Onsens versus hot springs??

When I came to Japan in high school my friends asked me if I wanted to go to the onsen with them. I was mortified because I knew what I would have to do. I would have to get naked, get naked in front of skinny as Japanese teenagers. I couldn’t bare to do it and turned them down. I was so scared of other people seeing me naked, and seeing what I thought were my fat thighs and belly, pointing at my so obviously different white skin. I was too ashamed. How wrong I was.
I finally got up the courage to go to the onsen a few months ago, and have been going at least once a week since. It’s definitely an eye opening experience, not that anyone is widening their eyes when they look at you, cause they don’t even look at you, and if they do it is with a friendly nature. I have come to realize that everyone feels the same way about their bodies. Everyone feels that maybe their thighs are a little wide, or maybe their bellies wobble a little too much, or maybe even they think they are not fat enough. But when you walk into the onsen it all falls by the wayside. You get your kit off and walk in there with out a care in the world, because you realize that everyone has wobbly thighs and slightly bulging bellies, so it’s ok.

Onsens are incredibly different from NZ hot springs. I think the more correct term is public bath. They generally look just like any swimming pool in NZ, with ceramic tiles on every surface and sometimes blue green sometimes grey water(grey from the herbal tea bath). Some onsens even have a play pool for swimming, although in a seperate area.

So the way it works is this. First you get naked in the changing rooms, and use a towel to cover your bits, (just a tiny one that only just covers your bits). You take your soaps and shampoos etc into the washing area and wash yourself thoroughly before you enter the bath, then put your soaps etc on the shelf by the entrance, and walk to the baths. There are two main rules, never put your head under the water, and never put your towel in the water. Although there is the unspoken rule of respecting other peoples personal space and not staring. Also onsens are there for relaxation, so talking loudly to your friends is frowned upon.

There are usually many types of pools, just deep enough for you to sit in and be covered with water up to your shoulders/neck. There are pools with special herbs for curing everything(called the 10,000 cure pool), there are spa type pools that have jets especially placed to target your problem areas like the shoulders, and the kidneys, there are pools that have electricity somehow in there targeting those same areas(??), and there are hot pools warm pools and even super cold pools. There are also saunas, usually two types. A rainy humid sauna, and a super dry sauna. Its an experience in itself.

Here are a few onsens that I recommend in Hokkaido:
Otaru Classe Hotel

Noboribetsu Daiichi takimoto

Hoheikyo Onsen Sapporo

You may feel scared to go to the Onsen, but I tell you to be strong and just go. It is an awesome experience.