends on the temperatures of water, but generally it shall be around 3-10 minutes at one time, and can be extended to 15-20 minutes if you get used to it.
In general there are two types of onsens: day onsens and overnight stay onsens. The day onsens are for day-trippers who want to relax for a few hours. Overnight onsens are for guests who will be staying the night.
First, what do you wear in an onsen? With a few exceptions (like Kitahama TERMAS and Kaihin Sunayu) you will be completely nude while bathing and separated by gender, so there is no need to worry too much about your outfit. Perhaps easily removable clothing is preferable.
The Japanese have perfected the art of onsen, or hot spring baths, for centuries. Traditionally, men and women would bathe together in the same facility, but these days the baths are segregated by gender.
After soaking in an onsen, don't be in a hurry to leave. Follow tradition and have a comforting post-bath glass of milk or indulge in a soothing deep tissue massage or lounge in your yukata on a comfy couch while catching up with everything that happened online while you were soaking away.
Doctors do not recommend using onsen at all while menstruating. But, if you absolutely cannot avoid it, use a tampon. Even if it's a “light” day, nobody wants blood or bodily fluids floating around in the shared bath water. Using a tampon will also help protect against water entering through your cervical opening.
Most onsen today are segregated by gender, meaning couples cannot bathe together. However, Japanese private onsen offers you and your loved one a highly luxurious and romantic bathing experience, often complete with spectacular views.
Rules are very important in Japan, and as there is a no tattoo rule in nearly all pools, onsens and gyms, a foreigner walking up to the desk with tattoos showing is bound to cause concern. Just cover up and keep those tattoos covered and that is acceptable. If you can't cover up, don't go to those environments.
Many people report feeling dizzy or nauseous after their first few times after going to an onsen, and this is usually because of dehydration or overheating from staying in too long.
So please don't concern yourself with being embarrassed in an onsen. It is a great experience that is both relaxing and exhilarating. Also, there is no reason to fear tourists or Japanese. Really, everyone inside the onsen doesn't care at all!
Wipe your body before entering locker room.
To keep the locker room dry and clean, you would wipe yourself lightly with your wash-towel before entering there. After wiping your body completely with your bath-towel in the locker room, you could wear “YUKATA”, bathing clothing, a kind of KIMONO.
Onsen towels
In the onsen you will rarely see anyone walking around in a towel, but if you want to keep covered up before you hop into the water, you can. You can rent a towel for a small fee, and most onsens will provide you with a 'modesty towel' to walk into the onsen with.
Typically it is not permitted to take photos while inside an onsen, unless you are visiting a private onsen.
Although onsen etiquette does not prohibit drinking alcohol before entering a hot spring, let alone during the experience, it can be hazardous; consuming spirits before entering a hot spring—let alone during the experience—increases the risk of thrombosis.
Drinking milk is practiced after bathing in onsen
They created a beverage called "coffee milk" which took off in the 1940s. Another version talks about another dairy producer who had wanted to sell milk but decided to do so at bathhouses, where refrigerators could be commonly found, and the practice was born.
So next time you are wondering what you should do after onsen, consider drinking a cold glass of milk.
Do not take a hot bath or shower. Your body needs time to adjust after a massage therapy session, and a hot bath or shower will only make the process take longer. The temperature of the water can cause your muscles to tense up, which can negate the benefits of massage therapy.