Do You Really Have to be Fully NAKED? | The 8 Rules at an Onsen Hot Spring

[@EiKk4__]

Actually those rules are almost the same as the common Finnish sauna etiquette. It's normal for people to be naked or only covered with a small towell in sauna. It's also polite to wash yourself before entering sauna. Cleaning the sauna or showering area after use, is also in the good manners. Cheers from Finland!

[@sheep1ewe]

Same thing in Sweden. :)

[@thehemmo5078]

I have never showered before sauna. also never after.

[@sheep1ewe]

@@thehemmo5078 Well, the human body is self cleaning, swet actualy contain natural antiseptics. But Now it is winter so there is no excuse to not dive naked into the snow outdoor!

[@AB-vm2nz]

We were kicked out of a public sauna because we went naked… greetings from a foreigner spending some time as expat in Finnland.

[@sheep1ewe]

And, no, the communal saunas are not excatly a place for erotic fantasies, many people bring their children there (both men and womans do, in the communal baths you can learn your children how to swim, diving, etc and buying badges for their confirmed achievements, actualy anyone can take those badgers, the instructions for the lover grade ones are free, but you need to pay a low sum for the fancy metal pieces (like the frog or goldfish) if one want them.) and shoolkids are using them.

[@NrsArea420]

I think you are greatly giving foreigners a real look into Japanese culture, by not just giving us facts but actually explaining the reasoning behind so that we actually get to understand the culture and things explained in each video

[@USRM1810]

Yup

[@Scholz737]

@@USRM1810 wie biste denn auf den namen gekommen?

[@anonymous-et5hb]

japanese baby out of woumb:giving a list of rules!!!!

[@portalkey5283]

I found that the rules are practical and makes sense when dipping in a shared space - being mindful of others and the place. Thank you for this video, Shogo!

[@captainahab5522]

I wish swimming pools had more hygienic rules like these People pee in the pools and all the floors are wet

[@chriss2031]

@@captainahab5522 or worse are infected with skin fugus...

[@baileydombroskie3046]

@@chriss2031 when he was talking about how u can’t have ur hair in the water bcuz it is considered dirty, he was only gesturing and showing the hair on ur head and not facial hair such as a moustache and beard. R moustaches and beards also not allowed in the water?

[@sleepykittyMMD]

Agreed, makes sense, I mean just think about public pools. Most people take about - 0.25-1% poop in the pool with them, I would feel bad if someone had to swim in my brine

[@sleepykittyMMD]

@@baileydombroskie3046 that is a good question, I would like to know too. Maybe washing the beard or putting a water wrap is enough

[@RazorChrist]

This was something I've always wanted to experience, but I've always heard they have strict rules against people with tattoos. And being covered with tattoos, that kinda kills it for me. But I've been reading recently that there have been a number of tattoo-friendly onsen that are popping up in Japan. So maybe my dream isn't quite dead yet. Thank you for the quick etiquette lesson!

[@hantu7380]

Or you could have a private onsen at a ryokan

[@RazorChrist]

@@hantu7380 I guess that's true. I don't really understand the whole stigma with tattoos anyway. Is it that it's considered "unclean or impure" or is it something else? Just never got the reasoning behind it.

[@hantu7380]

@@RazorChrist I think it mainly has to do with the public onsen that don't want members of the Yakuza. Most Yakuza members have dragon tattoos (at least that is whatve heard of it). So the owners of the public onsens don't want people with tattoos since it would scare costumers off.

[@RazorChrist]

@@hantu7380 Ahh yeah I'd heard something about that awhile back, and that makes sense from a business standpoint. Still kinda sucks for everyone else that has tattoos. But at least there's still private onsens as well as newer tattoo-friendly ones popping up.

[@hantu7380]

@@RazorChrist yeah, but if you have any more questions you can come here and I'll try answering, I'm not an expert on Japan but I don't mind helping people.

[@stephaniesitu7644]

The first onsen I went to was actually in a hotel in Kyoto. There indeed are a lot of rules. The one that stood out to me to the most are no tattoos since they are associated with the yakuza. In my tour group, one girl had to go into a room by herself since she had a tattoo.

