Bathing guide
How to use an onsen — 8 steps from the front desk to drying off
Written in order so a first-timer never has to guess.
Tattoos and onsen — the four policies, and what to do if refused
How to read the tattoo label we put on every facility.
Onsen, sento, super sento, outer baths — which should a traveller pick?
Four similar-sounding things, ranked from a traveller's point of view.
Pack just three things — the minimum kit for onsen and outer baths
Big facilities need nothing. Only outer and communal baths need prep.
Eight water types — telling them apart by colour, smell and feel
Only the differences you can feel, no chemistry table needed.
From Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Fukuoka and Sapporo — real onsen you can do in a day
Combinations that let you keep your hotel and still get a real bath.
Mixed baths for women — three ways in: bathing garments, women-only hours, opaque water
For women who want Sukayu, Tsurunoyu, Awanoyu or Kirishima.
Choosing by season — snow baths Dec–Mar, peak open-air Oct–Nov
The same bath is a different experience by season — and some only open part of the year.
What onsen cost — from ¥200 communal baths to ¥2,500 resorts
Price is mostly set by who runs the bath. Know the bands and you can judge any price instantly.
Onsen with kids — age rules, nappies and places they won't get bored
Rules differ bath by bath. Check three things in advance and you won't be turned away.
Five 3-day onsen itineraries — Kusatsu, Beppu, Kinosaki, Noboribetsu, Nyuto
Realistic routes from major airports and shinkansen stations, with where to day-bathe and where to sleep.
Getting to onsen towns — rail passes, local buses, shuttles and luggage
Most onsen towns sit away from the station. How you cover the last 30 minutes decides how tired you arrive.
How bath-hopping works — Kinosaki, Nozawa, Beppu, Kusatsu and Shibu explained
'Sotoyu' are bathhouses run by the town itself. How you pay and when you can enter differs in each town — learn the system before you go.
Onsen safety — seven rules against overheating, dizziness and scalding-hot baths
Most onsen accidents happen from staying in too long and from standing up too fast. Ten minutes per soak and a pause before you stand prevent most of them.
Using ryokan baths without staying — drop-in bathing, day plans and private-bath bookings
Many famous ryokan let non-guests use their baths — but only for three or four midday hours, and not on full days. Know the system and you can cut the cost to a tenth.
Onsen with tattoos — the 2026 reality and four practical workarounds
More than half of Japanese lodgings still refuse tattooed bathers. But with private baths, cover stickers, community bathhouses and tattoo-friendly venues you can bathe in almost every onsen town.
Twelve best snow-view open-air baths — where and when snow is guaranteed
Winter alone doesn't guarantee snow. Reliable cover is mid-January to end of February, on the Sea of Japan side or above 700 m. Twelve baths ranked by certainty.
The onsen year, month by month — what to aim for and which dates to avoid
The same onsen is a different place each month. Crowds, prices, scenery and water temperature by month, plus how to dodge Japan's three peak seasons.
Getting to onsen towns — rail passes, direct buses or a rental car?
Eight in ten major onsen towns are 'shinkansen plus a 30–60 minute bus'. You often don't need the nationwide JR Pass — regional passes or highway buses are cheaper. Best option per town, in a table.
Onsen and local food — what to eat after the bath, town by town
Onsen eggs, hell-steamed dishes, crab, onsen manju. Onsen-town food is often cooked in the spring itself or grew up around it. Fourteen pairings not to miss.
Mixed bathing today — where it still exists, and the rules on bathing wear and towels
Mixed baths keep disappearing; most survivors require bathing wear or set women-only hours. The rules to know before you go, plus beginner-friendly options.
Onsen with children — age limits, nappies and choosing a family bath
Children in nappies can't use the main baths; sexes split around age 10. Build the trip around private family baths and in-room baths and onsen works even with a baby.
Sixty onsen terms — a dictionary for reading signs, notices and analysis charts
Know the difference between 'gensen kakenagashi', 'kasui' and 'junkan' and you can read water quality. Sixty terms across venues, water, bath areas and fees.
Onsen day trips from Tokyo and Osaka — under three hours round trip, with real costs
If you're giving one city day to onsen, 90 minutes each way is the limit. Eight from Tokyo and seven from Osaka with times, fares and bath fees, plus half-day models.
Photos and social media at onsen — where you may shoot and where you never may
From the changing room onward, no camera and no phone. Keep that one rule and onsen towns, foot baths, in-room baths and private baths are all yours to photograph — with tips for good shots.