Onsen

"After a long day or week, few things are more relaxing than hanging out naked with some strangers in a Japanese-style bath."

If you don't believe the above statement, you have to at least give it a try. Use this guide to find yourself a good onsen.

Onsen Etiquette

The rules that govern how Japanese people make use of the hot springs their country is blessed with date back long into its history, and were pseudo-codified in the Edo era when bathhouses grew in popularity.

Japan is a culture steeped in all sorts of social etiquette and this can be intimidating for those of us who didn't grow up here. In almost every case, simply displaying a willingness to learn the etiquette will endear you to most Japanese people, and if you mess up a simple look or "sorry" will completely erase any wrong-doing from your slate. However, the if there is one place where you really need to follow the rules to the letter, it's the onsen. Violating the inherent etiquette will cause everyone else's hackles to rise, whether they are Japanese or onsen-accustomed foreigners.

What You Need

• A towel, standard size, to dry yourself off with after you get out of the bath. This is generally known in katakana as a "bath towel"
• A wash cloth to be used before you get in the bath. This is generally referred in to in katakana as a "face towel".
• No fear of whether other people see your bits.
• Everything else is optional. 99% of onsen have soap, shampoo, and often conditioner in the shower area for you to use, and there will generally be a basic set of cosmetics in the changing room for use after you get out of the bath, including hair dryers. However many people will bring their own soap and extra cosmetics, often bringing them in a basket.

The Steps

Everything you have to do between entering the door and entering the bath.

1. The first step is the easiest -- all onsens require you to take off your shoes at the door
2. If you are going to a sento or stand-alone onsen, you'll have to pay here. There is often a ticket machine, or you may just have to talk to the clerk. You should have your towel and wash cloth with you, and if you forgot them you can likely buy or rent them from the clerk. If staying at a hotel with an onsen, just bring the ones from your room; otherwise bring them from your home.
3. Take the all-important fork in the road. Even if you can't read the kanji for men and women, they are almost universally colored blue for men and red for women; no worries.
4. You'll now walk into the changing room which will have either a number of lockers or baskets. Find yourself one (bigger onsen may pre-assign lockers).
5. Take off every piece of clothing you have on until you are 100% naked. Stuff everything into your locker or basket.
6. Taking only your wash cloth, and any extra soap/shampoo you have brought, and head for the nearby steamy door that leads into the bath. In you go.
7. You're now in the bath area, go immediately to the showers. The showers will all be sit-down style, and are generally in rows/lines in some corner of the bath area. Do not get in the bath. You are however permitted to take a bowel of hot water from the bath and dump it on yourself...just don't get in (yet).
   
   Note: If you frequent onsen, you will likely see some people, almost always old people, just take a bowel of hot water from the bath, dump it over them, and hop in. Understand that in the old days this is was the norm, however soaping up and washing yourself before getting in is now a required part of onsen etiquette. Old people either don't know this or (much more often) know it but just ignore it because they can get away with it. Just know that when most Japanese people see this, they will not say anything but be seething with rage on the inside -- nobody likes having their nice relaxing onsen wa broken, and that is exactly what happens when someone just tosses water on themselves and hops in. Most large onsen now have signs up advising people not to do this, but you are still liable to see people do this from time to time.

Recommended Onsen

Northern Mie

• Kuwana : Nagashima Onsen

  Both natural and man-made. There are a number of onsen hotels right next to Nagashima Spa Land that allow visitors to the amusement park to make use of the onsen for a few hundred yen -- much cheaper than staying overnight at these fairly luxurious ryokan-style hotels. Some of the baths at these hotels are quite scenic.

• Suzuka : Hana Shōbu

  Man-made. Very new and modern onsen complex near Bell City containing a number of different baths. The unique man-woman (clothed) sauna facilities within the complex are truly impressive and beat almost all other man-made onsen or sento.

Central Mie

• Tsu : Sakakibara Onsen

  Natural. Probably Mie's most well-known onsen town. It was considered in the Heian Era to be one of the top three best onsen in Japan, however in the Edo Era its position on this list was revoked and given to Gero Onsen. Accessible by bus from either Hisai Station or Sakakibara-onsen-guchi Station.

Eastern Mie

None listed

Western Mie

None listed

Southern Mie

None listed

Outside Mie

• Osaka : Spa World

  Man made. Humongous multi-story facility in Osaka's Tennoji area, sometimes referred to as an "onsen amusement park". Contains thematic onsens from all over the world, as well as a pool and large relax chambers with reclining chairs. Also has restaurants and even some arcades. Standard entry is ¥2000, however there are seasonal specials where you can get in for only ¥1000. The closest stations are Shin-Imamiya (新今宮) on the JR loop and Nankai, and Dōbutsuen-mae (動物園前) on the Midōsuji red subway line -- either station is only a five minute ride south of Namba.