The rules for using a bath towel in a Japanese onsen
17 August 2024
Visiting hot springs in Japan is a very unique experience.
When you visit Japanese hot springs, you may notice many Japanese people bring small towels to the hot springs. How do the Japanese use these towels? We explain it.
These small towels are very common in Japan. They can be used for washing the entire body, covering delicate parts, and drying the body.
You can purchase or rent towels at most hot spring facilities, such as the "Onsen" and the "Sento" in Japan.
DO NOT SOAK the towel in the bath water, which is the worst violation of etiquette at hot springs in Japan.
How to Use Towels in Onsen: A Beginner's Guide
Bringing a towel to the "Onsen" is not mandatory/obligatory. Therefore, nobody will complain if you enter the bathing area without a towel. However, you will notice various benefits of using small towels in hot springs. Understanding the role of towels in the hot springs is an excellent opportunity to learn about Japanese culture.
Japanese people mainly use towels for the following four purposes:
Washing the body before bathing
Before entering the hot spring, thoroughly wash your body using a towel. This pre-bath wash is essential to maintain cleanliness within the communal bathing area and ensure the hot springs remain as pure as possible.
Covering for Modesty
You can use a towel to cover intimate body parts while moving around the bathing area. However, to keep the water clean, visitors are not allowed to soak their towels in hot springs.
Using as a pillow
You can fold the Onsen towel to create a comfortable pillow during bathing. Some people even place a towel on their head. Note that putting the towel on the head is not for cooling down. Since you cannot soak the towel in the bath water, and there might not be a place to put it, some people wear it on their heads.
Drying the body
When you leave the hot spring and head to the changing room, you must dry off with a towel. This is because Japanese people take off their shoes inside buildings, so they do not want the changing room floors to get wet.
Here are some prohibitions for towel use in the Onsen. Make sure not to do these to enjoy the Japanese Onsen comfortably.
Things not to do with towels
Here are some violations for towel use in hot springs. Make sure to avoid doing the following things to enjoy the Japanese Onsen comfortably.
Do not soak a towel in water.
Soaking towels in water is not allowed. Although towels are kept very clean, they can collect dirt and grime from washing your body, which in turn contaminate the water.