The Art of Bathing: A Guide to Japanese Onsen (by Bannister Bergen)

Travel Reports by banmanb2

Note: The opinions and views expressed in this user report are those of the individual author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of japan-guide.com.

April 1, 2010 - The Art of Bathing: A Guide to Japanese Onsen (by Bannister Bergen)

Bathing is a simple joy many of us take for granted. Like most men, I too enjoy the pleasures of soaking in a hot bath. The smell of rose scented bubbles, the soft touch of a soapy luffa, all to the soothing sounds of Gaga�fs latest masterpiece. In my arrogance, I felt that a lifetime of practice had made something of a bathing connoisseur. Imagine my surprise when after a trip to Japan, I discovered that all this time I had been doing it wrong.

Japan sits atop the ominously named Ring of Fire, which comes with some pros and cons. Cons: volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis. Pros: thousands of natural hot springs called onsen, which the Japanese have used for centuries to perfect the art of bathing long before the rest of the world knew what a bath was. So it stands to reason that one of the best places to experience true Japanese culture is by sitting in a tub full of naked Japanese.

Before wading in, however there are a few things you should know.

STEP 1: Check your modesty at the door

Your first steps into an onsen will be accompanied by a certain degree of trepidation, as the anticipation of being confronted by unabashed same sex nudity consumes you. Your instinct will be to turn and run, but that�fs just fear talking. Fear is the enemy and in Japan fear is punishable by death. Take a deep breath, exhale that growing terror, then smile and bow as the staff greets you with a friendly irashaimase!

In most onsen you will find baskets or lockers. These are to store your personal effects, self-consciousness, and modesty. Modesty begets stress and stress is also forbidden in all onsen. So leave it in the changing room with the rest of your baggage.

STEP 2: What�fs with the facecloth?

If your modesty was too big to fit in the basket, most onsen will provide you with a small hand towel to hide behind. Slightly larger than a facecloth, it�fs actually intended for washing, but most Westerners will find it perfectly sized to hide their insecurities.

As you step forth into the bathing area, ignore the dozens of judging eyes, and don�ft stare at that elderly gentleman scrubbing himself furiously in the corner. You may question his intensity, but the fact is he is only washing, nothing more. After all this is a bath house and in Japan bath houses are actually for bathing.

STEP 3: Rinse

Once you�fve gathered your courage, you will notice a wall of faucets marked by odd little stools and tiny buckets. This is the heart of the Japanese bath and something that has escaped western thinking. Imagine if you will, rather than soaking in a pool of soapy filth, washing before you bathe.
Seat yourself at one of the stools, fill the bucket before you with water and douse yourself thoroughly.

STEP 4: Soak

Now that you�fre good and wet, you�fre going to want to join the other nude men. Be cautious as you lower yourself in to the bath. Volcanically heated water can be uncomfortably hot for westerners and the truth is the only chuckle locals will ever share is when foreigners wince in pain as their skin touches the scalding water. Wincing is a sign of weakness and in Japan weakness is punishable by death.

Soak only long enough to prove your manliness, don�ft forget you still haven�ft washed.

STEP 5: Wash away your slovenly ways

After a good soak it�fs time for a good wash. Remember that old man in the corner? Well now it�fs your turn. Return to your washing station (the same one you rinsed at - it�fs considered bad form to use someone else�fs). Rub some soap on your small towel and wash yourself like you�fve never washed before. If you�fre unsure of exactly how to wash yourself properly, study the other men around you using only your peripherals (I found that direct staring was often misunderstood). A good five to ten minutes of thorough scrubbing should be satisfactory before rinsing yourself off once more.

STEP 6: Relax

Now get in the tub. Only clean people are allowed to relax in Japan and relaxing while dirty is punishable by death.

It�fs recommended not to exceed thirty minutes in an onsen due to health concerns, but it�fs more than acceptable to exceed such warnings when your pride is in question. By no means should you allow locals to remain in the water longer than you. Chances are they are just waiting for you to break so that they can laugh as you exit in sweaty shame. Remember, you�fre representing America and in America we are all about doing manly things and looking tough, so a little hot water should be a walk in the park.

STEP 7: Exit with pride

Once you�fve proven who the real man is, you�fll want to get your lobster pink ass out of the water before you pass out. Don�ft worry; hot water makes most things swell and droop, so between that and the light headedness your modesty should no longer be an issue. Wipe yourself off with your soaking wet hand towel before heading back to change. Dripping water in the locker room is a no-no (and possibly punishable by death).

Now bow to every single person around you and exit knowing you have represented your country with pride. Japan will think twice the next time she tries to intimidate you with an invitation to lose yourself in the beauty of her amazing culture.

From the casual traveler to the experienced explorer, Japan can be enjoyed any number of ways. Ensuring that guests feel welcome is a core value of the Japanese people and they will often leap at the opportunity to share their culture with visitors. This is even more prevalent in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake. So amidst the temples, shrines, and castles ? don�ft overlook a good bath.

Furusato Kanko Hotel, located on the shore of Sakurajima near Kagoshima.

Furusato Kanko Hotel, located on the shore of Sakurajima near Kagoshima. The only co-ed onsen I know of that has a shrine built into the rotemburo itself.

Furusato Kanko Hotel, located on the shore of Sakurajima near Kagoshima.

A private suite at Nishimuraya Honkan in Kinosake, with a private bath in an open room overlooking a private garden. A more immaculate ryokan in Japan there are few.

A private suite at Nishimuraya Honkan in Kinosake, with a private bath in an open room overlooking a private garden. A more immaculate ryokan in Japan there are few.