[@epicureanbard]

There are some onsen that do allow tattoos now because they are slowly becoming more socially acceptable

[@BastiatC]

Sort of a funny rule since no one is going to tell a Yakuza to leave.

[@cryptictubegr8269]

@@BastiatC Indeed but most Yakuza will comply as the majority of them value the traditions and rules that go along with them.

[@epicureanbard]

@@joltjolt5060 As someone with tattoos that are literary quotes. I can confirm that they are not all gang symbols. In fact there ARE other tattoos in other countries that are cherished traditions of their culture. Thanks for playing. You just showed your ignorance.

[@danielgibson3422]

@@joltjolt5060 that's utter BS lol I know plenty of European countries were people love to get tattoos. Mexico has plenty of people not in gangs with them. Heck even my sister in law is married to a man from Brazil who has two of them, and he is some kind of transit engineer.

[@trinsit]

Rule 4 is my favorite aspect of Japanese culture. It drives me crazy that people don't put things back where they got them. If the cultural norm was to do this, then every once in a while forgetting wouldn't be so big a deal. Here in America, almost no one cares.

[@stephenstonge7968]

Agreed wholeheartedly. A lot of the world doesn't have this sense of obligation to care for our surroundings. Germany, with meticulous care of historic buildings is a great example of this, as opposed to the tragedy that plagues aging buildings being a clear sign of this similar neglect. It seems though that cultures that place more emphasis on family/culture than self have more care for property, though India is a stark outlier to that theory....

[@cliffc2546]

I think people used to be more considerate, but over my lifetime this has declined a lot. Maybe the last 30-40 years. I wonder if it has anything to do with the accelerating cultural and demographic diversity in the US, to the point that people just don't share many values, like being considerate of others. There's no going back, though.

[@PickleRicksFATASSCOUSIN]

@@cliffc2546 it doesn't matter the race, anybody can be careless.

[@nessyness5447]

I would say, leaving public items the way you found them, is an international courtesy rule. Is just that many people just don't bother, but as he said, even japanese people sometimes don't bother with it.

[@o0...957]

@@stephenstonge7968 India is a bit too diverse to be generalised.

[@Chichi-sl2mq]

the shower rules should be universal.... my worst experience at a boarding school was when everyone was rushing for morning study around 3am and there was no time or space for privacy ,there was water and soap everywhere , and deep down you knew the water or foam on your body wasn't yours

[@yourlifelesson]

That reminds me of bootcamp! Moving so fast you get to bump into your neighbors naked body

[@SarcasmIsNear]

@@yourlifelesson can’t wait for Boot Camp 😭

[@no3ironman11100]

@@SarcasmIsNear You want to bump into other people's naked body?

[@SarcasmIsNear]

@@no3ironman11100 it was sarcasm 😐

[@hajimehirai8879]

＞＞Yes. "Don't drop soap"the shower rules should be universal... Yes. "Don't drop soap"

[@csjames69]

When I was a kid living in Japan, my grandmother came to look after my younger brother and I. We were aged 9 and 5. My grandmother took us to the local bath house. Being kids, we had fun swimming in the bath and carrying on like kids do. My grandmother was bathing in the women's sections obviously she could hear us mucking around and she told us off. This was fifty years ago. It was fun!

[@letsart6434]

I love his English accent. It's like, most of the time, he sounds very american and just a little hint of a japanese accent, but then certain words he says exactly how a native English speaker would say it. For example, when he said manner. He nailed it! If this is weird and random, I'm learning Japanese and I'm curious about people's accents who are native English speakers speaking japanese and vice versa

[@nicol.7738]

Loool, he’s playing up the typical Hollywood Zen-Samurai accent on purpose. If you hear him explain certain things about the video at the end, he talks fast and much more typical American loool.

