How do you wash your oshiri in an onsen?

Ozone,

I've wondered about this too, but from a logistical standpoint. How do you wash what you're sitting on?

Fortunately, most people's bottoms are designed with a recess, so this is usually not a problem you need to worry about too much.

Concerning the way of washing your body in onsen, I think most Japanese would use a thin towel usually offered by the ryokan where you stay (otherwise you have to bring or buy one there) especially when washing your butts rather than simply stick your hand into the crack because it�fs easier to wash your oshiri clean in less time as well as less awkwardly, then you don�ft have to wash your hands for hygienic reason though you have to wash the towel instead, of course. And that�fs the practical reason why you are not admitted to put your towel in water.

Maybe because I'm on the large size (and so is my oshiri), but I find it very difficult to do a proper job. Of course, you do need to use a soapy towel, but as normally you're seated on a little stool, it IS hard to access the right places. If I wiggle around too much I will fall off that tiny, slippery perch. (And I have bad knees, which makes it even harder to get up and down and reposition myself.) And then of course you have to make sure to get all the soap rinsed off. Recently I had an experience where I was standing (well, half-squatting) so I could expose everything for rinsing, and I lost track of my aim for a moment and accidently sprayed a little water on the lady next to me. She wasn't very kind about it, and told me quite harshly to sit down. I felt a little bad, but honestly, I have learned not to get all bent out of shape about whether I am keeping up with the natives as far as doing everything properly. I just give it an honest effort and leave it at that.

yeah, this is exactly what I mean. Ya see, sometimes I'm not really satisfied with butt cleanliness unless I stick my hand back there and work up a good crack lather, then give a good thorough rinse. That's kinda hard to do with the limited access provided while sitting.

Do they always take showers at night? Since I hate taking it at night ... I need my morning shower to wake me up! Plus when I take a shower I MUST blow dry my hair or it will be all messed up and uneven and frizzy with no volume or anything since I use like 3 products to keep my hair looking nice, Lol.

ok i never been to JP,but i have been to american hotsprings,and the developed ones have showers and a sign telling you to clean off first.also if you are going thru the day with a turdslide in your box canyon you need go to wash and wipe 101.maybe im anal about it from years of bicycle riding but your oshiri portal should be squeeky clean even if you have to go around with baby wipes in your pack.the thought of going into any onsen and having your ecoli particles floating around in 100 degree plus water infecting others is just disgusting no matter what country your in.

I am a bit puzzled by some comments about washing in public. Do these genuinely concerned people (I am definitely not making fun of them) ever go to a public swimming pool or a gym? I was born in Europe,now live in North America, and in both areas whenever we go to a swimming pool it is the custom to shower (unfortunately not as strictly enforced as in Japan, but the pool waters have bleach or some other chemicals in them).
anyway..I, and others, wash every corner of our bodies in front of one another. I sure don't look at others, don't know if they look at me and don't care. In my local gym there are people from various ethnic origins, everyone is stark naked, yet somehow I feel we keep our privacy and dignity. I do understand the impracticality of washing oshiri when siting on a stool but one can squat just above the stool and wash oneself. I should add that in Europe we used to have lots of public baths. As a boy then a teenager I would go with my granddad on a Saturday morning. I made me feel grown up, part of the men's club so to speak. These guys had bathrooms at home but this was a time and place to meet buddies in a relaxing atmosphere. Everyone was equal as wealth, or lack of it, wasn't obvious.

no, actually, I never go to public swimming pools, and if I go to the gym, I go straight home after and shower there, exactly because I hate handling the privacy issues that arise from public showering :) I'm sure I'm not alone with that.
I was also wondering, is it rude to wrap your towel around you when you go into the water in the onsen, and take it off once you're covered by water and nobody can see you? Since we're foreigners, I don't like the thought of getting inspected by the Japanese ladies... :D

How about going to a private onsen where you are alone in the bath? special towels(tiny and thin) are allowed in a public onsen but not those big enough to wrap around the body (except for a few onsen that do allow some kind of covering). I just don't understand why people who aren't comfortable to be naked in public (I can understand that)want to go to a public onsen and expect that rules will be changed for them! my last post on the subject.

Mii,

is it rude to wrap your towel around you when you go into the water in the onsen, and take it off once you're covered by water and nobody can see you?

I can't comment on what goes on in the women's onsen, but it is generally not considered good manners to make an overt fuss about covering yourself up with a towel. Everyone else there is naked, so, as Red Frog says, if you find it that embarrassing, it is best not to go in the first place.