6 Onsen visits during winter

Gumma & Hokkaido – January 2023

You‘re curious about visiting a typical Japanese Hot Spring or Onsen how they‘re called here? But the thought of entering the public bathhouse without clothing is a bit too scary? Or do you have tattoos and don‘t want to offend the locals? You‘re not alone. I and many other foreigners have gone faced the same obstacles. But believe me! Once you get over that mental hurdle and find the right resort, it will be an experience you‘ll cherish forever. Let me paint the picture for you in 6 acts.

Let’s start with an easy introduction. After exploring a traditional Japanese hot spring town like Kusatsu Onsen, you are looking for a place to rest. You walk around the Yubatake and stop at the covered public foot bath (Ashiyu) next to the hot spring field. Sitting down on the wood seating area laid out on top of the stone basin’s edge, you take off your shoes and socks. You place them on the steps below you and turn around to lower your feet into the 45° C natural thermal water. Rolling up your pant legs, you slowly submerge your feet until they touch the ground of the basin. Your friend sits down next to you and hands you an open bag of warm Edamame you bought at 7-11 earlier. The two of you just sit and munch on your snacks, contently watching the people in Yutaka passing by on their way to the closest bath house. A group of young Japanese guys stops to practice their English with you. You explain where you‘re from and kindly decline their invitation to join them at a private Onsen. When you‘re done with the snacks, you take your feet out of the water, dab them with your Onsen towel, and quickly put on socks and shoes.

You‘re sitting in 40° C, shoulder-deep water while the cold December air gently brushes against your face. Between the soft clouds of steam rising from the tub, people wearing nothing but a small Onsen towel on their heads step in and out of the bath. Your gaze travels up to the half-moon laying in the clear sky, high above you. The water flowing down the stone wall that separates the gender-segregated areas lightly splashes as it hits the bottom of this man-made waterfall. You’re starting to feel a bit too warm, and slowly push yourself up from the pool’s stone floor with your hands. You now sit on the smooth stone bench, which is covered only by a few inches of water. Your torso is now exposed to the elements, and the winter breeze cools down your rising body temperature. You pad your sweaty forehead with the cold Onsen towell and smile.

Now you‘re in an all-natural, open-air bath in a park in the Japanese Alps. You undress in the simple, wooden changing room and leave your clothes in one of the baskets. With your Onsen towel in hand, you step outside into the fresh winter air and quickly run a few buckets of warm water over your body to wash. Then you carefully walk down the few steps into the large pool. On your right, a wooden wall separates the male from the female bathing area. There are a few low stone benches scattered around the pool and a big rock in the middle, providing a resting place to cool off. On the edge of the basin, there are smaller rocks wearing fluffy snow caps and behind them a lush forest. You watch some kids make snowballs and throw them at each other. Quacking with joy when they hit one of their siblings. Crouching, in order to stay covered by the warm water, you move closer to the other end of the pool, where the hot water is flowing in right from the source. You sit down on one of the benches and watch the sunset painting the clouds in light purple. As small snowflakes begin to fall, two Brazilian-Japanese girls strike up a conversation with you. So you chat in Spanish and Portuguese for a while before your time at the Onsen comes to an end.

Winter in Japan can be very cold, especially in the alps. And during a stay at a traditional Japanese house, you discover that there is no central heating. So your bedtime routine in an Onsen town includes of a quick soak in 45° C+ water at one of the free public hot springs. You dress in a Yukata or a few layers of undergarment to be able to change quickly and bring your Onsen towel. Fortunately, the free public bathhouses are open until late and most of the other visitors of the town are having dinner now. So you have the small Onsen all to yourself. You undress and put your things in a small basket in the changing area on the left. As you‘re an Onsen pro by now, you don‘t even utter an „Atsui“ as you’re pouring 2 buckets of piping hot water over your shoulders. You step into the small tub filled with hot mineral water and slowly but steadily submerge your whole body into the water. You hold yourself in a fetal position for a few minutes, before resting on the edge of the pool. Your skin is a little red, and you feel your heartbeat more clearly than usual. A woman in a Yukata enters the bathhouse and you greet each other. She undresses, washes with water from a bucket, and joins you in the tub. The two of you silently take turns soaking and resting. After a few minutes, your body tells you that it‘s time to leave. You quickly get dressed and walk back home through the moonlit alleys.

It‘s a cold and cloudy day. Not very inviting for long walks in the park, but perfect for a lazy afternoon spent at an Onsen. You put on comfortable, warm clothes and pack a good book, headphones, and charger into your tote bag. After a quick stop at 7-11 to buy some snacks and milk tea, you arrive at Gozano-yu. Instead of heading to the changing room, you walk up to the Togen resting room on the second floor. There are some people stretched out on the Tatami mats, but it’s not too crowded. You find a spot in a corner, connect to the free Wi-Fi and watch some Netflix. After an hour, you take a break from lounging and head to the spa. A few dips in the hot, mineral water later, you’re refreshed and in need of another rest. So you quickly get dressed and return to the Togen room. It’s almost empty, and you claim the same spot in the corner as before. Then you step out onto the balcony to watch the sunset behind the traditional Japanese houses around the Yubatake. While the view is magnificent, the winter air is bitingly cold. So you go back inside and lay down for a short nap, before sticking your nose into the Murakami you’re currently reading.

After a day on the slopes in Niseko and a delicious Hokkaido Soup Curry dinner, you jump into your car and drive to the Annupuri resort for a soak at Yugokorotei Onsen. Though it was a clear day with blue skies and stunning views of majestic Mt. Yotei, large snowflakes start to fall during the short drive. While you enter the Onsen, undress, and shower, the weather outside changes into a full-blown snowstorm. You waste no time walking down the wooden steps to the outside pool and as fast as possible submerge yourself into the welcoming hot pool. You find a large rock positioned underwater in the far corner. Laying down on top of it, you lean your head on the boulder on the edge of the basin. You look up at the white flakes drizzling down from the night sky and immediately dissolving when they hit the hot spring’s water. To your left, the warm lights in the Onsen hotel’s rooms shine bright. And to your right lays the forest at the bottom of Mt. Annupuri. The big pine trees are heavy with fresh powder snow and every once in a while, you hear a soft “plop” when a bunch falls to the ground. Completely mesmerized and absorbed by nature’s beauty, you only realize how much time has passed when you look down at your wrinkly hands and feet. You go back inside, take a hot shower and quickly get dressed.

For an in-depth beginner’s guide, read the post about my first-ever Onsen experience in Ibusuki, Kyūshu.