Last Updated: May 16, 2023

The Ultimate Onsen Guide

How to Enjoy Japan’s Hot Springs

Enjoying a Japanese onsen experience is one of my favorite local pastimes. I can truly think of no better way to relax and soak away the stress that accumulates from life and work than a dip in a natural hot spring. Unfortunately for travelers to Japan though, onsen also come with a lot of rules that can make for a bit of a challenge. Of course, this means one’s first time trip to a hot spring can be the source of potential awkwardness. To help you avoid any missteps, I’ve put together this comprehensive guide.

For starters, let’s first examine what an onsen actually is. The term refers to any hot bath where there is water sourced from a natural hot spring. You can thank the abundant seismic activity and volcanoes in Japan for the vast variety of onsen nationwide. Onsen are typically public baths and in most cases, men and women are separated (though there are still a few mixed-gender ones out there). Some hotels also offer private onsen for couples, friends, and families who would like to take a dip together.

Note that you easily can find an a place to melt away your worries by looking for the ♨ symbol on a map. Confusingly, Japan is also home to what are called sento. In many cases, the only major difference between a sento…