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pregnant visitor to onsen 2011/1/12 10:02
Hello,

My wife and I will be visiting Japan in mid-to-late February. She will be 5 months pregnant at the time, so we had a question about onsens.

From a purely etiquette perspective, is it acceptable for pregnant women to bathe in public baths/onsens? I've read somewhere that certain baths will not accept pregnant women, whereas others will. We're not concerned about the health issues - just don't want to make a scene.

On the topic, are there any other areas in Japan that pregnant women are expected to avoid? Again, not concerned with health, more etiquette issues.

Thanks.
by orandall  

. 2011/1/12 11:21
There's no rules for pregnant women to visit onsen. If there're "no pregnant women" onsen, that is simply because they're afraid of pregnant women might fall down (like swimming pool sides, floors onsen can be slippery) or the temperature of their water is too high (over 42 centigrade - too hot bath can affect blood pressure) - any case it is not an "etiquette" issue.
by . (guest) rate this post as useful

. 2011/1/12 15:06
The OP wrote;
"I've read somewhere that certain baths will not accept pregnant women, "

Most onsen baths do have signs telling pregnant women, particularly those in the first and last stages of pregnancy, as well as people with heart diseases or skin problems etc. to not bath. This is not only because of the slippery floor and heat, but because the onsen water contains special minerals and therefore is stronger on the human body.

In other words, the owners and other bathers may be concerned of what may happen if they see a pregnant woman bathing inside an onsen tub. So in that means, you may want to say that this is some kind of an "ettiquette" issue.

But 5 month is in the mid period, and as long as she stays out of the tub and uses the ordinary hot water from the shower and watches her step, I would assume there would be no problem. And you are always free to consult to the manager in advance.

Here is some information in Japanese to back me up.
http://www.iwanaga-ladiesclinic.gr.jp/nintoon.html

As for other areas, I can't think of any place where pregnant women should avoid in terms of ettiquette. You can also ask train station staffs for "Maternity Mark" which is a badge she can put around her tummy or purse to show that she is pregnant and might appreciate a vacant seat. Note that in Japan, you are encouraged to surrender your seat to the pregnant, elderly, disabled and adults carrying infants, but not especially to non-pregnant women or toddlers.

http://www.maternitymark.com/
by Uco (guest) rate this post as useful

atsuiyo... 2011/1/12 15:28
Onsen water is hot. It's Japanese way. So you need to ask your wife's physician if that is safe or allowed at 5 month pregnant.
It's a liability isuue for both mother and a baby in a womb. Mother may get high blood pressure etc from soaking in hot water and may affect the baby so you need medical advice. If it's one of those public bath places , bathing outside the soaking tub and finish off with handshower should be OK and probably allowed in most places I think.
by cc (guest) rate this post as useful

Thanks. 2011/1/13 02:05
Thanks for the responses - this gives me a better idea. We've already checked with our doctor who didn't really have a problem with bathking at onsens at this stage, but we'll reconsider, and at the very least check with onsen managers first.
by orandall rate this post as useful

very atsuiyo 2011/1/13 05:16
You are asking about etiquette but again, Japanese onsen for adults are generally hotter than what foreigners can imagine. Some people other than pregnant women will have to be careful as well. So soaking in it may not be a good idea. even at 5 months pregnancy. I suppose some people don't even show at 5 months and do just fine. You may want to try private bath 'ofuro' which some resorts have in the rooms so you can sort of regulate the temperature of water. Also some onsen resorts have onsen pool (temp warm but not hot) which may be better for your wife so she can swim and float around in it.
Etiquette is about being careful I think and accept the rules of the establishments, they know what they are doing.
by umiumi (guest) rate this post as useful

mauvaise expression 2011/1/13 05:53
Yes - we would have no intention of breaking any rules or not following management recommendations.

My original question was based on the assumption that some onsen might allow pregnant women to bathe, and I merely wanted to ask if the sight of her bathing so would disturb other patrons, something we want to avoid. Probably shouldn't have used the term "etiquette".

We're aware of the medical concerns, and have addressed those with our physician. However, the larger consensus here seems to be consistent, and we'll approach this much more conservatively, as recommended here.

by orandall rate this post as useful

OK I understand 2011/1/13 16:08
I would think that the sight of her will be respected. If they happen to see your wife face to face by nature, they will nod and say 'shitsureishimasu" with slight bow and go about their own business. The people there are discreet and polite.
If anything they will be especially polite to her given her condition is my guess.
They don't go around and say hello to everybody or talk to strangers. They keep to themselves.
by umiumi (guest) rate this post as useful

onsen 2011/1/15 19:27
The 'rules' vary depending on onsen.
Because the water varies depending on onsen.
Most onsen are fine.

