31/08/2026
Things you need to know about Onsens:
🌋 They’re literally heated by the Earth. Natural onsen water is groundwater warmed by geothermal heat, and Japan has thousands of hot-spring sources because of its volcanic geology.
🧪 The water isn’t all the same. Different onsens contain different minerals—sulfur, sodium, iron, bicarbonate, etc.—so the smell, color, texture, and traditional claims about the water can vary dramatically.
👘 You normally enter completely naked. Swimsuits generally aren't worn in traditional communal baths. You wash your body thoroughly before entering the bath.
🧖♀️ The bath is for soaking, not washing. The bathing area is where you clean yourself; the onsen itself is mainly for relaxing and soaking.
🐒 Even monkeys enjoy onsen! Japanese macaques famously bathe in natural hot springs, especially around Jigokudani Monkey Park. They became one of the iconic images of Japanese winter.
