Mixed Onsen Locations

A female friend and I will be traveling to Japan during January/February and we would love to experience the onsen together and are not keen on the idea of having to pair off and spend our time there with a bunch of strangers, particularly as foreigners.

I've heard the number of good mixed onsen around Japan now is far fewer than it used to, and we were just wondering where we should go for a good onsen experience in the following locations - the locations capitalized being those that we are particularly interested in.

TOKYO, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, BEPPU, Sapporo.

I'm not sure if you know you will both be naked in the onsen together.. no swimsuits...

They are grown-up, aren't they? Funny - those prudish Americans/Brits.

We are aware of course that we will both be naked and not be permitted to use bathing suits. I'm not sure how that's an issue. Fraid I'm one of those 'prudish' American's also though.

Nobody know where we can find any of these ?

Some onsen ryokan(Hotel) have private onsen bathes with the rooms, Some of them are airtificially decorated with Japanese traditional garden view.

"Some onsen ryokan(Hotel) have private onsen bathes with the rooms, Some of them are airtificially decorated with Japanese traditional garden view."

Yes, but they are expensive.

We have the same problem as you, Simon. Unfortunately, my guidebook is not very clear about this. So when we go to Beppu we will ask the tourist information about mixed gender baths.

We might need bathing suits though as the Japanese people adapt to Anglo-American customs.

(Sorry, guys, but this prudery is typicall for certain countries. In Northern and Central Europe no one makes a fuss abount being naked, as no one would dream of using a sauna in bathing suits. In fact, bathing suits are forbidden there.)

Hello!
I have myself been in a mixed Onsen when I was exchange student in Beppu with my ex girlfriend. So for Beppu, no problem at all. It was an outside onsen with view next to the mountains. It was snowing so it was beautiful.
My girlfriend didn't want to show her body to other people and she used a swimsuit without telling anybody and it was fine. Well, there were not many people with a lot of space and since it was outside, the changing room was outside too.
And then to finish, you have to know that the Onsen in Beppu are the less expensive and the most beautiful ones. I think I paid 400 Yen, which is expensive for Beppu. Concerning Tokyo, I never heard of mixed ones...
Anyway enjoy your trip there :)

Ah, great to know Romain. Thank you. Out of curiosity, do you remember the name of the onsen you went to?

Try www.onsen.secret-japan.com for some onsen info...it might give help you out. It's not a whole encyclopedia of onsen but it does list baths that offer mixed bathing.

http://www.secret-japan.com/onsen/