UPDATE | December 01, 2022

Learn about Japanese hot spring culture

The season has changed from autumn to winter, and it's getting colder day by day. How do you spend the cold winter months in your country? In Japan, it has long been a custom to bathe in hot springs to warm yourself up when it is cold. This time, I would like to introduce Japanese hot spring culture.

History of hot springs

Many people may think of hot springs when they think of Japan, but how many hot springs are there in Japan?
Currently, there are 3,000 hot spring resorts in Japan, and it is said that there are about 27,000 hot spring sources (places where hot springs spring up from the ground).
Japan's topography is located on a volcanic belt, and about 7% of the world's active volcanoes are concentrated in Japan.
Some of the rain and snow that falls near volcanoes seeps underground and becomes groundwater. The underground water is warmed by the heat of the magma, which is over 1,000℃ under the volcano, and the hot springs gushed out.

There are various theories about the origin of hot springs, and it is not clear, but it is said that there was already a description of hot springs in a book from the Nara period about 1,300 years ago.
In Japan, there has long been the idea of ``toji'', which is the practice of speeding up the recovery of illnesses and injuries by soaking in hot springs.
Just as in ancient Greece and the Roman Empire, there is a long history of hot spring cures in Europe.
In Japan, it is said that hot springs began to be introduced mainly by the imperial family around the 7th century, and then gradually spread to people of all social classes.
It is also said that when Zen Buddhism spread in Japan, the hot spring cure culture was spread by Zen priests who traveled all over Japan.
Since the Edo period, more and more people have come to enjoy hot springs not only for the purpose of healing, but also as a place for socializing.
Today, many people visit hot springs to forget about their daily lives and relax.

Onsen etiquette and rules

Check the basic onsen etiquette and rules so that you don't have to worry about entering an onsen for the first time in Japan.
Recently, more and more places have explanations in multiple languages, such as English and Chinese, with illustrations so that foreigners can enter with peace of mind.

① Before entering the hot water, be sure to "kakeyu" to clean your body.
② If you have long hair, tie it up on your head to prevent it from getting in the bath.
③ Do not put towels in the bath.
④Swimming or talking loudly in the bath will annoy other people.
⑤ Wipe your body with a towel when you leave the bathroom.
⑥ Drinking too much alcohol before taking a bath may cause you to collapse, so be careful not to drink too much.
⑦ Do not use mobile phones or cameras in the dressing room or bathroom.
⑧Do not dye or wash your hair in the bathroom.

These are the basic rules, but some places have their own rules.
If you have a small tattoo, you can cover it with a bandage, but if you have a tattoo on your back or arm that stands out, you may be refused.
If you can't use a public hot spring, choose an accommodation with a private hot spring.