“Do you like Onsen?”

You won’t get far into a conversation in Japan, before someone asks – “do you like Onsen ?” So after a few of these conversations many years ago I decided to take the plunge.

A national obsession, Japanese Onsen are what we might know as a hot spring bath. The city variation of this is sometimes known as a Sentou. Whichever the type, they are public baths – dating from when people did not have bathrooms in their homes – and the purpose is first to clean and then to relax in the hot natural water which it is said has healing properties.

After a few of these conversations I decided to take the plunge. Although, plunging is certainly not allowed and as I was about to find out, the public bath experience like many aspects of Japanese life is heavy with rules and ritual.

These include; no tattoos, no entry after drinking or immediately after eating, no splashing, no diving, no soaping in the bath, no diving or running and on it goes …

Once you get past these – the first thing to note is bathing suits are not worn and hence they are not mixed sex baths. Its rumoured there are mixed baths but try as I might, I have not been invited !  

After entering and putting your clothes into the locker you are confronted with an incredibly small towel (like a big handkerchief) to cover your modesty – well, just. And at the same time as undressing – as a foreigner – you will be receiving intrigued glances from the locals.   

Inside the bathroom, the large communal bath is often to one wall and around the  perimeter are rows of sit down showers. The process, handed down through generations, is first clean thoroughly with soap aided by the tiny towel before showering and then cleaning up your area for the next person. After this you can slowly enter the bath (usually around 42 degrees C) and soak for 5-10 mins while studiously avoiding everyone’s gaze. Then out you get.

It’s over in a jiffy but the feeling of relaxation is wonderful and worth every second of the stress required the first time. As for the health benefits, as an arthritis sufferer I can certainly say they do help. And these days I never make a trip to Japan without making sure the hotel or guest house has its own public bath or one close by. I look forward to and relish these moments of self preservation.

So when people ask me “Do you like Onsen” I smile and say “I love it” to which they often reply “ah, you have become a true Japanese.”

What are you experiences of Onsen ? are you brave enough to get past the list of rules ?