Onsen etiquette: how to use a Japanese hot spring

An onsen is a natural hot spring bath. Public baths, ryokan and many hotels have them. The rules are simple once you know them, and everyone follows them.

Before you go in

• Baths are separated by gender. Red curtains or the word for "women" usually mark the women's side, blue for men. Check the signs in English, as some places swap sides daily.
• You bathe naked. Swimsuits are not allowed in traditional baths.
• Bring a small towel in with you. Leave the large towel in the changing room.

Step by step

1. Undress in the changing room and put your clothes in a basket or locker.
2. Go to the washing area. Sit on the stool and wash your whole body with soap and shampoo, then rinse thoroughly.
3. Enter the bath slowly. The water is often 40–43°C.
4. Keep your small towel out of the water. Put it on your head or on the side.
5. Do not put your head under water or swim.
6. Get out every 10 minutes or so to cool down. Drink water.
7. Pat yourself dry before going back into the changing room.

Tattoos

Many onsen still refuse people with tattoos, though rules are relaxing. Options:

• Look for places that say they are "tattoo-friendly".
• Cover small tattoos with skin-coloured patches, where allowed.
• Book a private bath (kashikiri), which you can rent by the hour for your group.
• Stay in a ryokan room with its own open-air bath.

Who should take care

Hot baths raise heart rate and lower blood pressure. Avoid them after drinking alcohol, and check with a doctor first if you are pregnant or have heart or blood pressure problems.