weird onsen questions

If admission to an onsen is 800 yen, is it 800 per bath or 800 to use as many baths as you wish? Is it odd to use more than one bath?

I want to try like 5 baths at this one onsen, but I'm not sure if I should return to use the baths separately, or if it's acceptable to sample them all. And do I have to pay separately for each one? Can I go from indoor to outdoor ones as long as I redo a pre-rinse before entering ?

One more kind of embarrassing question.. I know that I will be stared at a lot at the onsen merely because I am a foreigner, but there's something I'm sort of stressing about. As I've written before about being a redhead, I'm wondering how strange my hair 'down there' will be. It's bright red.. I'm afraid they might think I'm disgusting/will contaminate their water/ etc. I was going to shave it all off, but that would be considered weird too.

I know I'll get stares no matter what, but will they think I dye it or something? Will I be sent out of the bath?

Sorry if this is a weird question, but I don't know of any natural redheads that have been to Japan to ask... =(

If admission to an onsen is 800 yen, is it 800 per bath or 800 to use as many baths as you wish?

Assuming that with "onsen" you refer to one bath house, you can usually use all the baths in the bath house for 800 yen. Depending on the specific establishment, there might be different rules, though.

Is it odd to use more than one bath?

No, to the opposite. People usually try out multiple baths.

I want to try like 5 baths at this one onsen, but I'm not sure if I should return to use the baths separately, or if it's acceptable to sample them all.

Usually you can use them all, but depending on the specific establishments, there might be special rules. What onsen are you referring to?

Can I go from indoor to outdoor ones as long as I redo a pre-rinse before entering ?

You only have to pre-rinse before entering the first bath. It is not required afterwards.

I know that I will be stared at a lot at the onsen merely because I am a foreigner

I am a foreigner, and I do not get stared at at the onsen. If people watch, they usually do it discreetly. Of course, there can be exceptions. I guess, it also depends on your body type.

Don't worry about your hair color! It is very unlikely that anybody will care about your hair color in a negative way.

If admission to an onsen is 800 yen, is it 800 per bath or 800 to use as many baths as you wish? Is it odd to use more than one bath?

The typical onsen facility with more than one bath has them in the same room or adjoining areas and it is usual to move from bath to bath, and you only pay once. What onsen are you planning on checking out?

I want to try like 5 baths at this one onsen, but I'm not sure if I should return to use the baths separately, or if it's acceptable to sample them all. And do I have to pay separately for each one?

5 baths at one facility, not 5 facilities in one onsen town, right? It is uncommon that baths have seperate entrance fees, so generally you only have to pay once.

Can I go from indoor to outdoor ones as long as I redo a pre-rinse before entering ?

Once you've done the initial soapy wash, you can enter all the baths without rinsing in between.

One more kind of embarrassing question.. I know that I will be stared at a lot at the onsen merely because I am a foreigner, but there's something I'm sort of stressing about. As I've written before about being a redhead, I'm wondering how strange my hair 'down there' will be. It's bright red.. I'm afraid they might think I'm disgusting/will contaminate their water/ etc. I was going to shave it all off, but that would be considered weird too.

I know I'll get stares no matter what, but will they think I dye it or something? Will I be sent out of the bath?

You stress too much.

Thanks for the clarification guys! I was thinking of checking out either of these places. And no, I didn't mean I'd be going from one location to the other. I was asking if I could use as many baths as I wanted within the SAME facility. Oh, and I'm skinny, and white, so I don't think my body type will be shunned or anything:

http://www.haragroup.co.jp/roten/
and
http://www.nafsport.com/utsukushi/onsen.html

GoLizzy, why would they think your hair colour would contaminate their water? This is not the 15th century. People may think "oh, interesting colour" (which I might also think!) for about 0.2 of a second, and then go back to whatever they were doing. The Japanese do not usually openly stare at people, especially if they are naked. They are pretty polite really, and actually quite sophisticated.

Thanks for the reassurance. I went to Japan on foreign exchange in high school and I definitely agree that they are incredibly polite people.

I was just a little worried because I had a bad experience in England due to my hair color, and they seemed pretty polite too. Of course, it's not the entire country's fault that a few people are rude.

Anyway, another one of my friends (from the UK in fact) told me that I "might not want to go in the onsen due to my ginger pubes". I think they were just teasing. And I guess some people in England are hard on redheads from what I've heard. I was just wondering if my 'nasty gingery hairs' would be taken the same way in Japan. Glad they'll be welcomed! lol

btw I'm from the USA where red hair is super duper, but I know some places it's like ewy.. Well, at least in most of England (from what I've been told/read/heard).

GoLizzy, the whole redhead thing in the UK is just a big joke- don't take it personally. I think one or two popular comedians might have started the "tease the redheads" thing a couple of years back. Your UK friend was definitely joking- think of all the red haired Scottish people! You don't really think there is serious discrimination against people based on their hair colour in the UK of all places, do you?

Enjoy your onsen experience- your hair colour will not be an issue.