Onsen (温泉), a Japanese hot spring traditionally used for public bathing. The bathroom in a Japanese house.
The Japanese soaking tub—or "ofuro"—isn't a new idea. This type of tub has been used in Japan for centuries as an indoor extension of bathing in the country's plentiful hot springs.
Japanese Onsen - Natural Hot Springs
photo by pixta. Hot spring baths, or onsen, are essential parts of the Japanese bathing culture. The water in hot springs must contain a certain amount of minerals and naturally-occurring chemicals to be considered onsen.
When bathing Japanese-style, you are supposed to first rinse your body outside the bath tub with the shower or a washbowl. Afterwards, you enter the tub, which is used for soaking only. The bath water tends to be relatively hot, typically between 40 and 43 degrees.
Kusatsu is considered the foremost onsen in Japan. It is supplied with large volumes of hot water, “said to cure every illness but lovesickness”.
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.
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.
The recommended duration of soaking is not more than 15 to 20 minutes. It's important to note that immersing yourself in hot water for too long will excessively raise your blood pressure or heart rate, causing dizziness and discomfort.
Onsen means hot spring in Japanese.
The Fuji series offers Japanese style baths with a deep bathing well, straight backrest and a seat. The Fuji 4040 is for one bather while both Fuji 6040 bathtubs offer two rounded seats.
The Söka tub is a water saving laundry soaking system that allows you to separately soak items in different laundry solutions. It saves water, uses less detergent and is ergonomically designed to easily recycle waste water.
And then, only when they have rinsed their whole body, can they enter the bathtub. It is essential to wash thoroughly before entering the bath, as this is where all members of the family bathe and must be kept clean. Bathtubs in Japanese homes have a lid to keep the water warm until the next member bathes.
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.
Shower before you bathe.
To this end, every onsen has a row of showers around the outside of the bath. Soap, shampoo and conditioner are usually provided (though you can bring your own if you prefer), and you are expected to sit down on one of the stools provided while you wash.
This social aspect, however, led many onsen and sento to prohibit tattooed guests. The Japanese taboo toward tattoos stems from their association with members of Japanese organized crime. Gangsters in Japan are typically heavily tattooed, and body art in Japan came to be associated with unsavory characters.
“Yes, if it's in the correct position, the device is fully open, and there is no leakage, then you can go into the onsen.” Voila! For those opting for tampons, make sure that the string is not clearly visible and change it as soon as you leave the onsen.
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.
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.
A: The answer differs for men and women. In general, it is acceptable for men to shave in the shower area of the onsen, and razors are even provided. For women, it is not generally acceptable to shave in the onsen as this is seen as an activity that should be done privately.
In view of the fact that many Japanese bathe and wash their hair daily, it's essential that they take well care of it. Modern-day shampoos mostly have ingredients that strip the hair of its natural oils, for example, sulfates.
The contrast between hot and cold will promote better blood flow and improve your metabolism rate. This has a good effect on relieving fatigue and aids with weight loss as well. Yet another beauty tip to keep in mind for your onsen adventures!
There are two types of Japanese baths: public bathhouses (sento) and hot-spring baths (onsen). The difference is in how the water is heated, but we'll refer to both as baths since the basics as a bather are similar.
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.