Explore everyday life in Japan
It's hard for me to imagine something more typical in Japan than an onsen getaway.
This is a generalization, of course, but I have found that if you have vacation time in Japan and are looking to go on a quick one or two-night trip, it's pretty much decided before you even begin considering your options, you are going to an onsen. As a foreigner, this takes a little getting used to. Not because you bathe and shower naked in front of other people, but because going to an onsen means that you are entering a space of food and baths, and if you are only spending one night at an onsen, you most likely won't be setting foot outside of it until check-out.
Your mini-vacation will be dedicated entirely to bathing (three or four times in a twenty-four hour period) and eating more food than you can imagine. That might not sound like something that takes getting used to, but believe me, it is.
The first time I spent a night at an onsen.
The first time I spent a night at an onsen I took one bath before dinner, had a few beers while eating a three or four-course meal, and promptly fell asleep afterward. The next morning, I had no desire to get up early and bathe, so I slept as late as possible and then went downstairs to the buffet room, ate breakfast, and left. My wife was shocked. She couldn't understand why I wouldn't take advantage of my surroundings and relax in the hot pools for as long as possible.
Having lived in Japan for eight years now, I can see why my wife was shocked by my attitude and actions. The whole point of going to an onsen is to bathe, eat, and relax. That is what you are paying for, so if you don't eat all of your food and bathe as many times as you can, it seems like you are't getting your money's worth.
Recently, my mother came to Japan to visit my family and spend some quality time with her grandchildren. As is necessary, we took her on an obligatory one-night onsen getaway with my parents-in-law. The onsen that we stayed at was built right on the coast of the Sea of Japan and had some beautiful outdoor pools from which you could take in the sunset and the night sky while soaking in hot spring water.
Following are some photographs of the onsen itself and the feast that we ate while there. I hope you enjoy them!
Onsens typically have more than one bathing area and part of the excitement of going to an onsen is exploring all of the baths that are available. Often one bath is on the ground floor and another is higher up. This sometimes allows you to enjoy the same view from a different perspective. Other times, this gives you the option of enjoying a closed-in, secluded setting, or one that is open and provides a view of the surrounding town or landscape.
Generally, soon after being shown to your room and listening to your room attendant's explanation of your reservation and dinner plan, you put on a somewhat bathing robe-like gown known as a yukata and immediately proceed to one of the baths.
From this point on, you will most likely spend the rest of your time at the onsen in a yukata. You will waddle clumsily through the hallways of the onsen from bath to bath to your room and back to another bath in generic slippers that fall off your feet, all the while feeling somewhat like a samurai because of the clothes you are wearing.
The food.
After you have bathed in at least one bath, you will eat dinner. Sometimes this is served in your room. Other times, it is served in a banquet hall. Regardless of where dinner is served, it will undoubtedly be a feast, a three to four-course meal that promises to keep on coming well after you have reached your limit.
Most likely, you will be tempted to stop eating. But don't. The magic of onsens is that, while you do nothing but soak in baths, eat, and drink, you are always hungry a couple hours after eating. Besides that, the food is almost always too good to let go to waste. Have a look for yourself!
Thanks for stopping by. If you've never been to onsen before, put it on your bucket list. It's an experience worth having!
This is an ongoing series that will explore various aspects of daily life in Japan. My hope is that this series will not only reveal to its followers, image by image, what Japan looks like, but that it will also inform its followers about unique Japanese items and various cultural and societal practices. If you are interested in getting regular updates about life in Japan, please consider following me at @boxcarblue. If you have any questions about life in Japan, please don’t hesitate to ask. I will do my best to answer all of your questions.