Onsen Guide
Hot springs are the true life blood of Nozawa. No one knows exactly how long they have been around for, but one legend suggests they were discovered over 1000 years ago. Hot springs are what kick started tourism in Nozawa. Oyu, the grand old hot spring situated smack bang in the middle of Nozawa was once a feudal lord’s holiday retreat. It was subsequently opened to the public, and Nozawa began to grow as a hot spring destination.
There is nothing better than an onsen after a day on the slopes. Taking an onsen is a relaxing way to experience Japanese culture too. A lot of Nozawa locals bathe in the public onsens every day, so it’s a good idea to study up a little before you take the plunge.
To take an onsen, you will need:
a washcloth
soap/shampoo/conditioner (no ammenities are supplied)
a towel
1. When you enter the onsen building, you will see a raised entranceway. Take off your shoes before you step up onto the wooden floor.
2. Put your shoes on the bottom shelf, take off all your clothes (yes, all of them!) and stash them in one of the compartments.
3. Enter the bath and find yourself a spot to wash. It’s recommended that you take a seat on the floor or crouch while you are washing, so as not to splash other bathers. Scoop out some water from the bath to rinse yourself, then soap up. Once you are done washing, it is very important that you rinse off all the suds before you jump in the tub.
4. It should be noted that the water is probably going to be a lot hotter than you are used to bathing in at home. The hottest water is on the surface of the bath, so if you take your wash basin and mix the water before getting in it should be more bearable.
5. There is a cold water tap in all of the onsens for cooling it down. 95% of the people who will be bathing would like the bath to be nice and hot, so try not to add too much cold water.
6. You may notice “floaties” in the bathtub. These don’t look so good to the untrained eye, but are actually just mineral deposits called “yu no hana” (hot water flowers). Yu no hana are the sign of a really good onsen, and all the onsen in Nozawa are cleaned regularly.
7. When you exit the bath, rinse and wring out your washcloth then dry yourself as much as possible before you step back into the changing rooms, in order not to splash water on the wooden floor.
8. Oyu ni kansha! You may notice some Japanese people clap their hands together and bow before and after their onsen (especially outside the main onsen in town, Oyu). They are thanking the onsen gods and the village volunteers who maintain the onsens for all the visitors. Isn’t that nice?
Hot springs are the true life blood of Nozawa. No one knows exactly how long they have been around for, but one legend suggests they were discovered over 1000 years ago. Hot springs are what kick started tourism in Nozawa. Oyu, the grand old hot spring situated smack bang in the middle of Nozawa was once a feudal lord’s holiday retreat. It was subsequently opened to the public, and Nozawa began to grow as a hot spring destination.
To take an onsen, you will need:
a washcloth
soap/shampoo/conditioner (no ammenities are supplied)
a towel
1. When you enter the onsen building, you will see a raised entranceway. Take off your shoes before you step up onto the wooden floor.
2. Put your shoes on the bottom shelf, take off all your clothes (yes, all of them!) and stash them in one of the compartments.
3. Enter the bath and find yourself a spot to wash. It’s recommended that you take a seat on the floor or crouch while you are washing, so as not to splash other bathers. Scoop out some water from the bath to rinse yourself, then soap up. Once you are done washing, it is very important that you rinse off all the suds before you jump in the tub.
4. It should be noted that the water is probably going to be a lot hotter than you are used to bathing in at home. The hottest water is on the surface of the bath, so if you take your wash basin and mix the water before getting in it should be more bearable.
5. There is a cold water tap in all of the onsens for cooling it down. 95% of the people who will be bathing would like the bath to be nice and hot, so try not to add too much cold water.
6. You may notice “floaties” in the bathtub. These don’t look so good to the untrained eye, but are actually just mineral deposits called “yu no hana” (hot water flowers). Yu no hana are the sign of a really good onsen, and all the onsen in Nozawa are cleaned regularly.
7. When you exit the bath, rinse and wring out your washcloth then dry yourself as much as possible before you step back into the changing rooms, in order not to splash water on the wooden floor.
8. Oyu ni kansha! You may notice some Japanese people clap their hands together and bow before and after their onsen (especially outside the main onsen in town, Oyu). They are thanking the onsen gods and the village volunteers who maintain the onsens for all the visitors. Isn’t that nice?
