Japanese Onsen Etiquette

Obviously, bringing a camera into a Sento is about as welcome and creepy as a camera installed in the wall of your hotel room. (Though some people have done it... reinforcing my resolve never to have a flickr page! They appear on Google searches!) The Sento is a public bath in Japan that is almost always restricted to same sex.

The Sento (and Onsen) are really uniquely Japanese and as such, are interesting to me for this site, so I wished I could show you the inside of a Sento without being rude and totally inappropriate. But I didn't think I could. There are naked Japanese girls in there taking a non-sexual bath, after all, and I have respect and decency. Now, though, Japanese TV has done it. Here's the inside of a Sento public bath in a prank video where a man is thrown into a women's Sento. I think this is silly and completely worksafe, but I'm going to warm you that you're going to see some body parts.


Here is some Sento and Onsen etiquette:
1. Be naked. If you're shy, just carry a modesty towel or two. But bathing suits are inappropriate and dirty. You're supposed to clean everything, and a bathing suit implies that you left the areas under the suit unwashed. Besides, it's a relaxing bath and nobody is judging you. Take it off.

2. When you first enter the Sento or Onsen, walk to the cleaning area full of mirrors and buckets. Wash your seat off and sit down. Then wash everything on your body, including your hair. Spend as long as you can washing and generally convincing everyone around you that you're immaculate.

3. If you brought a friend, talk quietly. Remember that spoken Japanese is less loud than spoken English. Quiet down. People come here after work to relax.

4. Smiling at other ladies or bowing your head to older ladies is polite. Talking is normal in the Onsen, so if someone talks to you, be polite. Forget that you're not wearing clothes.

5. Everyone will tell you to wear the modesty towel, but I've never actually seen anyone using one. I gave mine up after two times. Nobody cares.

6. There are hot and cold pools, in and outdoor pools and some weird pools that make electric current to stimulate blood flow and metabolism. You can probably go into everything, but some of the saunas or outdoor pools at Onsen are only for members or people who pay extra. Make sure someone lets you know.

7. Also, in Japan, tattoos are associated with the Japanese mafia called the Yakuza. Some bathing areas don't allows tattoos. I wrote a post about the tattoo ban at the Japanese Onsen already.

If this video doesn't work that's because it's flagged. Here's the URL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cHFuyf9wIk