Onsen etiquette: how to use a Japanese hot-spring bath

From the changing room to the shared water

Start by reading the facility’s signs before you undress. Storage, clothing, swimwear and private-bath arrangements can differ, so a rule you remember from another place may not apply. A conventional shared bath has a changing area and a separate washing area; follow the directions for the bath you are actually using.

Wash your body and rinse away soap before entering the tub. The bath is for soaking rather than washing. In a seated washing area, keep splashes to yourself and rinse your washing space when finished. If you have long hair, keep it from trailing into the shared water. Move carefully and keep your voice suited to a space where other people may be relaxing.

A small towel can be useful in the washing area, but keep it out of the bath water. Leave it in a permitted place outside the tub. Do not treat the tub as a swimming pool or use it to rinse a soapy cloth. Before returning to the changing area, dry off enough that you do not leave the floor wet for the next person.

Phones and photographs do not belong in shared bathing spaces. Save your postcard description for later: the sound of water or how the place felt is enough.

A year-round bath, with rules to check each time

Onsen are not limited to a festival or one season. Winter imagery is familiar, but facilities can be used at other times of year as their own opening hours allow. A bath’s setting may feel different as the seasons change; an open-air bath and an indoor tub offer different surroundings.

Some onsen restrict tattoos. Policies vary: a place may have restrictions, accept particular covers or offer a private bath, while another has a different rule. Ask the facility directly before visiting and accept its answer. A private bath is not automatically exempt from every rule.

Onsen and sentō are not the same word. Onsen refers to natural hot-spring water; sentō refers to a public bath, which need not use hot-spring water. The spaces can share etiquette, and a sentō can use hot-spring water, but the names describe different things. Neither name tells you the dress rules or booking arrangements on its own.

Words that help you follow bath signs

These readings use Japanese romanisation. Knowing the word for a changing room helps you understand where to dry off. For a polite question before a visit, Japanese letter phrases offers useful respectful endings.

Ask your pen pal

Taste and practical experience are comfortable starting points. For language practice, the learn Japanese page keeps the emphasis on exchanging letters with a friend.

• 温泉と銭湯、どちらに行ったことがありますか？ — Have you been to an onsen or a sentō?
• お風呂では静かに過ごすのが好きですか？ — Do you like spending quiet time in a bath?
• 初めて温泉に行く人に、何を伝えたいですか？ — What would you tell someone visiting an onsen for the first time?
• 温泉の案内で覚えておくと便利な言葉はありますか？ — Are there useful words to know in onsen instructions?
• お風呂の後は、何をして過ごすのが好きですか？ — What do you like doing after a bath?

A postcard about a useful word

Choose an etiquette detail you now understand, rather than describing other bathers. Asking about a sign or word leaves your friend room to share a small practical tip.

A culture postcard in Sea Pals

Choose an onsen custom that was new to you and ask about it in a Sea Pals letter. A bathhouse postcard can pair your question with a story about how you relax.