Of course, whether it's in hot springs,
While showers are a necessary part of everyday life, the Japanese don't just take showers, they love soaking in bathtubs. Most people in Japan think of the bathtub as washing away not only their sweat and dirt from the day but their fatigue, too. so it is typically custom to take baths every night.
Many Japanese people take a bath more or less every day. In some parts of the world, people may refer to showering as “taking a bath,” but not in Japan. In Japan, simply showering does not count.
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.
Japanese people have loved onsen since ancient times for the comfort they bring to mind and body. We introduce the beauty benefits and anti-ageing effects offered by hot springs while examining the relationship between the Japanese people and onsen.
It is recommended that you do not shower after bathing in an onsen, as rinsing your body will weaken the minerals' healing effects. However, taking a quick cold shower or bath upon leaving the bath, which has its own health benefits, has also been recommended.
Couple onsens are special spaces where the two of you would never be disturbed by other people. Private onsens in guest rooms, in particular, let you spend time with your sweetheart enjoying the hot spring all day long, without the need to go out the door. The experience is largely different from normal dates.
Milk had already been established in Japan as a rich source of nutrients. And now that it was available at sento, it became the perfect way to rehydrate and replenish the body after bathing.
Traditionally, visitors with tattoos aren't allowed in Japan's onsen (natural hot springs) because of an age-old association with organized crime. However, times are changing, and more and more onsen have relaxed their policies—in some cases to accommodate tattooed foreign tourists.
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. Today, konyoku (mixed-gender onsen) are hard to find, with places like Tokyo having bans on such establishments.
Japan has a long tradition of communal bathing with onsen and sento. You can still find gender-mixed onsen even today.
To the Japanese, bathing is a process. You wash yourself before you get in the bath to cleanse your body of the day's dirt and grime. That's one of the main reasons why most Japanese people bathe at night, instead of in the morning.
In view of the fact that many Japanese bathe and wash their hair daily, it's essential that they take well care of it.
Though public bathing originated in the sixth century, bathhouses became popular during the Edo period (1603–1868). At the time, homes did not have private baths, so each neighborhood had a public bath. Since then, this communal space has remained a cornerstone of bathing culture in Japan.
Japan is known to be a country with a strong awareness for hygiene. Customs to wash hands and gargle on a daily basis are particularly widespread, and are carried out actively by a wide range of people in the country—from children to grown-ups.
Purpose of bathing
Many Japanese believe it also washes away the fatigue, hence a bath is taken often every night. On the other hand, Western people often take a bath only for the purpose of personal hygiene. Many people don't expect to spend a long time in the bath to relax.
The elderly, children and physically challenged persons should avoid bathing alone. Around 3 to 7 days or so after starting onsen cures, some persons may experience bath reaction, feel unwell, or suffer from insomnia, digestive symptoms or dermatitis.
Many guests ask if they can cover up so they can be comfortable around others but unfortunately this is forbidden in pretty much every onsen in the country, but for good reason.
Many Japanese bring both a small towel and larger one. The smaller one can be used in the bathing area to tie back hair and give yourself a pat down so as to not soak the changing area, and the bigger one you use to give yourself a more thorough dry. Please be sure not to let the towel enter the onsen water!
Onsen water has a number of natural elements, such as sodium bicarbonate and calcium, that get absorbed into our bodies as we bathe. The minerals help increase blood flow and the amount of oxygen in our blood. Many people enjoy a good soak in a bath. The onsen is the ultimate bathing experience.
As onsen ingredients remove old cornified layer of skin surface, it is very useful to rejuvenation of skin. Moisturizing effect of water vapor is also excellent. It gives firmness and moisture to dry skins that tend to crack, so that you can get ideal skins.
Instead of bathing suits, people use small towels to hide their private parts whilst manoeuvring the hot spring baths. If you are completely turned off by the idea of bathing naked, you could rent a private onsen or find a facility where they allow bathing suits.
Kinosaki Onsen is the ideal place for a first visit to an onsen town in Japan. It's easily accessible (2.5 hours on the train from Kyoto or Osaka), foreigner-friendly (with signs in English and tattoos allowed), and is oh so pretty.
Each establishment has its own pricing system, but generally, you can expect private onsen costs to run between 1500 to 3000 yen per hour.