Support Your Life in Japan 
In Japan, there are hot springs which are huge baths in simple terms where anyone can easily relax in warm water. There are some reules using a hot spring in Japan and it is important to follow them, because in that way, you show your repect to the culture and other people who use the shared space. In this article, manners and rules you are strongly encouraged to follow will be explained for people who visit hot springs in Japan for the first time.
To Begin with; What is a Hot Spring?
Hot Springs are places where warm water from undergroud sping. Hotels or facilities utilize the water can also be
refered to as hot springs. It is also called ‘natural’ hot springs to differenciate it from utterly man-made one.
Hot springs are places or foutains with warm water from undergroud or bath facilities which utilize the water.
It can be hot spring street shown in the picture above or daily-life-based facilities where you can easily spot in your neighborhod.
These are Equipted in Hot Spings
- Showers
- Saunas
- Baths
- Towels
- Bath buckets and bath chairs
- Dryers
- Vending machines
- Shampoo and bodywash
All the nececities you’ll need when you take a bath are already equipted in most hot springs. However, lazers or towels sometimes can be charged, so it might be better for you to bring one.
There are hot springs with suprisingly low price (less than 500 Japanese yen). Those hot springs are not
equipted with basic things shampoo or saunas or if they have them, they don’t come free. Especially when
you’re going to affordable places, it will be better for you to beings items you may need.
Manners in Hot Springs
You are expected to follow some reules using hot springs, many of which are not written but widely known as a
common knowledge in Japan.
In the followings, you will gain knowledge on expected manners in hot springs so that you’re hot spring
experience will comfortable not only for you but also for others.
Mindsets
- Not making a mess
- No loud voice / noise
- Let others use the equiptments
With these mindsets, there is no way people around you will feel uncomfortable, rather see you positively as a well-mannered
person.
Not Making a Mess
Baths and locker rooms are shared and there are people who use them after you. In Japanese way of thinking, shared places are expected to be used in careful manners, since many Japanese people have high standard when it comes to hygiene. It is simple not acceptable to use the places or equipments as if you own them even if they’re free to use.
No Loud Voice
Hot springs are places where people of all ages come to relax and ease the stress. They are part of cultural experinces in Japan but they are not places to chatter like amusement parks. So, make sure to always mind your volume.
Let others use the equiptments
Again, hot springs are shared space for everyone. For example, occupying a facility for a long time preventing others to use it is not allowed. Laying down in saunas are not acceptable, becuase you’re suppose to sit in there so more people can use the facilities.
No Big Tatoos
It is a cultural thing in Japan that tatoos(especailly evident ones) are associated with Japanese mafias. Some people have them with fashonable purposes, but the stereotype is still prevailed. Many hot springs in Japan ban people with evident tatoos, but there are some places with more generous attitudes towards tatoos. Hoshino Resort in Hokkaido for example, gives you stickers to cover your tatoos or affodable hot springs generaly have more generous views. If you have tatoos which are quite evident, hot sprigs with generous attitudes towards tatoos are recommended.
What to Do Before You Go Into Baths
- Take off your shoes at the entrance
- Buy a ticket
- Men and women have to be separated
- Go to a bathroom
- No use of smartphone in a locker room
- Put off your makeup
- Tie your hair if it’s long
- Bring in your face towel
- Pour yourself some water
Take Off Your Shoes
Your shoes must be kept in a small locker near an entrance. It comes with a key which you have keep till you leave the hot spring.
Buy a Ticket
You will buy a ticket at the reception located near an entrace. Some places require you pay after you use the facilities. Payment style depens, so make sure to check their website or ask a stuff for instruction.
Men and Women Have to be Separated
There are separate baths for men and women. In Japanese character, “男” means “men” and “女” means “women”. More easy indication is that bath for men are shown in blue color while women’s are in red.
Go to a Bathroom
This is simply because there is no bathroom in a bathing area.
No Use of Smartphone in a Locker Room
No use of smartphones or pictures are allowed in a locker room, which is simpy because taking one’s naked picture is strictly illeagal. So, don’t do anyting that people around you see as suspicious despite you have no intention of doing any harm. Stay out of smartphones in locker room, it is a simple rule.
Put Off Your Makeup
You are expected to remove your makeup before you go into a bath or go without one. Remove your makeup in the baths are not allowed.
Tie Your Hair
It is considered as a manner for a person with long hair to tie your hair up so that it doesn’t touch the water in a bath. It also comes from an idea that bath is for everyone and we must keep the water clean.
Bring in Your Face Towel
It is considerd appropreate to keep the locker room dry, which is why you need a small towel (refered to as ‘face towel’ in Japanese) to prevent spilting water all around you. Make sure not to put your face towel in a bath, because personal belongings have to stay out out of it.
Pour Yourself Some Water
Near an entrance of a bathing area, you’ll find a spot filled with water and small buckets. That is meant for ‘Kakeyu’, pouring yourself some water before you go into a bath by using a bucket. By doing so, you put dirt off from your body and get used to your body to warm water, which is in fact a meaningful retual before bath.
While You’re in the Bath…
- No dying your hair
- No spitting
- No loud chatters
- Use free water machine with a respectable manner
- No spilting water or soap around you
- No putting your face towel in a bath
- Put equiptments back where they belong
- Clean equiptments after you use with some water
All of these come from basic attitude of thinking about others who use a bath after you.
- Not making a mess
- No loud voice / noise
- Let others use the equiptments
No Hair Dye in an Bath
Again, a hot spring is a shared space. It is only in your personal bath that allows you to dye your hair in.
No Spitting
In Japanese culture, spitting is considered as a bad manner.
Use Water Machine with a Respectable Manner
Free water machines are oftentimes available in hot springs. It serves cool drinking water to guests. Make sure not to waste the water.
No Spilting Water or Soap Around You
Make sure not to spilt shower water or soap to the person next to you. It shows you’re respecting personal space of others.
Put Equiptments Back
Equiptments like bathmats and shampoo bottles are supposed to put back where they belong after your use.
Clean Equiptments with Some Water
Chairs you use when you wash your body are supposed to be washed with some water after use so that a person after you can use it clean.
You may be overwhelmed by the numers of rules are there. Not all Japanese follw all the rules listed in the
article. What matters is the attitude of caring about others.
When You’re Out of a Bath
When you’re out of a bath, you wipe yourself with your face towel before going back to a locker room. There’s no mess anywhere!
In a Locker Room
- no use of smartphones
- Respect others when using dryers or a bathroom
Equiptments is for Everyone
When you’re using dryers or a bathroom, there might be others wating, which is why occupying for long time is considered as a bad manner.
Respecting others in a public space is a natural thing for many Japanese people. Now you have read this article, you’re ready to do so.
Summery
- Not making a mess
- No loud voice / noise
- Let others use the equiptments
In this article, we went through manners and rules when going to hot springs in Japan.
If you have three basic ways of thinking in your mind, you can show respect to others who use the facilities.
Hot springs are public space where you can go and relax with basic manners in your head. Following manners makes not only you being accepted by Japanese people but also sends them positive message that you respect their culture.
Thank you for reading this article and I hope you have a relaxing time in hot springs. See you in the next article👍