Onsen: A Peek into Japan’s Hot Springs
one-from-nippon.ghost.io
one-from-nippon.ghost.io
The loud white noise of the river, the terrible insulation and sleeping on the floor made the night not the most comfortable. But when I woke up early and went to the balcony I tested the water with my feet. It was still 40 degrees and it felt amazing in contrast to the chilly mountain air. I couldn't help but to throw my robe off and enjoy the bath fully submerged.
I only had an hour until checkout, but that sense of the moment slipping out of your hands made it all the more precious.
There was a continuous flow of hot spring water into the large square bath, big enough for two or three people.
As you say, the contrast of the cold mountain air and the hot bath with amazing views is just fantastic.
I am not sure I got all the parts about the geology right and would love any chance to learn from those who know better!
@strobe999 linked to the Wiki article for the manga. The story follows Lucius, an architect in ancient Rome, who timeslips into modern day Japan. He carries ideas from modern Japan's bathing culture back and builds the public baths of Rome. It's a comedy, but a very informative one at that.
In short: It was amazing. It smelled a little funny at first but it felt incredibly relaxing, my skin felt really good afterwards and it was perfect to recover from the 16 hours of flight earlier. At home I also regularly take hot baths in the bathtub but it can't compare at all with the night sky view and the whole ritual around it. I'll be back in japan this october for an extended amount of time and I will absolutely go to onsen every chance I get.
Either make your article open, or make it closed. Don’t limit arbitrary parts when you split it up due to size (which you’re already doing not due to size but due to advertisements).
Sitting in a hot onsen while it's snowing, peacefully in the middle of nature.. it was an incredible experience.
It’s daunting only in that you are worried about them. As long as you wash yourself before you step in you’re not committing any crimes more atrocious than the Japanese visitors :) (and some of those barbarians don’t wash themselves either)
My guess would be the city does not wish to run the reheaters during low use periods.
Onsen piping requires maintenance, more than regular water systems, but not daily.
The best I've been to have outdoor areas with snow falling, it can be so peaceful and relaxing.
Whether it aligns with the marketing or is part of the "Japan fascination", I think, is really hard to say especially as an outsider myself
There's a tranquility to the surroundings, but it's often disrupted by throngs of tourists.
we weren't prepared for the intensity of the sun, even on an overcast day. got chafed and sunburned after a day out, a reminder that nature has its way. that being said, immersing in the onsen was surreal in its relaxation, a balm for the burns.
In any case it was an experience, certainly not a cheap one, and it was punctuated with moments of discomfort but also deep relaxation.
Do you mean the onsen, or travel to Japan in general? Onsen are typically less than 1000 yen to enter - quite cheap for the relaxation they give you.
Fancy onsen ryokan can be quite pricy, but I wouldn't say it's expensive in general. I'm currently in Matsuyama and entry to the Dogo onsen bathouse (one of the oldest hot springs in Japan) is like 460 yen per person.
Many hotels also have hot spring baths in onsen towns without it being too expensive. Dormy Inn is a good example. That's a chain of business hotels which always comes with a bath in the top floor. Price is a bit more expensive than regular business hotels, but nothing over the top.
1 was in a city and big and quiet plastic. 1 small suburban on that was very traditional and one near Fuji was about 50% outdoors. All were really nice.
I really wish we had something like this here in London.
What blows my mind is that some are crazy hot. I recall one where I could barley keep my feet in only to have some local Japanese kids jump in as if it was a play bath.
I found the ritualistic traditions around it to be calming. I spent a few hours at the one I was in and it was silent and almost meditative. I remember leaving afterwards thinking that I had a pretty much blank mind while there and was entirely present in the moment.
Personally, I'm a big fan, and I'd recommend everyone to give it a try if they can (but to also research the manners, rules, and exceptions - tattoos are a big no no in most public onsen). For those visiting an onsen for the first time, you can use a site like https://selected-ryokan.com/ (which includes private onsen) or (my recommendation) Booking.com to find something tourist friendly and read the reviews.
It is however, significantly cheaper. I think we can enter for like 500 or 700 yen.
Best experience was going to one in the mountains, in the middle of winter, only person there, and sitting in the 40C water in a snowstorm.
Onsen are available at all price levels, and popular with blue-collar workers; they are not a high-class exclusive activity. It's not like having dinner with a geisha or something.
Some onsen will find a polite-sounding excuse to deny foreigners, and most onsen will not let anyone in with visible tattoos.
The tattoo bias was originally intended to discriminate against criminals/yakuza and is now used to discriminate against foreigners.
Source: My wife was kicked out of one onsen after undressing, and I saw several signs against tattoos.
1. They are gender separated. So when travelling as a straight couple or in groups you likely can’t share the experience together. Some see this as a plus. I see it as a minus. Put it down to personal preference.
2. Must be nude. Ok well I guess I’m just a prude, but I don’t enjoy the concept of being nude in front of others. Rules out German style spas too.
3. Bonus issue. Tattoos. Because of the criminal association with Tats in Japan you can possibly find it hard to use an Onsen (Ie banned).
These are smaller, private onsen designed for families or couples (or, I suppose, the shy foreigner). They're fairly common.
I visited an Onsen recently in Bangkok (artificial of course) and the locals were very vocal about any perceived lack of decorum.
But even as a westerner, I figure the whole "must be nude" was a given, public or not. It is still technically a bath after all, despite technically showering before submerging yourself. But that may just be the decades of Japanese media exposure making something seemingly obvious to me.