Information AboutOnsen |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT ONSEN | |
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| hot springsjapanese culture | |
| japanese words and phrases | |
| bathing | |
| hot springs | |
| japan | |
| bathing | |
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An is a Japanese Hot Spring . A volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and bredth. Onsen were traditionally used as Public Bathing places and today play a central role in directing Japanese domestic tourism. Onsen come in many types and shapes including and baths. Baths may be either public run by a municipality or often run as part of a hotel, or . Onsens are a central feature of Japanese tourism often found out in the countryside, and are a major tourist attraction drawing Japanese couples, families or company groups who want to get away from the hectic life of the city to relax. Japanese often talk of the virtues of This term should be carefully differentiated from the word which refers to the benefits of physical contact, for instance, on babies by their mothers. for breaking down barriers and getting to know people in the relaxed homey atmosphere of an onsen inn. Japanese TV often features programs where the hosts visit a local onsen, interview , and try out some of the local delicacies.In March 2003 it was reported that there were 3,102 spa resorts in 2,292 municipalities in the Japan. There were also 15,400 lodging facilities, or Ryokan , associated with the 6,740 public onsen. About 138 million people a year visit these facilities, according to this article The presence of an onsen is often indicated on signs and maps by the symbol ♨ or the Chinese Character (meaning hot water). Sometimes the simpler Hiragana character ゆ is used, to be understandable to younger children. ONSEN CHARACTERISTICS .]] (大深温泉).]] Traditionally, onsen were located outdoors, although a large number of inns have now built indoor bathing facilities as well. Onsen by definition use naturally hot water from Geothermal ly-heated springs. Onsen should be differentiated from Sentō , indoor public bath houses in the city where the baths are filled with heated tap water. Major onsen resort hotels often feature a wide variety of themed spa Baths and artificial waterfalls in the bathing area . Onsen water is believed to have healing powers derived from its mineral content. A particular onsen may feature several different baths, each with water with a different mineral composition. The outdoor bath tubs are most often made from Japanese Cypress , Marble or Granite , while indoor tubs may be made with Tile , Acrylic or Stainless Steel . Many bathers come for only an hour or so to soak in the waters. Food also plays an important part in the attraction of a particular inn.Because most people tend to eat their evening meal around 6 pm, the baths are often empty at this time. This can be a good time to visit the baths in relative privacy. While other services like massages may be offered, the main reason most people visit the onsen is to enjoy the baths. Traditionally, men and women bathed together at the onsen , as they did at the sentō, but single-sex bathing has steadily become the established custom since the opening of Japan to the West during the Meiji Period . Mixed-sex bathing persists at some onsen in the rural areas of Japan, which usually also provide the option of separate "women-only" baths or different hours for the two sexes, although young children of either sex may be seen in both the men's and the women's baths. People often travel to onsen with work colleagues, as the relaxed and open atmosphere helps to break down some of the hierarchical stiffness inherent in Japanese work life. However, most visitors to onsen are not work groups but friends, couples and families. ONSEN ETIQUETTE Ensuring Cleanliness At an onsen, as at a Sento , guests are expected to wash their bodies and rinse themselves thoroughly before entering the hot water. The indoor baths have faucets with removable shower heads and stools to sit on, for showering and shampooing.Entering the onsen while still dirty or covered in soap can be very unsettling for others and might even cause an uproar. At the very least, onsen users are expected to use a scoop provided to splash water over their genitals and feet. This symbolically cleanses these areas. Swimsuits Many traditional onsen out in the countryside do not allow swimsuits in the bath, saying that these make it harder to clean. Some modern onsen in larger towns though have more of a Waterpark atmosphere, and actively encourage the use of swimsuits, especially in their mixed baths. Towels Onsen guests generally bring a small towel with them to use as a washcloth. The towel can also provide a modicum of Modesty when walking between the washing area and the baths. Some onsen allow one to wear the towel into the baths, while others have posted signs prohibiting this, saying that it makes it harder to clean the bath.It is sometimes against the rules to immerse or dip towels in the onsen bath water, since this can be considered unclean. In this latter case, people normally set their towels off to the side of the water when enjoying the baths. However, some people place their folded towels on top of their heads. Noise Onsens are generally considered a respite from the hectic pace of life and consequently they are usually fairly quiet. However, sometimes bathers will engage in conversation in this relaxed situation.There are usually prohibitions against rowdiness in the washing and bathing areas of onsens. A small amount of excess energy and splashing around is usually tolerated from children, however. INFECTIONS Although millions of Japanese bathe in onsen every year with few noticeable side effects, there has been concern that the warm wet conditions lead to the transmission of infections.Given the popularity of Japanese hot spring bathing, it is not surprising that many of the reports of infection in the medical literature come from Japan. Some concerns include:
Many onsen have posted notices for visitors, reminding anyone with open cuts, sores, or lesions to not bathe. This precaution limits the overall risk to bathers and the overall risk to individuals in good health is very slight. The case scenarios of herpetic and amoebic infections are remarkable not so much in that they occur, but rather that the affected persons are predominantly persons with reduced immune systems and likely skin lesions. (The herpetic infection cited above occurring on the foot of an diabetic individual is a good anecdotal representation) RECENT CONTROVERSY In recent years, there has been some controversy over the exclusion of foreigners (or non-ethnic Japanese) from entering hot springs. This might be because of Japanese stereotypes that foreigners are unclean, rowdy and/or more prone to criminal activities. This issue was highlighted in February 2001 when Debito Arudou and two co-plaintiffs sued Yunohana Onsen in Otaru, Hokkaido , for refusing service to customers based on race. Yunohana Onsen lost the lawsuit in November 2002.Arudou visited the hot spring after having heard of its discriminatory practice. This incident is often used to make statements that Japan is strongly Xenophobic , despite the fact that out of thousands of onsens that exist in Japan, only three were reported to have practiced racial discrimination in recent years. See the Related Discussion In The Sentō Article . SELECTED ONSEN ]] Onsen is for Japanese Macaque s.]] enjoying an open air Hot Spring or onsen in Nagano ]]
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