Onsen Etiquette in Japan: How to Bathe Like a Local

The first time I walked into a Japanese bath, an old man on the next stool scrubbed himself for a full ten minutes before going anywhere near the water. I had planned to rinse my arms and get in. That was the whole lesson, really. Onsen etiquette is less about rules than about one idea: the water is shared, so you arrive in it clean, quiet and unhurried. Get that right and everything else follows.

It looks intimidating from the outside. It is not. Within two visits most people find the onsen is the most relaxing hour of their trip to Japan.

Before you go in

Baths are almost always separated by sex. Look for the curtain, the noren, hanging over each entrance. The kanji 男 means men and 女 means women. The curtains are often blue for men and red for women, but do not rely on colour alone, and be aware that many ryokan swap the two baths overnight so guests can try both. Check the curtain every single time.

Inside is a changing room with baskets or lockers. Everything comes off. There is no swimwear in a traditional onsen, and wearing it is considered unhygienic rather than modest. Leave your clothes and the large towel in the basket. Take only the small towel in with you.

Wash first, properly

Along one wall you will find a row of low stools, each with a mirror, a hand shower and usually soap and shampoo. Sit down. Standing to shower splashes the person next to you, and that is the most common mistake visitors make. Wash your whole body and hair, rinse off every trace of soap, then rinse the stool and the bucket for the next person.

Before stepping into the bath itself, many people scoop a little bath water over their shoulders and feet. It is called kakeyu, and it helps your body get used to the heat, which can be well above what you would run at home.

In the water

Lower yourself in slowly. Then do almost nothing. That is the point.

• Keep the small towel out of the water. Fold it on your head, as the locals do, or leave it on the rocks at the edge.
• Tie up long hair so it does not touch the water.
• No swimming, splashing or diving. Even in a big outdoor pool.
• Keep your voice low. Conversation is fine. A loud group is not.
• No phones or cameras. People are naked. This one is absolute.
• Do not wring your towel into the bath. Squeeze it out over the drain.

Stay in for a few minutes, sit on the edge to cool down, then go back in. Short soaks are better than one long one, especially in very hot water. If you feel dizzy, get out, sit down and drink some water.

The water does the work. Your only job is to stay still long enough to let it.

Tattoos, still the awkward question

Many onsen and public baths have long refused entry to people with tattoos, because of the old association with organised crime. Attitudes are softening, and more places now welcome visitors, but policies vary from bath to bath. Some will let you in if you cover a small tattoo with a skin-coloured patch. Others will not.

The easy answer is a private bath. Many ryokan offer kashikiri baths that you reserve for a set time, alone or with your partner, and nobody minds what is on your skin. A room with its own open-air tub, a rotenburo, solves the question entirely and is worth the splurge for a night.

Getting out, and the yukata

When you are done, dry yourself off with the small towel before walking back into the changing room, so you do not leave a trail of water across the floor. Many bathers skip a final rinse to keep the minerals on their skin. With very strong or acidic water, a quick rinse is sensible, and some baths post advice by the door.

At a ryokan you will be given a yukata, a light cotton robe, to wear around the inn, to dinner and in some towns out on the street. Wrap the left side over the right. Right over left is how the dead are dressed for funerals, and people will notice.

Where to try it

Almost every region has hot springs, and a good one can be a simple neighbourhood sento or a mountain inn. A few onsen towns are worth planning a trip around:

• Kinosaki Onsen, near the Sea of Japan, where guests walk between seven public baths along a willow-lined canal in yukata and wooden sandals.
• Kurokawa Onsen in Kumamoto, a small valley of wooden inns where a bath pass lets you try several outdoor baths.
• Hakone, an easy trip from Tokyo, with views of Mount Fuji on a clear day.
• Beppu in Oita, which has an astonishing number of springs, from sand baths to mud baths.
• Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama, whose old main bathhouse is one of the most famous in the country.

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Good to know

• Avoid bathing after drinking or straight after a heavy meal.
• If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure or are pregnant, check with your doctor before using very hot baths.
• **Mixed baths, konyoku, still exist** but are rare. Some allow a bathing wrap. Read the signs.
• Bring a little cash for small public baths and towel rental, and check opening times before you go.
• Drink water before and after. Hot springs dehydrate you more than you think.

Do it once and you will understand why people in Japan make trips just to sit in hot water. The washing becomes a ritual, the silence becomes a pleasure, and you walk out into the cold evening feeling slightly rebuilt.