Oedo Onsen: Is swim suit allowed?

Can I wear swim suit when visiting the Oedo Onsen at Odaiba? Does anyone know if it is crowded during weekday?

You need no swim suit and in an onsen a swim suit makes no sense. You will get a yukata robe for outside the bath.

Actually, not that you don't need swimsuit, you are not allowed to wear swinsuit in the bath. Strictly speaking, you are not even allowed to cover yourself with a towel in the bath.

The reason is that they want to keep the bath and its water clean. So, you first have to wash yourself clean before getting into the water(bath). And stricktly speaking, towel in not allowed to be in the water because they may leave residue or lints in the water.

But most places would allow you to cover yourself with a small towel in the water.

All the above applies if you are in a female only bath.

If you are in a male and female mix bath, you then have to wear swimsuit of course.

Understand from earlier posting that swim suit is not allowed and then again, it was mentioned that it was allowed in an unisex pool. Which info is correct?

Appreciate someone who knows the answer, please let me know because I have planned to go there in my Oct visit.
tks

When you go to an ofuro or sento ( Japanese bath ) for cleaning before and in the bath itself you do not wear swimsuit, outside you wear a yukata , but these bathes are male OR female only since western influence after WWII. Only some rare exeptions. When you go to a western style swimming pool in Japan you wear swimsuit.

I took a look at the oedo onsen website:
http://www.ooedoonsen.jp/index.html
it looks like there are lots of things to do there while you still have your clothes on. I didn't see any indication of unisex baths, so the only baths are probably divided between men and women. So, you wouldn't wear a swimsuit. I didn't see a swimming pool or anything like that.

Oedo does not have any unisex baths but some other places do.

These less traditional onsen outside of Tokyo have unisex baths which require bathing suits:
http://www.setaonsen.co.jp/english/index.html

http://www.yunessun.com

And checkout www.onsenexpress.com for a larger list of mixed bathing options throughout Japan.

I don't understand Japanese. Can someone tell me, from this website, http://www.ooedoonsen.jp, how many hot springs are there? And besides restuarants, what else can we do there?

I plan to go in after 6am because it is cheaper if I go in before 6am. In average, how much time is needed to spend there as a tourist?
tks

Actually there is a English/Chinese pamphlet available on their website.

http://www.ooedoonsen.jp/img/pamph/english1.jpg
http://www.ooedoonsen.jp/img/pamph/english2.jpg

Everything is explained there, including fee and access and facilities.

What it looks like it's that there are separate onsen for male and female. Also from the female side, there are several wood tubes for personal use.

For the Yukata, not sure if you need to buy or if it's included in the admission. But sure they are very nice.

There's also souvenir shops and restaurants inside the compound, and you can stay overnight until 9am next day for an additional fee.

Indeed a very convenient and cool onsen place!

Like to hear from those who have been there before, is it worth going there? Please give me some feedback.

Thank you.

I'd also like to ask the same question as Cindy above...
I'm thinking of taking my parents there later this month, and I wondered if it is worth the admission fee just for the footbath area and eating facilities.

For those who cant read Japanese and are not familiar with how to wear a yukata Oedo Onsen might not be a good idea. Also if you are not familiar with Japanese food then you might not find much you want to eat, that is if you can read the menu. Basically if you are a Japan newbie and an onsen newbie learn a few things before you go then it is a fun place to go. The outdoor footbath is nice although the Edo era mood is kind of ruined with planes flying over to Haneda. Everyone male and female can go out to the foot bath you just wear your yukata.

The only plae I know of that you can wear a bathing suit is at a place called Yunessun in Hakone
http://www.yunessun.com/

The baths at Oedo Onsen are seperated between men and women. You must be naked! If you feel modest being nude in front of your same sex- well, try not to be so. No one else is! It is a really nice onsen- beautiful pools, with lots of space and many restaurants and a nice footbath. I guess it may be crowded on weekends- so a weekday is best. I think it is a great place for tourists too- lots of touristy stuff. It is a bit expensive, however. In Hachioji (about 45 mins west of Shinjuku) this a place nearly as nice- the pools are just as nice, but without the interesting Oedo style restaurants and attractions, that is like half the price. And, a regular onsen is even cheeper. However, if you are a tourist looking for a fun way to experience and onsen- I recommend. A word to men who may be modest- there are sometimes women walking around in the mens baths- women cleaning or giving massage!

hihi i got a few questions hope you guys can help.

1) i read from the website, saying that the price of admission is inclusive of the yukata? meaning i get to bring the yukata home?

2) do we wear the yukata when we go to the restarants and other game areas? if yes, do we wear anything inside the yukata when wearing yukata to walk around the restaurants and when taking foot baths?

3) are the Massages free?

thanks thanks
http://www.ooedo-global.jp/english/index.html

http://www.yunessun.com/

As someone else suggested, I highly suggest the above place.

My sister and I are going to Japan andwhile bathing naked doesn't bother me, she was very uncomfortable with the idea. When Yunessun was suggested to me and I showed the website (which is a perfect English) to her, she was very happy and is now quite excited by the idea. Bathing suits are allowed (I think, in fact, in Yunessun they are required) so shyer people like my sister can feel a lot more comfortable.

1) i read from the website, saying that the price of admission is inclusive of the yukata? meaning i get to bring the yukata home?

The yukata is a rental. You cannot bring it home.

2) do we wear the yukata when we go to the restarants and other game areas? if yes, do we wear anything inside the yukata when wearing yukata to walk around the restaurants and when taking foot baths?

yes, and you should wear at least your underwear. you can wear more clothes underneath if it suits you.

3) are the Massages free?

No, you have to pay for them.

you can try Toshimaen niwa no yu

they have a swimsuit section and an onsen section.

it's located at Nerima station on the seibu ikebukuro line.

Oedo is very nice, typical style onsen, but note that it is very expensive because it is in Odaiba. Regular onsen are typically 300-1000 yen.

Also, note that they may be relatively strict on tatoos. If you have clearly visible tatoos you may be denied entry. This is not considered irregular for Japan.

As for Yunessun, it is an interesting place, but it is not an onsen, rather a themed water park. The building also has a section called Mori no Yu that is styled to be like traditional onsen, however you would have to be naked there.

Suprisingly, your sister may also have been comfortable at a coed onsen because the women enter the bath wrapped in towels. The men are typically naked but should be covered by their privacy towels when out of the water and you can't really see anything when in they're in the water.

Here's the URL
www.toshimaen.co.jp/niwa-yu/niwanoyu.html

but anyway.. about the nakedness thing.
The awkwardness goes away once you enter the hot spring :)
just sit and relax.

Don't even think about wrapping yourself with a towel and walking around. You'll end up the center of attraction. And it's inconsiderate to enter the water with the towel

"The yukata is a rental. You cannot bring it home."

icic, thanks , but are there any arrangements if i want to keep them as souvenier?