The public bath house has been a part of Japanese life for centuries; a place for families, friends, and strangers to unite for a relaxing hot soak. Not so different from a jacuzzi night, but some visitors balk at experiencing a public bath because, in Japan, public bathing is done in the nude. Don’t let your cultural convictions – or cluelessness – rob you of this typical Japanese experience. Just let go and … jump in? Swim in? How does one use a Japanese bath house anyway?
Do:
Know that there are two types of bath houses – sentos and onsens. Sentos are indoor spas. Find them just about everywhere by scoping out the neighborhood for flags emblazoned with ゆ (hot water). Onsens, however, are a bit less handy because they’re outdoor, natural hot springs. A typical onsen scene: mountains, rock-lined pools, and flowering trees overhead. Bliss.
Leave your shoes at the entrance of the bath house. Same goes for homes and carpeted rooms. That’s Japanese Culture 101. Stash shoes in the lockers; clothes come off in the dressing rooms.
Take note of the Japanese symbols for “man” and “woman.” The baths are sectioned by gender so if your Japanese (or people following skills) aren’t up to snuff, you could be in for an unpleasant eyeful. 男= man and 女 = woman. 電気風呂= electric bath, presumably helpful for muscle relaxation. You’ve been warned.
Bring toiletries just in case. Some bath houses provide them, some don’t. Leave your bag in the lockers and bring your bottles into the bathing area in the plastic buckets provided.
Hose off before you soak. So you’ve made it past the public disrobing! Now the only thing separating you from those soothing hot pools is a room filled with sit-down shower stalls. Pick a stool and cleanse your body and hair before you enter the hot pools themselves.
Use the provided small towel. Mop up sweat, cover up, or soak it to drape over your eyes as you relax. Ahh.
Hot, then cold. Dip into a cold pool after you’ve had enough sweating. Double ahh.
Don’t:
Stare. That’s Human Culture 101.
Be Surprised if Your Tattoo Causes a Stir. Assuming you’re allowed in, that is; tattoos are traditionally associated with the Yakuza. Most publicly-owned baths should allow tattooed customers, if the tattoos aren’t too obvious.
Splash or Holler. It’s a bath, but you’re not a toddler.
Bring your camera. Even if it means missing the chance to capture images like cherry blossom petals falling into still water. What happens in the sento stays in the sento.
Linger too long in a hot pool. It’s a health risk.
Perhaps the biggest “Don’t” of all is to let your cultural inhibitions get in the way. Being too shy will only cheat you of that first glimpse of yourself fresh from the bath: pink-cheeked, radiant, and more alive than you’ve probably felt in days.
7 Comments
Nice! Now can someone explain to me why it would be relaxing to not just drape your little towel over your eyes but place it atop your head? This I saw on several occasions, on older men. Any thoughts?
Thank you for sharing this well written piece on onsen. I linked your post to my post here:
http://thesoulofjapan.blogspot.com/2006/11/bathing-and-smiling-dos-and-donts-in.html
Which adds a few other points. If it’s not too much to ask could you link me as well?
On the towel thing: I have heard it is bad form to allow the towel to sit in the water, hence needing a place to put it above the water line, the head being an ideal place to put it
Japanese bath is awesome, especially Onsen. have you tried it earlier??
Indeed! And as the foreigner in the small neighborhood sento you already draw a lot of attention to yourself. If you can show your fellow bathers that you know what you’re doing and that you respect sento etiquette, it’ll go a long way towards not being the center of attention.
Oops! I took my camera and snapped pix of myself and a Japanese friend at a fantastic seashore onsen south of Tokyo. Now you tell me this is a no-no. Those pictures and my little towel announcing the onsen is open have been placed over my bathroom door here in Fort Liquordale–or Fort Luuderdale for the younger folks on “luudes” instead of booze.
Konichiwa and arrigato,
Hon. Harold Flagg
I just saw someone mentioned that if tattoos are too obvious you can’t get in a public bath and Yes that is so true also surprisingly if public pool is owned by suburb or states then tattoos can’t be seen at all.
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