Written by Greg Lane
Soaking in a hot spring (known as onsen in Japanese) is a quintessential part of a trip to Japan — or is it? A survey we ran on this site indicates that international tourists are far from enamored with onsen.
Of the 228 responses to the survey, 62% of respondents said that they would not like to try an onsen, with only 38% replying in the affirmative. What’s going on?
Are international visitors prudes?
Onsen are tied up deeply with Japanese culture. One essential requirement is that they must be experienced nude.
From further surveying of respondents, almost 4 in 10 of those who expressed disinterest were reluctant to get naked in front of strangers, or in front of friends and family for that matter.
While there are onsen experiences such as Yunessun in Hakone, which require swimsuits, this is unusual.
Clothed bathing is unlikely to catch on at regular onsen, and why should it? Being naked is an essential part of the experience. If anything, more places like Yunessun may appear in order to cater for tourists, but onsen themselves won’t change.
Is it the tattoo thing?
A further 10% of respondents reported concern over being rejected due to tattoos, as their reason for foregoing this relaxing Japanese pastime. Tattoos can make things more difficult, but you still have plenty of options.
Our opinion? If you skip onsen, you’re missing out.
