Dogo Onsen, the model for the bath house in Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away.
Very few things make me happier than sitting in a bath tub.
Japanese onsen are kind of like that, except for that a ton of other people without their clothes on are there, too. Plus, the “bath tub” is HUGE and often is filled with water from a natural hot spring.
Besides that, I can think of at least a dozen other fun things about hot springs, so I’ll list some of the highlights here.
1. Yes, you CAN hear the other side
Most onsen are separated; only a few have men and women in the same bathing area. However, just as depicted in your favorite anime, you can in fact hear the guys/girls on the other side of the wall in many onsen. This was brought to my attention recently when a friend asked, “Were you talking about me with that other random woman in the bath?”
Oops.
2. Fun, free products!
At most onsen, you pay a fee between 4 USD and 15 USD for entry. Then, you can usually use towels or soaps provided in the bathing area for free. Most places will have your standard body soap and shampoo, but usually, you can also use some nicer, more interesting products for free. Some of the more exciting soaps I’ve gotten to try include horse oil shampoo (not sure if it was real horse…), charcoal face masks, and green tea soap. The last one made me kind of hungry.
People with tattoos are often not allowed in to onsen. I feel a little sad for the yakuza, who have to find more lenient places.
3. TV in the sauna room
I don’t usually enjoy saunas, but lots of onsen have saunas that include a television. Seeing as I don’t have a television at my apartment, I have to mooch off of it anywhere I can, even if it means enduring heated rooms and lots of sweat. How the TV is kept working in such an environment is a mystery to me.
4. Milk vending machines
Most hot springs are, well, hot. What better way to cool down than with a nice glass of beer or milk? Most bigger onsen have a milk or drinkable yogurt vending machine, something I’ve never seen in the US. Re-hydration is important!
Your Turn!
Would you ever try or have you ever tried an onsen? What do you think? Feel free to share in the comments!
