How to Enjoy a Japanese Onsen: A First-Timer’s Guide at Onogawa Onsen

← Back to the top page

You want to try a Japanese hot spring. But bathing naked with strangers feels a little scary. Many travelers feel the same way.

Don’t worry. The rules of the onsen are very simple. Once you learn them, your trip to Japan will be even more enjoyable.

We are a family-run ryokan in Onogawa Onsen, a hot spring town with 1,200 years of history. In this guide, we explain how to enjoy an onsen, step by step.

What is an onsen?

An onsen is warm water that rises from deep underground.

The water of Onogawa Onsen begins as rain that falls on nearby Mount Azuma. Over about 40 years, the rain slowly travels through the earth and collects many minerals. Then it comes back to the surface as a natural hot spring.

The land around Onogawa Onsen is perfect for hot springs. Dig just three meters, and hot water comes out. But in Japan, hot springs are protected by law, and no one may dig without permission. The whole town works together to take care of its precious springs.

For hundreds of years, Japanese people have bathed in onsen to rest their bodies and heal illness.

At Tofuya Ryokan, our baths are filled with 100% natural hot spring water that flows freely into the baths (kakenagashi). We blend water from two natural sources to reach the right temperature.

The water of Onogawa Onsen contains sulfur, sodium, calcium, chloride and more. Just one of these minerals would be enough to make a good hot spring, but Onogawa has many.

In the bath, you may see small pale yellow flakes floating in the water. These are called yunohana, or “hot spring flowers.” They are not dirt. They are minerals from the spring itself, mostly sulfur, and a sign that you are bathing in real, natural hot spring water.

The water is neutral, so it is gentle on your skin. It also contains salt, which warms you to the core and keeps you warm long after your bath.

You can even drink this hot spring water. There are two drinking fountains in the hot spring town, so try a sip during your walk.

Before you go

• Change into the yukata (a light cotton robe) in your room, then walk to the bath. You can wear your yukata anywhere in the ryokan, including the dining room. You can also stroll around the hot spring town in your yukata.
• There is one large towel and one small towel in your room. The baths do not have towels, so please bring them with you. Use the large towel to dry off, and take the small towel into the bath area.
• Avoid bathing right after a big meal or after drinking a lot of alcohol.

How to bathe: 7 simple steps

1. Undress completely in the changing room. Put your clothes in a basket. Swimsuits are not worn.
2. Pour hot water over your body. This is called kakeyu. It helps your body get used to the temperature.
3. Wash your body. Sit at the washing area and wash your body and hair. Shampoo and body soap are provided.
4. Enter the bath slowly. Do not put your towel in the water. Place it on your head or beside the bath. Tie up long hair.
5. Enjoy it quietly. No swimming, and please keep your voice down.
6. Don’t stay in too long. Start with 5–10 minutes, and take breaks.
7. Dry off before returning to the changing room. This keeps the floor dry for others.

Enjoying the baths at Tofuya Ryokan

• Outdoor baths: Both the men’s and women’s baths have one. In winter, you can watch the snow fall as you soak. This is yukimi-buro, a snow-viewing bath.
• Men’s bath: An indoor bath, an outdoor bath, a sauna (with automatic löyly), a cool hot spring bath (like a cold plunge) and a relaxation space.
• Women’s bath: An indoor bath, an outdoor bath, a lukewarm bath (a cool hot spring bath) and a relaxation space. You can move between the 42°C hot spring bath and the lukewarm bath, which is close to body temperature. This is called contrast bathing.
• Open through the night: The large baths are open until 9 a.m. Enjoy them late at night or early in the morning, whenever it is quiet. (The sauna in the men’s bath is open until 11 p.m.)

For guests who feel shy, or guests with tattoos

We have a private hot spring bath and a private sauna. Both require a reservation. Because they are private, guests with tattoos are welcome to use them.

• Private bath “Nijushiko”: A private bath with 100% natural hot spring water. Perfect for couples and families. It has a slide-style slope, so you can enter the bath while sitting. It is barrier-free.
• Private sauna “Tsurukame”: A Finnish-style private sauna for two. Pour water on the hot stones yourself (self-löyly) and enjoy soft, moist heat at the humidity you like.

After your bath

Drink water. You sweat in a hot spring.

Make your own onsen eggs

Use the hot spring water to cook onsen eggs just the way you like them. The cooking spot is a special hot spring basin for eggs, across the street from the ryokan. About 12 minutes is a good guide; the longer you wait, the firmer the eggs. Take 8 home as a souvenir and taste 1 right away.

¥1,000 · 12–15 minutes · 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. · Open to everyone

Bell painting

Tofuya Ryokan is known as the “Inn of Bells.” The previous okami (the landlady of the ryokan) collected bells, with the wish to “bring good fortune to our guests and keep away bad luck on their journey.”

Paint your own design on a plain white bell to make a one-of-a-kind souvenir. Children and adults both love it. Your finished bell makes a lovely memento or good-luck charm.

¥1,500 for hotel guests · About 1 hour · Book in advance or at check-in

FAQ

• Can I wear a swimsuit? No. In the large baths, everyone bathes without clothes. If you feel shy, please use the private bath.
• Can I bathe if I have tattoos? Guests with tattoos are welcome to use the private bath and the private sauna.
• How many times can I bathe in a day? As many times as you like: in the evening, before bed and in the morning. Many Japanese guests bathe three or more times in one night.

Come and experience your first onsen

An onsen is more than a place to soak in hot water. It is time to rest your body, relax your mind and feel the nature of the land.

Tofuya Ryokan has been run by the same family since the Edo period. The seventh generation looks forward to welcoming you to your first onsen in Onogawa.

Read more: A Ryokan Is Not a Hotel / How to Get to Yonezawa from Tokyo / Snow, Samurai and Onsen: Winter in Yonezawa

← Back to the top page