Japanese Onsen Etiquette 101
Japan is known for a lot of unique things – delicious cuisine, capsule hotels, historic temples and shrines, tea ceremonies, and breathtaking scenery, just to name a few. But another thing that Japan is incredibly well-known for is its relaxing hot springs, also known as onsen.
In this guide, we will cover Japanese onsen etiquette to avoid any faux pas when using a traditional Japanese hot spring and also provide a list of our favorite onsen ryokans (traditional Japanese inns/hotels with onsen). You just have to promise to relax a little extra for me, ok?
What is an Onsen?
If you haven’t figured it out yet, let me tell you all about onsen! An onsen is a Japanese natural hot spring that is popular for relaxing and several health benefits. There are over 3,000 geothermal hot springs that can be found indoors and outdoors all over Japan! They are often in luxury Japanese ryokan or minshuku (bed and breakfasts) with both public and private options.
To be a legitimate onsen, the water must come from a geothermal hot spring. But there are manmade hot springs that are called sento in many hotels and ryokan too. The temperature of an onsen has to be around 77°F (25°C) to qualify, while most are between 104°-108°F (40-42°C). There are some onsen, known as kionsen, that are temperatures of over 108°F (42°C), but these are usually used for a short period of time (5-10 minutes).
Health Benefits of Onsen
Many studies have shown that Japanese onsen have a variety of health benefits.
A few of these include:
- Relaxing tense or sore muscles
- Reducing stress
- Aiding in restful sleep
- Soothing joint pain and arthritis
- Assisting with dry skin and other skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis
Although onsen can be helpful in many different ways, make sure you consult with your doctor before using a Japanese onsen if you have any health conditions, such as high blood pressure or heart disease.
What Japanese Onsen Etiquette Do I Need to Know?
These nine Japanese onsen etiquette tips will help you when visiting an onsen in Japan. All of them are equally important to make sure to read thoroughly so that you’ll be able to enjoy yourself with ease!
1. Yes, you need to get NAKED!
Yes, you’re going to be naked when you use an onsen. Swimsuits aren’t allowed, nor would you see them anywhere at a traditional onsen. While you might be put off by this or feel as if it’s unsanitary, keep reading. You’ll see why nude is the way to go!
Also, if you’re feeling a little shy or skeptical, that’s okay. I felt a little weird the first time I ever went to a public Japanese onsen, but now, after visiting countless times, I’ve become much more comfortable. After all, you’re ALL naked.
If you don’t think you can get past that, that’s alright too. There are many private onsen options in Japan that you can enjoy alone, with your partner, or family – I’ll cover some in this post.
2. Japanese onsen are sex-specific, most of the time
Since you’re stripping down, you’re probably wondering about co-ed onsen. Most public onsen are sex-specific, meaning that men and women have separate onsen to enjoy.
However, as I said earlier, if you are looking for a more romantic setting or would prefer to have more privacy, there are private onsen available in some traditional ryokan. Private onsen usually comes at an additional cost and a time limit of roughly 1 hour-1.5 hours. Another option is to book a hotel that has a private onsen inside your room.
Now I did say that onsen is typically sex-specific most of the time, so that does mean some Japanese onsen are co-ed, but it’s not very common anymore, so you probably won’t run into that.
3. Shower before you enter the onsen
To keep the onsen water as clean as possible, you must shower before entering the onsen or bath. Traditional onsens have a shower area in the facilities, and most provide shampoo, conditioner, and soap that you can use.
At public onsen locations, you will be provided with a large and small towel for no charge or a small fee. The large towel is for drying your body and is typically left in the changing area or your locker/cubby to use after the onsen.
The smaller towel can be taken to the bath with you to cover yourself slightly when going to and from the onsen. However, it is important that you don’t let the towel touch the water. A lot of people fold them and place them on top of their head or set them to the side after bathing.
4. Tattoos are strictly forbidden in most locations
Japanese people typically refrain from having tattoos as they were originally associated with the Yakuza gang. Because of this, nearly all onsen have banned tattoos.
If you have any tattoos, you will most likely need to book a private onsen session or a room with a private onsen. There are some Japanese onsen that are beginning to allow tattoos if they are covered up with a patch or bandage.
If you have tattoos, this website is useful for finding tattoo-friendly onsen, beaches, pools, and other locations. I also recommend Kinosaki Onsen, which is an onsen town that is completely tattoo-friendly.
5. Never enter the onsen with a cut or sore
This might also seem like a given, but in order to prevent infections or diseases (for yourself and others), make sure you never enter an onsen with an open sore, cut, or lesion, no matter how small. The same rule applies to those who are currently menstruating.
