onsen
Natural hot springs (onsen) are numerous and highly popular across Japan. Every region of the country has its share of hot springs and resort towns, which come with them.
There are many types of hot springs, distinguished by the minerals dissolved in the water. Different minerals provide different health benefits, and all hot springs are supposed to have a relaxing effect on your body and mind.
Hot spring baths come in many varieties, indoors and outdoors, gender separated and mixed, developed and undeveloped. Many hot spring baths belong to a ryokan, while others are public bath houses. An overnight stay at a hot spring ryokan is a highly recommended experience to any visitor of Japan.
ryokan
Ryokan are Japanese style inns. They come in all sizes and are found across Japan. A stay at a ryokan is highly recommended to all foreign visitors of Japan, as it offers the opportunity to experience a traditional Japanese atmosphere.
Typical rates for ryokan range between 6,000 and 20,000 Yen per night and person, but some no-frills establishments offer rooms for less.
Guests stay in Japanese style rooms with tatami floor and a low table. Shoes are usually removed at the ryokan's main entrance, where slippers will be kept ready. You are supposed to remove even your slippers before stepping onto tatami mats.
Except in case of inexpensive ryokan, dinner and breakfast are included in the overnight stay. At the better ryokan, meals are served in the guest room, while common dining rooms are to be used elsewhere. Both meals are typically Japanese style and often feature regional specialties.
A yukata (Japanese dress) is provided to be worn during your stay at the ryokan. The yukata can be used for walking around the ryokan and as pajamas. In many onsen resorts, it is also okay to take a walk outside of the ryokan in your yukata. Note, however, that unlike the yukata provided at ryokan, the yukata provided at Western style hotels are not supposed to be worn outside of your room.
tatami
A lot of Japanese households consist of both, one or more traditional Japanese style rooms with tatami floors and modern rooms that usually have wooden floors. Tatami mats are made of straw and measure roughly 180 cm x 90 cm. You should always take off your slippers when stepping on tatami mats in order to protect them from damage.
Traditional Japanese style tatami rooms have an alcove (tokonoma) in which a hanging scroll (kakejiku) and a flower arrangement (ikebana) or piece of pottery is displayed. The room entrances are sliding paper doors (fusuma) and sliding paper screens (shoji) which can be removed completely.
futon
The traditional Japanese bed is a futon which is laid on the floor only during the night and kept in a closet (oshiire) during the daytime. Consequently, the bedroom can then also function as a living or dining room
kotatsu
Most houses in Japan do not have central heating. Instead, gas, oil and electric ovens and air conditioners are used to heat single rooms. The heating devices are turned off during the night and when nobody is in the room. Furthermore, a heatable table (kotatsu) is a very popular furniture during the cooler time of the year.
kimono and yukata
Kimono are made of silk and are usually very expensive. Nowadays they are worn at formal or traditional occasions such as funerals, weddings or tea ceremonies. Only rarely kimono can still be seen in everyday life.
Kimono differ in style and color depending on the occasion on which it is worn and the age and marital status of the person wearing it. To put on a kimono needs some practice. Especially tying the belt (obi) alone is difficult so that many people require assistance. Wearing a kimono properly includes proper hair style, traditional shoes, socks, underwear, and a small handbag for women.
The yukata, on the other hand, is more of an informal leisure clothing. It can even be worn without underwear and is very comfortable on hot summer days or after a hot bath. Yukata are relatively inexpensive and made of cotton. While staying at a ryokan, you will be provided with a yukata.
how to take a bath in onsen :
Below is the description of the most common way of taking a bath in a hot spring (or public bath). The actual rules may be different depending on the place, but if you follow the instructions below, you should be okay most of the time.
Take off all your clothes in the changing room and place them into a basket together with your bath towel. Coin lockers for valuables are often available.
2) Japanese hot springs are enjoyed naked. Swimming suits are not allowed in most places. However, it is the custom to bring a small towel into the bathing area, with which you can enhance your privacy while outside of the water. Once you enter the bath, keep the towel out of the water.
3) Before entering the bath, rinse your body with water from either a tap or the bath using a washbowl provided in the bathing area. Just rinsing your body is usually sufficient unless you are excessively dirty, in which case you want to use soap.
4) Enter the bath and soak for a while. Note that the bath water can be very hot (typical temperatures are 40 to 44 degrees). If it feels too hot, try to enter very slowly and move as little as possible.
5) After soaking for a while, get out of the bath and wash your body with soap at a water tap, while sitting on a stool. Soap and shampoo are provided in some baths. Like in private Japanese bathrooms, make sure that no soap gets into the bath water. Tidy up your space after you finished cleaning your body.
6) Re-enter the bath and soak some more.
7) After you finished soaking, do not rinse your body with tap water, for the minerals to have full effect on your body.
