Onsen are generally gender segregated, but sometimes you'll find old traditional onsen where there is mixed bathing (konyoku onsen) along with a women-only bath. Often with mixed bathing, women are provided with a towel-like dress to maintain decorum.
They amount to more than 50 mixed-gender onsen and other places where men and women can bathe together in Japan. If you have questions about konyoku onsen, or mixed-gender hot spring, bathing etiquette, please read our Guide to Mixed Gender Onsen in Japan.
The Japanese have perfected the art of onsen, or hot spring baths, for centuries. Traditionally, men and women would bathe together in the same facility, but these days the baths are segregated by gender. Today, konyoku (mixed-gender onsen) are hard to find, with places like Tokyo having bans on such establishments.
Couple onsens are special spaces where the two of you would never be disturbed by other people. Private onsens in guest rooms, in particular, let you spend time with your sweetheart enjoying the hot spring all day long, without the need to go out the door. The experience is largely different from normal dates.
wear ANY clothes or swimsuits in the bathing area; the small towel can be used to cover yourself when out of the water. Some onsen may offer a thin gauze bathing cover-up for women to rent. submerge your face or head, it is considered unclean. yell or speak loudly, onsen are for relaxing.
Most onsen will not tell you explicitly that you cannot use the bath on your period. Some people will enter the bath with a tampon, but the topic is often debated. If you're worried, maybe sit this one out.
No Clothes Allowed
No clothes or bathing suits are allowed in the onsen bathing areas. People try hard to preserve the cleanliness of onsen. They are somewhat sacred places. Clothes and bathing suits can bring dirt and soap into the hot spring waters from outside and are, therefore, considered unhygienic.
Do NOT bathe in an onsen if you are at the active stage of a disease (especially if you have a fever); Onsen bathing imposes a large burden on your body, so avoid bathing in an onsen when you are weak and tired as the symptoms may become worse.
Mixed-Gender, Coed, or the Konyoku is a term described to onsens that do not separate men and women. A little new and a bit uncomfortable to beginner hot spring enthusiasts, but the practice of men and women bathing together was no big deal in the early times. Konyoku, though not common, still exists in Japan.
Yes kids are allowed. Any age and gender. I brought my 2 daughters to the hotel and they were able to use the onsen facilities.
This social aspect, however, led many onsen and sento to prohibit tattooed guests. The Japanese taboo toward tattoos stems from their association with members of Japanese organized crime. Gangsters in Japan are typically heavily tattooed, and body art in Japan came to be associated with unsavory characters.
For centuries, Japanese men and women bathed together in a shared space, known as mixed-gender onsens. In Japan, this concept is called Konyoku. Records of the Konyoku onsen have dated as far back as the 9th century, but many scholars believed it existed even way before.
The frequency of bathing shall be at most 1-2 times per day, and when people get used to Onsen, they can enjoy 2-3 times per day. Duration of bathing depends on the temperatures of water, but generally it shall be around 3-10 minutes at one time, and can be extended to 15-20 minutes if you get used to it.
Japan's gender pay gap is also the widest in the G-7: Women in full-time work earned on average 22.4% less than their male counterparts in 2021, according to government data. And women's overall share of wealth in Japan is low, too.
Some baths that offer konyoku, the Japanese term for mixed-gender hot springs, work in a way where the women have their own bath but can join the men on their side if they are so inclined. There are one-way doors and men cannot enter the women's side.
Gender-based inequality manifests in various aspects of social life in Japan, from the family to political representation, playing particular roles in employment opportunities, education, and income, and occurs largely as a result of differing gender roles in traditional and modern Japanese society.
So please don't concern yourself with being embarrassed in an onsen. It is a great experience that is both relaxing and exhilarating. Also, there is no reason to fear tourists or Japanese. Really, everyone inside the onsen doesn't care at all!
Most onsen are divided into male and female sections. In most cases, however, kids under 7 can accompany a parent or guardian of either gender. Most establishments have soap, shampoo and towels available, but quality, price and availability vary.
Although onsen etiquette does not prohibit drinking alcohol before entering a hot spring, let alone during the experience, it can be hazardous; consuming spirits before entering a hot spring—let alone during the experience—increases the risk of thrombosis.
Some onsen have a strong sulfuric smell while others have a weaker one but, in general, the milkier the water, the stronger the sulfuric smell.
A: The answer differs for men and women. In general, it is acceptable for men to shave in the shower area of the onsen, and razors are even provided. For women, it is not generally acceptable to shave in the onsen as this is seen as an activity that should be done privately.
Many people report feeling dizzy or nauseous after their first few times after going to an onsen, and this is usually because of dehydration or overheating from staying in too long.
Japan is an incredible country with many different and exciting facets. One of the most popular things to do in Japan, especially for foreigners, is to visit one of its hot springs called onsen. An Onsen is a natural hot spring that Japanese people go to and bathe in naturally hot water to relax or cleanse themselves.
Many onsen ban bathers sporting body art, no matter how small or non-confrontational. If it is small enough, you may be able to get away with wearing a water-resistant bandage, but otherwise, you should be respectful of the establishment's regulations.
Inside the Onsen room, you will notice “cleaning stations” along the walls with mirrors, showers and buckets. This is the washing area. Choose a low stool and rinse it off before sitting down. With your small towel, thoroughly wash your entire body, including your hair, using the products provided.