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Onsen! (Hot springs)
So after a long day of running around with my elementary school kids, I decided to take an onsen (yeah, foreigners in Japan do use it as a verb). And, now that I am all warm and relaxed I figured I want to talk a little about how to do the onsen thing (for any of those that end up in Japan and want to be naked with people of the same sex). This is the way I take an onsen in most of places I have been. Of course, I have not been to all of the onsen in Japan so I can't say this is the same for all places.
1) Entering the building
Well, this may seem to be the easiest thing to do, but there is a lot to do before you get into the hot water. First you have take off your shoes at the door. This is not always the case, but in most cases you take off your shoes and lock them up in a box. Take the key from that box to the main counter and give it to the person there. You will also pay this person (the place I go to costs around 1000 yen). They then hand you another key that is sort of hidden on a bracelet. That is the key to your clothes locker. Some onsen give you towels at this point. If you don't have one and they don't give you one, you can rent one most times. Of course you can't keep the towels, though I "accidentally" took my first towel home (oopppsss).
2) Getting naked and wet (my favorite part)
So now you got to find the changing room. This part is important! Men are behind the blue curtain and woman are behind the red one! (men also have this kanji 男 and woman have the one 女). So get undressed and go find the actual onsen room. Don't forget to bring your small long wash cloth with you. It is the only thing that protects you from the "I wonder how big the gaijin" looks. (The better way to say that is "It is the only thing that may keep your dignity" but I like the first way of saying it better.) Before you do dive into the big tubs remember to take a shower first. Clean your hair and skin thoroughly.
3) Soaking time.
This is the best part. Well, it's what everyone comes for any way. Not a lot to say here besides never take your wash cloth into the tub and if it is wet don't ring it out into the tub. I suggest trying the outside tubs if the place you go to has them. Nothing better than sitting outside in a hot pool of water in the freezing cold. If there are a lot of different types of tubs, try them all. They all feel good in different ways.
4) Time to leave.
After you are done soaking to your heart's content before to take one more shower before you leave the onsen. A lot of the natural onsen (as compared to the sentou or public baths) smell of rotten eggs. Let me tell you that you don't want to be trapped in a car with someone that got out of an onsen without showering. If you bought anything while you were in the onsen you might have to pay at the front desk again. This is different for different onsen. So go and give back your towel and wash cloth, pay and get your shoe box key. Get your shoes and you can leave newly relaxed and warm.
So what do you guys think? Did that help anyone at all? I was thinking of doing more of these guides to Japan (and rants about Japan). Is it something that people would read and appreciated? Let me know. And, of course, if anyone has anything to add it would be great to see what I missed.
1) Entering the building
Well, this may seem to be the easiest thing to do, but there is a lot to do before you get into the hot water. First you have take off your shoes at the door. This is not always the case, but in most cases you take off your shoes and lock them up in a box. Take the key from that box to the main counter and give it to the person there. You will also pay this person (the place I go to costs around 1000 yen). They then hand you another key that is sort of hidden on a bracelet. That is the key to your clothes locker. Some onsen give you towels at this point. If you don't have one and they don't give you one, you can rent one most times. Of course you can't keep the towels, though I "accidentally" took my first towel home (oopppsss).
2) Getting naked and wet (my favorite part)
So now you got to find the changing room. This part is important! Men are behind the blue curtain and woman are behind the red one! (men also have this kanji 男 and woman have the one 女). So get undressed and go find the actual onsen room. Don't forget to bring your small long wash cloth with you. It is the only thing that protects you from the "I wonder how big the gaijin" looks. (The better way to say that is "It is the only thing that may keep your dignity" but I like the first way of saying it better.) Before you do dive into the big tubs remember to take a shower first. Clean your hair and skin thoroughly.
3) Soaking time.
This is the best part. Well, it's what everyone comes for any way. Not a lot to say here besides never take your wash cloth into the tub and if it is wet don't ring it out into the tub. I suggest trying the outside tubs if the place you go to has them. Nothing better than sitting outside in a hot pool of water in the freezing cold. If there are a lot of different types of tubs, try them all. They all feel good in different ways.
4) Time to leave.
After you are done soaking to your heart's content before to take one more shower before you leave the onsen. A lot of the natural onsen (as compared to the sentou or public baths) smell of rotten eggs. Let me tell you that you don't want to be trapped in a car with someone that got out of an onsen without showering. If you bought anything while you were in the onsen you might have to pay at the front desk again. This is different for different onsen. So go and give back your towel and wash cloth, pay and get your shoe box key. Get your shoes and you can leave newly relaxed and warm.
So what do you guys think? Did that help anyone at all? I was thinking of doing more of these guides to Japan (and rants about Japan). Is it something that people would read and appreciated? Let me know. And, of course, if anyone has anything to add it would be great to see what I missed.
Comments
I was initiated into the custom of public bathing soon after I first arrived in Japan 6 years ago. I got to the Tokyo Olympic Center (which serves as a youth hostel) and realized that if I wanted a shower I was going to have to go down to get nekkid in front of everybody. I was gung ho about it and so from my first night on I immediately got used to sentou. It is so nice! My friend from college in Nagoya came to visit last weekend and while we were sitting at the local thai restaurant we got talking about onsen, and it made me really wanna go! Japanese baths are the best!
I don't know if this is to do with my heat tolerance but onsen are damn hot. Clarification: I find them uncomfortably hot.
Also, welcome Jei-Sensei
I was always curious how to do things like that - I knew you had to wash before but that's it. =3
At the schoolgirls and the nudity: I'm good with both. >=3
You learn shit in -40 C weather.