Onsen: A guide to the Japanese Hot Springs

In Japan hot springs are referred to as onsens and are extremely different from the jimjilbangs I once wrote about in Korea.
Onsens are naturally occurring springs of boiling water throughout Japan. And what better to do in these naturally occurring hot pockets but bathe!

I always found onsens intriguing ever since I saw Spirited Away, the Miyazaki film set at an onsen (which in real life took inspiration from the pictures below, Dogo Onsen, out in Matsueyama - for anyone looking for some travels!)

These hot springs are formed largely from the effect of Japans volcanic activity. Japan has many great features about it, such as there are a surprising number of freshwater rivers and pools throughout the island, as well as fresh water that pools beneath Japan, it has lots of seismic activity dude to the flirtations of those tectonic plates, and of course it is a volcanic island. It is due to this volcanic activity and the underground pools that enable these hot springs to form. That being said, they are not everywhere, but certainly more than I can count in a fair number of places. But seemingly larger cities like Kyoto and Osaka their number seem to dwindle ( I think I only know of one between the two, and it couldn't attest to its magnificence). Rather you had best go to a hot spring town that is known for the onsens. Occasionally, it is even in the name like Kinosaki Onsen.
Personally, I would say I have been to a fair number of onsens, but I would also tell you not enough. But from what I have been to I can tell you these there is a very typical sense to them. Often a few pools and showers of course. And if you are lucky there are also an outdoor set of pools as well. The water temperature typically varies between bath to bath, such that the people who just cannot take the heat, can simply switch to a cooler bath. When I say cooler, in reality I don't believe many baths are ever below 40 Celsius. The baths come in many different styles; some with stone basins or wooden ones, ones where you sit or lie down and let the water run over you, ones with jets to massage you and ones to simple relax in, there are simple foot baths and saunas that use the onsen water for the air vapor. So you know...many. I am a big fan of outdoor baths. Ones where you can feel the wind on your skin to cool you down from the headiness that comes over you are you soak. There is no need to worry about the outdoors part. You are in an enclosed area at all times with walls a few meters high so no peering eyes can find you. Occasionally, the more well done ones will have scenery, a direct and steep mountain side from which the water flows down and into the pool, or even an ocean that is seen through bamboo blinds.
The water of many onsens is especially high in minerals and thought to be good for health and skin. Once at an onsen out in Nagano, the mineral content was just right to tarnish my silver ring in seconds. Where as another out on Iojima island, I swear polished it to a shine such as I have never before seen. Onsens will often boast of their unique mineral content saying how it is good for one thing or another and how you will get less colds and your skin will glow.
Onsens have often been seen as a place to relax and often a place to take a company relaxation trip in Japan. Onsens help to break down the barriers around people (pretty litterally here) and help in communications. It is like a get to know you or a get to know you better, if you will and tends to bring people closer together creating the bonds that companies and clients desire in one another before doing business. Of course it is not just for companies, but perhaps new friends will go together or a mother and her soon to be daughter in law. Or any number of people.
But one cannot just hop into the bath!
First thing is first, you have to get naked. So shuck off those embarrassments and reserves you have about your body and get going. I remember one friend once asking me if you can wear a swim suit, and no, you really can't. There is actually a reason for that. You see, people with tattoos are not allowed inside public baths and onsens. The reason for this? It is because of the yakuza. You see, they cannot outright ban yakuza members from entering, they will just deny being yakuza. So they ban anyone with a tattoo, and as a large number of yakuza have tattoos, they cannot enter. However this method prevents everyone with a tattoo from entering so as to be unbiased and fair. And that ladies and gentlemen, is why you cannot wear swim suits. Though in mixed baths and larger public baths it is entirely acceptable and likely enforced, especially with mixed genders. But those are fairly uncommon. In Korea, I once saw a gal with a swimsuit on and she got a bit of the awkward indirect stare down. I suppose she just felt awkward either being the only one in a swim suit, while old fat wrinkly ajoomas walked around freely or she got the full heat of the silent judging glances. Either way she removed her swim suit in the middle of her shower joining the rest of us in nakedness. And now, with that out of the way...
You have to bathe first! Weird right? You have to bath before getting into a bath. You see, they do not want your body juices floating around the pool and your sweat mucking up everything and getting other people dirty. It will also possibly set the water concentration off a bit. And due to that, and the fact that it is just gross, you take a shower first. There are always showers in every onsen, the vast majority of which also provide shampoo and soap and even 'rinse' if you are lucky (how Japanese call conditioner, but I will swear up and down that it is entirely different from American conditioner). Traditionally, they would fill bowls of water and wash them selves with it and pour water on themselves from it when needed and refilling it as necessary. Now there is generally a shower head and a faucet with bowls so as you can choose whichever you desire. And of course you sit on one of their stools during the process. This is not typically a standing process unless the place is extremely modern. As far as washing goes, you must take note to wash extra thoroughly. No one will be watching you, oh but they will! No one will look at you or pay much attention to you, the whole Japanese eye aversion thing, but they will know for how long you rinsed and how thorough you were. And be certain to wash all of the soap from you body before entering the pools. It is quite uncouth to do otherwise.
You may now enter the pools.
Huzzah! As far as the pools go, you can switch between them as you please, but I wouldn't stay in one too long! These is a lot of dizziness to account for upon standing up, especially from the hotter pools. As far as the length of time for which to stay in each pool, I suppose that is pretty much up to you. I think people will notice if you butterfly about and go from pool to pool minute to minute. This is a relaxing thing. Take your time. And make sure you plan time in your schedule for it to be relaxing. I am not saying don't try each pool, just to enjoy them before you leave them. But by all means if it is not the right fit and you are uncomfortable, no one can hardly blame you for that! I know just recently I went into a 90 Celsius sauna at the hot spring and stayed 3-4 minutes and that was quite enough! It is also important to have some cold water now and again. Sometimes they offer a cold water pool or basin in where you can either dip yourself or splash water on yourself to cool you down; or, most of these places will offer a cold water fountain just outside and disposable cups to drink from.

This is brought on by my recent trip to Nagasaki and my subsequent search for an onsen. I found one. Out at Iojima. And for any curious eyes who want to see it before they try it, I stole a few pictures of inside the onsen. No, no one is in them silly!

The most awesome onsen I went to? There is a mud onsen to the north of Nagano which was extraordinarily awesome. The mud is not thick like you might think, more that the hot spring formed in well and muddied land turning the water a orangey-red and making visibility next to nil beyond a few centimeters.