Today, konyoku (mixed-gender onsen) are hard to find, with places like Tokyo having bans on such establishments. Experiencing this one-of-a-kind Japanese tradition before they disappear completely is highly recommended.
Onsen. The use of hot spring baths has long been in Japanese history, where onsens have brought people together for healing and relaxation. Mixed-Gender, Coed, or the Konyoku is a term described to onsens that do not separate men and women.
They amount to more than 50 mixed-gender onsen and other places where men and women can bathe together in Japan. If you have questions about konyoku onsen, or mixed-gender hot spring, bathing etiquette, please read our Guide to Mixed Gender Onsen in Japan.
Konyoku (混浴) are mixed-gender baths, a concept that might seem a little risque in a country that generally divides its public baths quite clearly by gender. But the truth is that these baths, open to anyone, have a history going back at least 1,000 years―they may not be common, but konyoku are a long-lasting tradition!
Yes, small children up to the age of 10 years old may enter the onsen of the opposite gender if it is necessary. We ask that all children are accompanied by an adult at all times. Are all of the onsen in Kinosaki natural hot spring water?
Difference between Sento and Onsen
Sento are bathing facilities that use artificially created bathtubs and hot water. On the other hand, Onsen are bathing facilities that use natural hot spring water. Specifically, Sento are located in buildings in urban areas, and the hot water in the bathtub is mostly tap water.
Solaniwa Onsen theme park in Osaka features more than seven different hot springs and bathing areas. Mixed-gender outdoor bathing areas are available in the park, but guests can also rent baths for their private use.
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.
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.
Rurikei Onsen
The resort features outdoor hot spring baths and private onsen baths that can be used by guests during their stay. There are multiple onsens that can be enjoyed from mixed baths and an onsen pool, which requires a bathing suit or swimwear when soaking in the water.
No Clothes Allowed
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.
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.
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.
Onsens are hot springs water from thermal springs of volcanic origin. When it's outdoors, they are called "rotenburo".
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.
They differ from sentous in the rule that the water be natural in origin. This means that it can contain no mineral additives or use an artificial heating source. Since this need is more restrictive, they are not as common as regular public baths.
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.
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 kids are allowed. Any age and gender. I brought my 2 daughters to the hotel and they were able to use the onsen facilities.
Onsen Etiquette
If you have any tattoos or body piercings, it is possible that you won't be allowed to enter. Be sure to remove any piercings (ears are okay) and conceal any ink. (Tattoos in Japan are widely associated with the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia, and are generally frowned upon.)
Many onsen ban bathers sporting body art, no matter how small or non-confrontational. If it is small enough, you may be able to get away with wearing a water-resistant bandage, but otherwise, you should be respectful of the establishment's regulations.
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.
An advanced society in so many ways, Japan lags far behind on gender equality compared to other industrialized nations and its Asian neighbours. The country sits in 120th place out of 153 countries with a gender equality gap of 34.4%, according to the World Economic Forum.
A ryokan is a traditional accommodation, like a hotel in many ways, that offers a place to rest as well as traditional dining. They are often found around hot springs, but they aren't all. Onsens are the hot springs and the facilities that surround them.
In most cases, before you dip into the onsen bath, you will want to completely wash yourself. This means you will at least need soap, and if you want to wash your hair, shampoo and conditioner.