Japanese culture is rich with ancient heritage. Their modern lifestyle and traditions were forged over centuries and the ritualistic bath time is no exception. Today we're shedding light into the relaxing onsen and bathing culture in Japan.
In Japan, bath time is not what we think of it here in the States. There are no soapy bubbles crowding the tub, no rubber duckies, and no scented aromas. The bath is a casual and common end of the day activity. Modern home advances has afforded the simple bath at home, but the roots of bath time date back to a more rustic and formal event.
Onsen, or natural hot springs
Onsen is defined as "hot water, mineral water, and water vapor gushing from underground". This water must be at least 25 ºC (77 ºF) originating at least 1.5 km (0.93 mi) underground, and contain specified amount of minerals (sulphur, sodium, iron, magnesium).
Bathing is an ancient practice
The oldest record of Japanese people utilizing the onsen date back 1300 years, but there is a chance undocumented use was even prior to that. The earliest records indicate that emperors and other imperial family members indulged in lengthy hot soaks. During that era, the bath was considered sacred and to have healing properties. Therefore those seeking cures to their ailments or diseases also made the journey to take solace in the natural pools. The practice to bath in onsen to cure illness is called tōji (湯治). Some of the oldest known pools include Dōgo Onsen (道後温泉), Nanki-Shirahama Onsen (南紀白浜温泉), and Arima Onsen .
Arima Onsen (有馬温泉)
Residing close to a bustling city, this hot spring is a quick getaway to beautiful and relaxing sceneries. This onsen was suspected to have been developed by Buddhist monks that helped popularize it over the centuries because until around the Edo period, onsen had close religious ties to Buddhism.
Gaining Popularity Among the General Population
During the Edo period public bathing houses started becoming more widespread because of ukiyo-e. Ukioy-e is the genre of Japanese art popular between the 17th and 19th centuries. These pieces portrayed the bustling bath houses and really shifted the notion of onsen away from religious and and healing purposes. Typically in an onsen visit, you shower yourself first at an individual washing station. Each station has a chair, soap, and shower head. After a quick scrub the patrons then soak in the natural hot waters like if it was a jacuzzi. It is found to be a relaxing and therapeutic experience.
The hot spring culture today
Now, going to the hot springs is part of life in Japan. Many types of onsen exist, from small and more casual encounters, to larger and more extravagant resort experiences. When we visit Japan, we typically will travel to an onsen at least once. On our last trip we made a special trip to the Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Yatsugatake in Hokuto (about 20 minutes away from Nagano). We went during the fall time to see the leaves in autumn colors, and we were not disappointed!
The onsen at this resort is a rare co-ed pool (non-nude), where our whole family got to experience the bath together. The springs were nestled in the woods just footsteps away from the hotel. Guys and girls prepared in different room before joining together in the outdoor onsen that connects them.
Aside: While the onsen was quite remarkable there was quite a bit more relaxation and activities to offer. This resort caters specifically to adults with young kids and is the perfect vacation within a vacation for those looking to get the complete onsen resort experience! For the adults there is a lot of wine tasting and food.
For the kids there is an adventure park and a wave pool. Coco was still a little too small for the adventure park, but she was able to partake in a nature hike and scavenged for indigenous plants to make a necklace. The wave pool and indoor water park were great for young kids to play at after a long day of adventuring.
From Onsen to Home Bathing
Although the natural hot springs are preferred, the act of bathing in the Japanese culture is still strong. There are no bubble baths in Japanese culture. Unlike American bathrooms, Japanese bathrooms typically separate the bath tub from the shower area just like the onsen's do. This means you clean yourself with a shower and then sit for a relaxing soak. The way the bathrooms are set up, allow for easy and frequent soak multiple times a week. Our girls love to warm up in a quick hot bath quite frequently! When they are getting out we like to wrap them in the most comfortable towel we have ever use. It really is the only towel you'll ever need (it stays soft wash after wash) and we happen to carry it here on CocoTora!
What hot springs experiences have you and your little one's had?
We'd love to hear about new places to see, so please share some suggestions for us to check out. We love discovering new places!