Shower before you bathe. To this end, every onsen has a row of showers around the outside of the bath. Soap, shampoo and conditioner are usually provided (though you can bring your own if you prefer), and you are expected to sit down on one of the stools provided while you wash.
Onsen etiquette
Take a shower to cleanse yourself before bathing. Most onsens provide soap and shampoo for you to use. If not, you have to buy some. It's best not to eat before bathing in the onsen, but you need to drink a lot of water before and after your onsen bath.
it removes impurities and keeps the pools pristine
This is partly because we're better able to absorb the minerals from the geothermal water if our skin is clean of dirt and sweat. Of course, showering before bathing also means the hot spring pools remain clean and uncontaminated for other guests.
5. Don't take a shower after you have finished bathing. Medicinal components in the water will get washed off in the shower, and their effects will be reduced. If your skin is sensitive and easily irritated, please do rinse yourself off with fresh water.
It's customary, polite and hygienic to wash your hair and body before entering the onsen water. This keeps it clean for everyone. Nobody wants to sit in someone else's dirty bathwater. Before entering the changing room, you should try to wash your feet to help keep it clean.
Shower before you bathe.
Even when bathing in the privacy of their own home, the Japanese always clean themselves under the shower before having a soak in the bath – and this is even more important when you're visiting a communal sento or onsen – to keep the water as clean as possible.
The shortest answer to this, based on research on medical publications and articles in Japanese, doctors would in general not encourage you to go into an onsen while on your period. The most common reasons are that: It's unsanitary and disrespectful toward other people.
Firstly, don't stay in the onsen for too long - generally speaking 30-40 minutes total is enough time to reap the benefits of the mineral rich water and not overdo it. Take breaks when you need to by resting on the edge out of the heat of the water and if the onsen is especially hot, don't push yourself.
Additionally, spending time in the onsen is the perfect way to loosen up your muscles before your massage, so it is as effective as possible in promoting relaxation. You should plan to spend no more than an hour in the onsen.
submerge your face or head, it is considered unclean. yell or speak loudly, onsen are for relaxing. run, the stone floors are usually slippery when wet. swim or splash around in the bath, no matter how tempting.
Your body has oils, lotions, and dead skin cells that aren't good for your hot tub. Even the deodorant you put on every morning can be bad for the filter you rely on to keep your water fresh and clean. Stopping to take a quick shower before hopping in your hot tub can keep you soaking instead of draining and cleaning.
Some spa experts discourage bathing after soaking in their spa's hot springs as it removes the nutrients from the skin. However, some people with sensitive skin or who have been bathing in waters with high sulfur or acidic water benefit from a shower.
(optional) Again, there is a dispute over whether it's better to shower before or after bathing. Showering beforehand makes it easier to exfoliate and means you're already nice and clean when you soak. A post-bath shower will help you rinse off any oils, masks, and conditioner that may linger on your body.
Avoid bathing in an onsen in the following cases. If you have chronic bronchitis and fever or difficulty in breathing. If you have stable angina and chest pain becomes frequent. Bathing may cause serious problems with dehydration or thrombosis.
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. Japan is still a bit behind the times in gender equality.
No, you must be naked inside the baths. Baths are usually sex-segregated because of this. Some onsens have a joint area where both men and women can enjoy soaking together. These areas are generally more like spas; sometimes, swimsuits are worn in this context.
However, personal hygiene is much appreciated by all massage therapists! As a rule, new sweat is no problem, old stale sweat is stinky. So take a shower the morning before your massage and we'll be friends.
In the onsen you will rarely see anyone walking around in a towel, but if you want to keep covered up before you hop into the water, you can. You can rent a towel for a small fee, and most onsens will provide you with a 'modesty towel' to walk into the onsen with.
After the onsen
Before entering the dressing room, you should wipe yourself off lightly with your small towel. After wiping your body completely with your bath towel, you can put your own clothes or the yukata on again that you will find at most ryokan. A yukata is bathing clothing, and looks similar to a kimono.
This is a snapshot of things to remember not to do in the onsen bath: Don't put your small towel or hair in the onsen bath water. Don't use your phone or camera in public onsen.
The ritual of drinking milk after Onsen bathing developed in Japan over fifty years ago, when the majority of the population were using Sento or Onsen facilities instead of home baths. After bathing, rehydration is not only necessary, but an enjoyable part of the Onsen experience.
Onsen etiquette
It's best not to eat before bathing in the onsen, but you need to drink a lot of water before and after your onsen bath.
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.
Typically it is not permitted to take photos while inside an onsen, unless you are visiting a private onsen. Be sure to check out our Niseko and Hakuba onsen guides for a list of our top 10 in each area!