Natural hot springs (onsen) are numerous and highly popular across Japan. Every region of the country has its share of hot springs and resort towns, which come with them.
There are many types of hot springs, distinguished by the minerals dissolved in the water. Different minerals provide different health benefits, and all hot springs are supposed to have a relaxing effect on your body and mind.
Hot spring baths come in many varieties, indoors and outdoors, gender separated and mixed, developed and undeveloped. Many hot spring baths belong to a ryokan, while others are public bath houses. An overnight stay at a hot spring ryokan is a highly recommended experience to any visitor of Japan.
ryokan
Ryokan are Japanese style inns. They come in all sizes and are found across Japan. A stay at a ryokan is highly recommended to all foreign visitors of Japan, as it offers the opportunity to experience a traditional Japanese atmosphere.
Typical rates for ryokan range between 6,000 and 20,000 Yen per night and person, but some no-frills establishments offer rooms for less.
Guests stay in Japanese style rooms with tatami floor and a low table. Shoes are usually removed at the ryokan's main entrance, where slippers will be kept ready. You are supposed to remove even your slippers before stepping onto tatami mats.
Except in case of inexpensive ryokan, dinner and breakfast are included in the overnight stay. At the better ryokan, meals are served in the guest room, while common dining rooms are to be used elsewhere. Both meals are typically Japanese style and often feature regional specialties.
A yukata (Japanese dress) is provided to be worn during your stay at the ryokan. The yukata can be used for walking around the ryokan and as pajamas. In many onsen resorts, it is also okay to take a walk outside of the ryokan in your yukata. Note, however, that unlike the yukata provided at ryokan, the yukata provided at Western style hotels are not supposed to be worn outside of your room.
tatami
A lot of Japanese households consist of both, one or more traditional Japanese style rooms with tatami floors and modern rooms that usually have wooden floors. Tatami mats are made of straw and measure roughly 180 cm x 90 cm. You should always take off your slippers when stepping on tatami mats in order to protect them from damage.
Traditional Japanese style tatami rooms have an alcove (tokonoma) in which a hanging scroll (kakejiku) and a flower arrangement (ikebana) or piece of pottery is displayed. The room entrances are sliding paper doors (fusuma) and sliding paper screens (shoji) which can be removed completely.
futon
The traditional Japanese bed is a futon which is laid on the floor only during the night and kept in a closet (oshiire) during the daytime. Consequently, the bedroom can then also function as a living or dining room
kotatsu
Most houses in Japan do not have central heating. Instead, gas, oil and electric ovens and air conditioners are used to heat single rooms. The heating devices are turned off during the night and when nobody is in the room. Furthermore, a heatable table (kotatsu) is a very popular furniture during the cooler time of the year.
kimono and yukata
Kimono are made of silk and are usually very expensive. Nowadays they are worn at formal or traditional occasions such as funerals, weddings or tea ceremonies. Only rarely kimono can still be seen in everyday life.
Kimono differ in style and color depending on the occasion on which it is worn and the age and marital status of the person wearing it. To put on a kimono needs some practice. Especially tying the belt (obi) alone is difficult so that many people require assistance. Wearing a kimono properly includes proper hair style, traditional shoes, socks, underwear, and a small handbag for women.
The yukata, on the other hand, is more of an informal leisure clothing. It can even be worn without underwear and is very comfortable on hot summer days or after a hot bath. Yukata are relatively inexpensive and made of cotton. While staying at a ryokan, you will be provided with a yukata.
how to take a bath in onsen :
Below is the description of the most common way of taking a bath in a hot spring (or public bath). The actual rules may be different depending on the place, but if you follow the instructions below, you should be okay most of the time.
Take off all your clothes in the changing room and place them into a basket together with your bath towel. Coin lockers for valuables are often available.
2) Japanese hot springs are enjoyed naked. Swimming suits are not allowed in most places. However, it is the custom to bring a small towel into the bathing area, with which you can enhance your privacy while outside of the water. Once you enter the bath, keep the towel out of the water.
3) Before entering the bath, rinse your body with water from either a tap or the bath using a washbowl provided in the bathing area. Just rinsing your body is usually sufficient unless you are excessively dirty, in which case you want to use soap.
4) Enter the bath and soak for a while. Note that the bath water can be very hot (typical temperatures are 40 to 44 degrees). If it feels too hot, try to enter very slowly and move as little as possible.
5) After soaking for a while, get out of the bath and wash your body with soap at a water tap, while sitting on a stool. Soap and shampoo are provided in some baths. Like in private Japanese bathrooms, make sure that no soap gets into the bath water. Tidy up your space after you finished cleaning your body.
6) Re-enter the bath and soak some more.
7) After you finished soaking, do not rinse your body with tap water, for the minerals to have full effect on your body.
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