Onsen

An onsen is a Japanese hot-spring bath. The word also means the town or inn built around one. Water comes from the ground naturally hot, and bathers soak in it for rest and warmth. JNTO describes Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama as the oldest hot spring in Japan ¹.

How does a shared onsen work?

A shared onsen has separate baths for men and women. Bathers wash their body at a shower seat first, rinse off all soap, then enter the bath without clothes. A small towel stays out of the water. The rules are the same in most places, and you can read them in detail on our bathing etiquette page and the first-timer onsen etiquette guide.

Why does it matter for Malaysian travellers?

Bathing nude with strangers surprises many first-timers. There are gentler options: a private bath booked for your family, or a room with its own bath. Read about modesty and private bath options and private open-air bath rooms. Some inns do not allow tattoos in shared baths, so ask first.

Muslim travellers should note that gender separation is standard, which many find reassuring. Ask the inn about private bath times.

Where do you usually find one?

Onsen towns, and many ryokan, traditional Japanese inns, have their own baths. Winter and summer feel quite different, as our winter versus summer onsen guide explains.