While we were planning our trip to Japan, my husband had a few must dos for the trip, and I was happy to tag along for all of them.  For example, he knew that he wanted to see Shibuya Crossing and walk through that crazy intersection.  We had to go to the Nintendo Museum, which is an experience that we highly recommend.  And, he wanted us to spend the evening at a Japanese Onsen. In the time leading up to our trip, I learned a lot about the Japanese Onsen, but I still really wasn’t prepared for it until I got there.

Traditional Japanese hot spring bathhouse surrounded by turquoise water and natural stone rocks in a forest setting.

A Japanese Onsen is a hot spring, one that is typically naturally occurring at a certain temperature and mineral content.  More than just a hot tub, an onsen is seen as a bathing experience with a set of very particular guidelines.

Guidelines of a Typical Japanese Onsen

1)You must wash throughly before entering the waters- Most onsets provide showers and soaps that can be used for washing.

2)No swimsuits- You must be naked when entering the onsen area.  Onsen facilities typically have locker areas where you can put your clothes and other possessions, such as your phone.

3)Men and Women generally have separate bathing areas- Color coated signs can be found to guide you towards your gender’s assigned onsen.

4)Towels and hair stay out of the water- Many people keep the hand towel resting on their head and hair is kept up neatly on one’s head.

5)Tattoos are generally not allowed to be visible- While there are some onsens that specifically welcome people with tattoos, most onsets warn that they must be kept hidden (If they are small and not easily visible, then you can generally get away with having them ).

6)Onsens are not for swimming or socializing- Onsens are an individual experience and one where you are meant to relax and meditate, not splash around or chat with others.

Japanese-style wooden pavilion overlooking a natural hot spring with rocks and lush green forest surroundings.

While there are many onsen facilities where you can simply go in and pay to enjoy the hot springs, a very popular style of onsen experience is the ryokan, which is essentially an onsen hotel.  Many ryokans are found located near mountains where the warm springs are produced through the geothermal activity created by the region’s volcanoes.  We originally had reservations to stay at a ryokan in Kusatsu, one of the more traditional areas known for the onsens.  Because our plans changed with the impending tsunami, we ended up staying at two other ryokans.

Man standing in modern hotel room with two beds, sofa, and ocean view from floor-to-ceiling windows.

One of our ryokan stays was in Kyoto called The Chapter Kyoto.  It was a smaller onsen experience with a less traditional feel.  It was a really nice and comfortable hotel that had a great happy hour and a delicious breakfast.  Since this was our first experience at an onsen, it was a good warm up for the more traditional onsen that we stayed in two days later.  The Chapter Kyoto is a great place to stay, especially if you have some Marriott points that you can use for it.

Japanese onsen bath filled with hot mineral water in a wooden spa room.

Thanks to chatGPT and an hour of so of research, we ended up finding a highly rated onsen in the Hakone region, which is somewhat close to Mt. Fuji where we would be rejoining the cruise ship.  The hotel is called Kowakien Ten-yu, and we used google to help us get a pretty good rate for one night at the hotel. Our stay included a really nice room with its own private outdoor tub as well as a fun, hanging chair and our own set of pajamas and yukata, which is a casual kimono.  We enjoyed two meals that were amazing and basically a glorified buffet with all-you-can-drink alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages.  Also, we were gifted a complimentary ice cream that we could enjoy while listening to some evening entertainment.

Infinity pool overlooking mountain lake at sunset with forested peaks and golden sky reflected in calm blue water

For our onsen experience, we were encouraged to use the onsens twice as there were two onsens with different experiences. One was available for women one day and the other was available the other day.  So, during the evening, I enjoyed the onsen that included a waterfall and natural experience. The next morning, I enjoyed the onsen with an infinity pool that overlooked a beautiful view of the mountains.  Both experiences were amazing and included indoor pools as well as a cold plunge pool and a sauna.  I can’t recommend this experience enough and would love to go back and do it again, except next time I would want to stay longer.

Two men wearing glasses toasting with beer in an elegant cruise ship lounge with warm lighting and piano in background

The biggest concern that I had about going to an onsen was that I would be too embarrassed or self-conscious to be comfortably naked in front of strangers.  The whole concept of being naked in front of strangers was just too literally foreign to me.  I am so glad that I did it though.  As soon as I decided to just go for it, I realized that it was no big deal at all.  No one was even looking at me and everyone was appropriately spaced out so that it didn’t seem weird at all.

Two tourists pose at a scenic riverside overlook with mountains, water features, and Chinese characters visible in the landscape.

Both ryokans that we stayed at were amazing and I highly recommend the experience to anyone taking a trip to Japan.  If you are cruising through Japan like we did, definitely consider adding on at least one night to your trip so that you can stay at a ryokan as well.  I would be happy to guide you and get your group ready for such a fun experience like the one that we had at a Japanese onsen.

Contact me today to plan a cruise and add on some exciting experiences like the ones we did while in Japan.