The Japanese are huge bath lovers, they cannot live without onsen and sento. Nowadays, various benefits of “ONSEN” and “SENTO” started being recognized by foreigners, and many of them actually enjoy Japanese bathing culture. Soaking in plenty of hot water in a huge spacious bath room of onsen or sento gently heal the fatigue and refresh your body. Some bath house has great variation of facilities such as open-air bath, sauna, water fall that boost relaxation effects. However, one thing you should be aware of is that these places are public space then you are required to follow certain manners unlike when you use your own bathroom. The followings are some useful tips for onsen & sento beginners to use public bath facilities with the others without a trouble.
Before getting in the bath room
Remove all of your clothing
This is the first rule without exception. No matter your background culture restrict nudity in public space, just forget about that and remove all of your clothing. Bathing in swimwear is only allowed in TV shows or photos on magazines. However, a few onsen houses lend a bathing dress to “someone who feels too uncomfortable to become naked in front of the others and cannot go to onsen”. If you feel so, inquire the reception.
No tattoos
If you have a tattoo(s) on your body, you will likely be rejected to use public bath rooms. This is because traditionally tattoos symbolize yakuza, Japanese mafias, in Japan. However, more onsen and sento are showing better consideration on the difference in races, cultures, religions and even fashion tattoos and applying flexible correspondence to people with tattoos.
Avoid bathing right after eating or alcohol drinking
Having a bath soon after eating can be a cause of bad digestion and upset your stomach. Bathing after alcohol drinking causes more serious damages. It rapidly make human body toxicated, rise blood pressure, and might cause cerebral anemia, arrhythmia, and heart attack. Alcohol drinking in a bath is out of the question. Having a drink in an open-air bath might look fancy, but it is dangerous so let’s forget about it.
Keep bath water clean
Rinse your body well before getting into bath water
Getting in the bathtub straight away is no good at all. Fill up a wash bowl with bath water first and rinse your body well, especially around your hip. Also, this is very important to get your body used to the temperature of bath water.
Do not rub your body in the bath water
You can wash your body on the draining floor, not in the bathtub. Imagine, it would be awful if the bath water was full of grime and scurf from others’ bodies. Also, ladies should wash makeups off before getting in the bathtub. You cannot completely relaxed with full makeup and it will be run with sweat into the water.
Do not soak a towel in the bath water
Even clean looing towels have some sort of dusts or germs and soaking them in the water should be avoided. The best way is putting a dump towel on top of your head. It also prevent getting dizzy after bath.
Keep long hair tidy
If you have long hair, use a hair tie, wrap it with a towel or shower cap to keep it out of the water.
On the washing floor…
Put things back where they belong
Put a stool, washing bowl or shampoo where they belong after use. Don’t expect the staff will tidy up everything for you. Someone might want use those right after you. Also, wash off all remaining soap and hair with water.
Do not splash water on the others
Are you making a wild splash around yourself when you use the shower to rinse off shampoo or soap? Pay a little attention to the people next to you or behind you when you use water.
Do not occupy a spot too long
Take your belongings with you after using washing spot and leave them at the storage area to let the others use the spot. Do not leave your belongings at the washing space to reserve your spot.
No laundry washing, no hair dyeing
The bathroom is a place to wash your body. Refrain from doing other activities. Brushing teeth at the washing vase in the changing room is fine, but not in the bathroom.
Not to be a nuisance to the others…
No laud chatting in a group
Having a bath with a few of your good old friends is such fun but other guests are also there to enjoy a relaxing moment. Refrain from talking too laud or occupying the place.
Dry yourself well before getting out of the bathroom
Use your towel to dry yourself before moving to the changing room. A wet floor is very slippery and can be dangerous for everyone there. Also remember to dry your feet on the floor mat too.
Be considerate with photo taking
A great view from an open-air bath is often tempt you to take a photo from there. However, photo taking is prohibited in most of public baths. Only few allow its guests to take photos in the bathroom but it is still inconsiderate to do so when other gusts are around. Basically, photos are allowed only when it is permitted by the premise and there is no other guests in the bathroom.
Supervise your children
It is natural children get excited with a big bathtub, talk laud and run around in the bathroom. It is also natural that such behavior of the children can annoy the others and even cause some serious accidents. Parents should tell their children how to act in public area to avoid disturbing the others’ relaxation time. Also, some bathtubs are unexpectedly deep, therefore pay extra attentions to little children!
Now enjoy ultimate relaxation
Spa bath, sauna and jet bath are common relaxation facilities all over the world. But unlike these modern facilities, there are unique retro-flavored, good old atmosphere remaining in the Japanese onsen and sento. It is now attracting not just Japanese people but many of non-Japanese people. In addition to reading a useful guidebook, there are many review postings by the foreign people who actually tried public baths on the internet or other media. Have a look on those reviews together with tips in this column and have a great time in your favorite onsen and sento.
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