A day at the spa is probably considered among the pinnacle of relaxing activities, with the primping of massages and manicures producing a polished sheen around one’s presence. But when you are worn-out, fatigued, and need some space to go inward, a far better method to producing an inner shine (and much less expensive) is a day at a Japanese Onsen.
It took several trips before I felt that I had mastered the experience, which has since improved my approach to taking a bath at home. On the first trip, I was probably paying more attention to the etiquette of walking around nude that to my body’s internal state. Naturally, it’s best to prepare by being well hydrated, eating only a light meal before, and reading up on the washing and bathing process. For those accustomed to Fahrenheit, my easy guide to remember is that 20C and 40C are the rough limits of what we will allow ourselves to bathe in from cold to hot.
Moving in and out of hot water helps to intensify the circulatory system, where the heart pumps faster to increase blood flow to regulate internal temperature. The tempo of bathing ranges from roughly 10 minutes per pool, then stepping out to sit on a bench or to find a pool that has a more preferred lower or higher temp.
For those seeking to maximize this effort, there is a separate smaller tub kept at 20C to rapidly cool the body down. It can be challenging to get past a dip of the toes to bring the entire body down into the cold, but soon the warmth from the body makes a cocoon where the cold and heat mingle around the skin. After, returning to the warm pool is all the more pleasant.
Because my husband had tattoos which are unacceptable in most places, we finally one that was more friendly to Westerners. I had done Onsens in large bathing rooms before, but I was blown away by the beautiful experience surrounded by nature and water falls that we found at Tenzan Tohji-kyo om Hakone (pronounced HaKOne). This was also the first time that I realized the power of an Onsen used for an entire day.
Hakone sits among the mountain ranges of Mt. Fuji. You can get a tour on an air tram over sulfur mountain ranges that demonstrate the heating power of the land beneath. The Hakone springs are cultivated from this heat, but of course regulated so that it is no more than 40-43C. The minerals from this rich source of water seeps into the skin producing a soft smoothness that I’ve never felt before, which is why you aren’t supposed to shower afterwards. If you wander into town, you can find a Black Egg, boiled in hot sulfur in Spring, supposed to add seven years to your life.
We rented an Air BnB a short walk away and paid 1300 Yen (roughly 13 dollars) to have complete access until closing. While I thought we might want to dip in and then return later in the day, I was quite satisfied with an hour or two in the water, then drying off to enjoy a nap. Two large tatami mats rested outside the stairs leading down to the pools. On it, individuals and families fell asleep, played board simple games, or read a book. I rested with my back on the floor, letting the muscles sink in and relax.
When we started to feel hungry and aroused by the scent of food, we walked across an indoor bridge to the restaurant. We ordered a tall beer and a hearty meal, letting ourselves sprawl out on the floor mats when we were full. There was no way that we would want to go back into the water again, but we were so rested that we didn’t feel that we were missing out on the money we’d spent.
I was able to bring my 3-year old inside. However, the recommended age is at least 5, and I saw other mothers with their children, holding them gently so they don’t play and splash. Of course, they must absolutely be potty trained for the minimum requirements. The genders are segregated so I had to bring her in by myself rather than handle it as a married pair.
If you’re still concerned about the nakedness, it did take some getting used to, but in the end, no one even looks. It actually encourages you to take a milder gaze, less focused and harsh, and more open to the natural beauty around. The process of cleaning oneself beforehand prepares you for this, sitting naked on a bench and a shower handle, only a single elongated skinny towel to use to dry with or to cover the sensitive parts if covering is a must.
If you don’t have tattoos…. A much better option for kids is to go to the Yunessun Onsen Amusement Park (pronounced “unison”). As I wandered around with the kid, we dipped in pools of coffee, sake, wine (I can’t remember the rest), but the highlight was dipping our feet into a pool of Garra rufa, small fish that eat the dead skin cells off. I looked around in horror to find that they fed generously on my calloused feet, while the soft and gentle feet of the Japanese were much less disturbed. It tickled like hell. My kid couldn’t handle it so she clung to my arm. I almost couldn’t handle it, but I had paid a few yen for the experience and like hell was I going to make the most of it. There were slides, fountains and shallow swim areas for the kids to wander and play. We spent most of our time in those. It wasn’t nearly as relaxing as Tenzan but it was much more fun for the kid.
Waunder 