6. Tie long hair up and keep it out of the onsen water
If you have longer hair, remember to put it up towards the top of your head so that it does not go in the water. Why? Well, I was told it is for sanitary reasons and for shedding purposes. Since this is a natural onsen, removing the hair can be difficult. It is also important not to dunk your head into the water for cleanliness reasons.
7. Keep noise to a minimum
Public onsen are typically a place to relax or if with a group to socialize with others. If you are carrying on a quiet conversation, you shouldn’t disturb anyone, but be sure to keep noise to a minimum. You should also refrain from splashing, which I know seems like a given, but I have seen it happen.
8. Don’t drink alcohol before using the onsen
Alcohol is not recommended while soaking in the onsen, as the exposure to heat and consumption of alcohol can make you tired and could lead to drowning. If you do decide to drink some sake or sparkling wine before soaking, do so carefully and make sure others are present. After enjoying the onsen, make sure you drink a lot of water or enjoy some tea, milk, or an ice cream.
9. No photography allowed in the onsen – period
Considering everyone is naked, you wouldn’t think this would even be a topic of discussion, just to make sure it’s clear – you CANNOT take pictures at or of a public onsen. The photos you see in this post were arranged before opening when I’ve worked with a few Japanese onsen in Japan. However, if you rent a private onsen or have one in your hotel room, you can take photos there!
Our Favorite Onsen in Japan & Ryokan
Of course, this Japanese onsen etiquette guide wouldn’t be complete without listing some of our favorites for you. Here are just a few hot spring towns, onsen, or ryokan we love!
Nishimuraya Properties – Kinosaki Onsen
This quaint town in Japan has some of the best public and private onsen options in the country. Our favorite ryokan hotels there are Nishimuraya Hotel Shogetsutei and Nishimuraya Honkan, they are sister properties that offer luxury amenities with public and private onsen options.
READ MORE: A Luxurious Guide To Kinosaki Onsen
Konansou – Kawaguchiko
While staying in the Fuji Five Lakes area, we booked a room at Konansou that had a gorgeous view of Lake Kawaguchiko. Konansou does have rooms with private onsen, but we opted to stay in a regular room and book a session at one of their private onsen.
Hotel Kaneyamaen
Kaneyamaen is one of my favorite ryokans of all time! It has a large variety of rooms, is in a beautiful location, and has countless amenities to enjoy on the hotel grounds, making it feel like an onsen resort. Some of my favorite amenities and activities that Kaneyamaen has to offer include nightly taiko drumming performances, nightly bingo, daily tea and wagashi (traditional sweets), a lovely garden, and delicious local kaiseki cuisine.
READ MORE: The Perfect Fuji Five Likes Itinerary
Hells of Beppu – Beppu
Beppu is a city in southern Japan with very unique onsen, including the “8 Hells of Beppu” onsen that are purely for viewing, spas to be buried in black sand, and other onsen for relaxing. One of my favorite hotels in Beppu is ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa. It is a luxury property just on the outskirts of Beppu City with stunning hotel rooms with equally beautiful views. It also has one of the best outdoor hotel onsen I’ve been to.
Dogo Onsen – Matsuyama
Dogo Onsen is located in the Shikoku region, a lesser-traveled spot in Japan. Dogo Onsen Honkan is one of Japan’s oldest and most famous hot springs, dating back to 1894. If you’re a Studio Ghibli fan, you might recognize it as Yubaba’s bathhouse in Spirited Away. The last time we visited Dogo Onsen, Logan and I stayed at Dogo-kan which is a historic ryokan hotel that has fantastic private onsen rooms.
Noboribetsu – Hokkaido
Noboribetsu is Hokkaido’s best-known onsen area, with Jigokudani (Hell Valley) another natural hot spring that is for viewing only; however, there is also a foot bath down a path in Jigokudani where the water has cooled enough to soak your feet. I recommend staying at Hoshino Resorts KAI Poroto, which is just a short distance from Noboribetsu. I love Hoshino Resort properties because they focus on everything local, including the cuisine, architecture, and even a daily craft or experience.
Ginzan Onsen – Tohoku Region
Ginzan Onsen is an onsen town that makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. The town itself is only on one small street split by a river. On each side, you’ll find a few cafes, restaurants, and souvenir shops. But the main draw is the ryokan. We stayed at Ginzanso, which is one of the historic ryokan in Ginzan Onsen. The rooms had lovely views of the towns, were quite spacious, and of course, local kaiseki cuisine.
READ MORE: A Complete Guide to Ginzan Onsen
Yunessun – Hakone
One of the most unique spas we’ve visited in Japan is Yunessun Spa in Hakone. Although it does have traditional-style hot spring baths, there is also a waterpark area that has unique onsen filled with different beverages like coffee, green tea, sake, and wine! This spa is one where you can wear bathing suits.
Now relax and enjoy the warm, steamy waters of the Japanese onsen for yourself!
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