panhead_pete 27 Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 My humble apologies if its been covered before but what are the do and donts of onsen etiquette? Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 I know a few of them Wash before you get in. Cover your bits with a tiny towel. Or not. That seems to be optional. Don't swim. Remember not to stay in too long, otherwise it's fainty fainty. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 no peeing no bombing no heavy petting Pretty much move around with respect, don't run about the place, give yourself a good scrub before getting in, don't take soap into the bath. The towel over the knob thing, whatever you are comfortable with I have seen locals do both. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 I like to rip a good one right when I get in the bath and watch all the bubbles come up. Its also quite a good way to clear a bit of extra room... if you have a bath to yourself, by all means cannonball it man (just be careful not to splinter your ass on the wood below). >no heavy petting you obviously havent been to a konyoku nor had a private onsen Link to post Share on other sites
Ezorisu 0 Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 Avoid splashing or making waves if there are others inside the furo. I always wash first, then get in to soak, but I've seen locals rinse briefly with the furo water, get in for a little soak, then get out to scrub, and go back in. You can cover the dangly bits with the towel, but avoid letting the towel go into the furo water when you get in. I think that's supposed to be terribly bad manners. You see people covering up with towels whilst in the water on TV, but that's only for TV. Best to fold the towel up and put it on your head. Don't forget to drink some milk with one hand on your hip afterwards! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 Put the little (dual purpose!) square towel on your head when you sit in the onsen. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 social grooming, just like the monkeys. Link to post Share on other sites
me jane 0 Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 Don't go in after they are officially closed. Don't go in the girl's onsen if you are a boy or vice versa. Don't spill red wine in the bath. Don't change the male/female signs around late at night and cause ususpecting old Japanese ladies to meet naked gaijin men early the next morning. Link to post Share on other sites
Mini Me Tarzan 0 Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 Change out of your nappy and into pants before pay in case the lady asks if you are toilet trained. Do a big wee wee on the toilet before you go in. Don't go until you have done your after dinner poo-poo. Link to post Share on other sites
skidaisuki 0 Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 Always thoroughly wash before you get into the bath - unless you are a Japanese ojiisan (old boy) in which case a tiny splash of bath water over one shoulder will suffice. However long you spend in the bath, an essential part of the process is a chill out period in the waiting room afterwards. If you are waiting for women to dry their hair, it could be hours. A massage chair session and beer are obligatory Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 The beer in the onsen thing is a potential banana skin, I've had onsens with beer but mostly without. My advice would be have a quick look in and see if there are any J-guys drinking in the onsen if there are great, if not then best save the beer till you get out Link to post Share on other sites
Curt 1 Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 I leave the beer until after. Tastes great then. Curious with the drinking though, as some places seem to advertise themselves with pics of the sake bottle and small cups floating on a tray in the onsen. (Or did I imagine that?) Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 I've seen em like that as well (in the adverts) Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Nozawa Onsen completely bans alcohol in the onsen, dont bring any in there. Some places in Hakuba allow alchol, some only allow it when you buy it there (like the sake), and some ban it as well. Hokkaido seems very relaxed, especially when many of the onsen which are 15-45 mins away from Niseko/Rusutsu are basically empty. Kyushu is chilled as well. Guess it depends on the locals (owners) rather than the guests. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 I don't think letting one rip will clear space for you either. Plenty sulphur smell already. Link to post Share on other sites
zdlfskdladealijfsxdfk 0 Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 I like private onsens rotenburo in posh hotel rooms looking out onto the mountains. With ms zdlfskdladealijfsxdfk sharing the tub of course. Link to post Share on other sites
ssar 0 Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Originally Posted By: thursday I don't think letting one rip will clear space for you either. Plenty sulphur smell already. oooh, I dunno, I can brew up quite the nastiness and would give that a fair shake I 'reckon. Link to post Share on other sites
Ezorisu 0 Posted October 11, 2008 Share Posted October 11, 2008 Nasty like, "who put the dead animal in the water"? Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 just don't do the brown wave llke the jacuzzi girl. Link to post Share on other sites
best skier in hakuba 5 Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 That was wild. Perhaps it has a place in this thread Link to post Share on other sites
torihada 2 Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 I was staying at Canyons in Minakami and they have their own onsen on site. I and a couple of Aussie guides prceeded to cool off by jumping out of the window (ground floor) and running around in the snow. We then egged each other on to do more stupid things; sit ups in snow, snow ball fight, sitting in a stream and finally I stood under a fir tree and attempted to shake a snow shower; unfortunately a big lump of snow melt/ice crashed onto my head. God knows what the locals thought if they saw 3 gaijins running around naked near the river. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 I could imagine what the locals thought about 3 naked Gaij running about like loonies in the snow. Anyone been down to Yugawara for the onsens? I'm heading down there tomorrow for a bit of a hike and soak Link to post Share on other sites
Amos in Utsunomia 0 Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 Where abouts is that Tubby Beaver? Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Its down near to the Kanagawa\Shizuoka border. The very outer edges of the Hakone/Izu National Park thingy, at the top of the Izu penninsula. Just got back and had an awesome day. Weather was beautiful, hike wasn't difficult, a good day's walking, nice views over the Pacific and the onsen was the best I've been to outside of a snow area!! Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 No points for an artistic dive in. Although if you go in quickly, don't be surprised to jump right back out again. Also as you climb in, some people say achee, acheee, acheeeee in a pleasurable way Link to post Share on other sites
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