If water has extreme acidity / alkalinity / some chemical that is considered a problem there can be restrictions - because of the water. There is no taboo on being pregnant in an onsen.

by girltokyo (guest) rate this post as useful

hot springs 2011/1/20 08:25
I'm now 6.5 months pregnant, living in Japan, and also currently considering whether to go on an onsen trip in February- I agree with other posters that your wife's doctor may not realise just how hot Japanese onsen tend to be.

While I regularly take baths of around 40-41 degrees C, onsen baths are usually hotter than that- 44-45 deg is common, you have to lower yourself in very very slowly because it's so hot, and I personally would hesitate to put anything more than my legs into a bath that hot while pregnant. It's not so much a blood pressure issue I believe as simply raising the body temperature to a level that may not be safe for the baby. People often feel very light-headed when getting out of a bath that hot as well, which could be even more likely to happen while pregnant.

If I do go, I expect a few sideways glances in the bath/shower area, but at 7.5 months I will be a lot bigger than your wife will be at 5 months, so she may not have that so much.

I can confirm that there are no real taboos in Japan on things you can do and places you can go while pregnant, so no real etiquette issues. I tend to avoid rush hour trains here in Tokyo and very crowded places a lot more than I did before though, because I don't like being jostled and bumped while in this condition. I also can't stand on trains for very long now without feeling like I might pass out, and even with the bag tag we are given here there's no guarantee of a seat.

Uco san, I was interested to see in your comment that the "maternity mark" tags are available from train stations- it's the first I've heard of it. I was given mine at the city office when I submitted the ninshin todoke. Do you know if all train companies and all stations would be able to give them out? It may be useful if I lose mine at some point!
by Sira (guest) rate this post as useful

minor remark 2011/1/20 08:52
44-45 deg is common

I would not call it common. Most onsen baths are 41-43. Rarely 44 degrees. And very rarely 45 degrees.
by Uji rate this post as useful

onsen 2011/1/20 10:52
Must just be the ones I have been to in the last few years then. In all/most of them the water was so hot that I had to lower myself in very slowly, and as I said, I usually take baths at around 41 degrees, so they had to be hotter than that. Often there was an option of a hotter and a cooler bath (usually the outdoor one was hotter).

In any case a rule of thumb is a bath that leaves your skin pink is probably too hot for pregnant women- it's better not to raise the body temp that much.
by Sira (guest) rate this post as useful

Maternity Mark 2011/1/20 11:04
To Sira and others interested in the mark,

I don't think "all" stations have stocks, but train station staffs should be able to provide you information.

Months ago, I was seeing posts on papers and the internet suggesting that people don't know where to get them. Then some people were responding you can get them at train stations. A while ago, my local station put up a big ad on the wall saying you can get them at stations in their train company. I don't remember if it said you can get them at all stations, though.

You are always free to ask for more details to the Ministry.
http://www.mhlw.go.jp/houdou/2006/03/h0301-1.html

I'm sure the mark would be useful especially for those in the early or mid stages. In the last stages, most women obviously show, but when you see women in their earlier stages you'd often think, "Does she need a seat or is she just fat?" :)
by Uco (guest) rate this post as useful

atsuikarane... 2011/1/20 11:40
One reason majority of onsen facility water gets hot and stay hot is because it's constantly heated and can easily get 45c. 41~43c is still hot for women in pregnancy I would think. Warm temperature is way to go. 44c is pretty hot.
Once I was stuck in a onsen bath with plenty of running hot spring water but no cold running water and that is not good for me. It turned out place's water had been shut off.
Another time in a hotel bath room, soaking tub water was too hot, think about if you put a egg in it and it would be hard boiled in a few seconds. It would have taken long time to cool down pool that size to cool down with cold water. Eventhough there was cold soaking tub next to it how can one soak in hotter than hot water? I like it hot but not so hot.
Finding a resort with onsen swimming pool or place where you can regulate water temperature is a way to go for people who need to be careful.
by umiumi (guest) rate this post as useful

non-maternity mark? 2011/1/20 16:42
forget the maternity mark. I'm fat and I need a non-maternity mark in japan to stop people asking when I'm due or offering me their seat.
Do they hand out non-maternity marks at train stations or city halls do you know?
by jane (guest) rate this post as useful

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