[@phoenixx5092]

He sounds super American to me, like Japanese wasn't his first language. He seems to speak in what sounds almost like Hawaii-American dialect. But Japanese can be super perfectionist in their education, he may have just gone to extremes learning it.. Although why he would go `merica pronounciation seems odd. Then again I suppose the USA is relatively popular in Japanese culture.. Or he could be a native that simply grew up in the USA, and returned to Japan.

[@CiabanItReal]

Well he's not a native speaker, though his video makes clear he lived in Michigan for like 6 years.

[@VernonJettlund]

I've been told that my Japanese has a southern accent (Osaka), which makes sense as I spent 6 weeks there so that was where my immersion was. My host mother spoke English taught to her by an Australian, and so she was a Japanese woman speaking English with an Australian accent. It was an experience, lol.

[@letsart6434]

@@VernonJettlund that sounds awesome lol. I'd love to hear both of you speak!

[@nae_on]

As someone with a huge fear of naked people, I am so thankful that there are private onsen too. I really hope I can go on a trip to Japan somewhere in the future

[@Jelissei]

And I wish for you a more relaxed state of mind regarding nudity. Not judging you! I just know how much it helped me learning how to do FKK (nudist beaches in Germany) without feeling bad. It took about three sommers going to those beaches and every year it got easier. But - again - since I don't know your story, I refrain from judging you and instead wish you all the best in one of those private onsens : )

[@nae_on]

@@Jelissei Thank you ^^ I think my gymnophobia (fear of nudity) could be a cause of a childhood trauma. Maybe not, I'm not that sure, although I *have* had some minor incidents. I have a severe phobia of heights too, but I'm not sure about how it developed either, as I was never afraid of heights as a child and even loved carousels. I've never fallen off a high place and injured anything, so I can't imagine, how it started.

[@reconscout2238]

@@Jelissei humans are not supposed to go around naked so fearing to be a naked in front of people you share no intimacy is a evolutionary trait.

[@jay0787]

@@nae_on I have a fear of exposure too. I feel uncomfortable even when I'm just taking off my shirt.

[@kozmo7]

@@jay0787 Yeah, you are not alone. I’m uncomfortable too and it took some great therapy time and patience to be comfortable. All the best and know you are not the only one out there!

[@Freiya2011]

I just love how other people are always taken into consideration! Our Western cultures should really reintroduce that mindset! It would make living together so much more pleasant - and easier!

[@lukasvandewiel860]

In Western saunas the rules are very similar. They are all aimed at making the sauna a pleasant experience for everyone.

[@patrickmccartney7544]

What are talking about? Japanese people dont seem to give a toss about anyone else.

[@Freiya2011]

@@patrickmccartney7544 How long have you been living in Japan?

[@patrickmccartney7544]

@@Freiya2011 4 years next week

[@Lunger77]

Western cultures do take these rules into consideration to a large degree. If you go to a Roman bath or sauna in Germany we have many similar rules.

[@navigator5426]

I like how the rules for onsen are based on respect for others, so I will consider adding that activity to my agenda if I am ever in Japan.

[@JurrBTful]

I can just imagine Shogo-san standing there, in front of the onsen; "I understand that it is quite embarrising....." and all the French, Dutch, German, Danish, Swedish, Icelandic (I can go on), tourists standing there already butt-naked... "Ja Herr Shogo, can we jump in already?" Sauna culture in (most) West-EU countries (I know) is you go nude and it's mixed. And nobody beats an eye, and it's completely normal...

[@ianhelyar9553]

Yeah, he's talking to the Anglos...

[@fxxking_gaijin]

Nah...I'm German and that would be too embarrasing for me.

[@ianhelyar9553]

@@fxxking_gaijin Really? I've seen more naked Germans than I have the rest of the world put together. In my experience, the difficulty is to get you guys to keep your clothes ON!

[@fxxking_gaijin]

​@@ianhelyar9553 Yeah really...being naked in public is in my eyes a no-go... i have the feeling that "FKK" or bathing naked is more common in (ex) Eastern Germnay, but that might be a misconception ...

[@ianhelyar9553]

@@fxxking_gaijin Maybe, most of my FKK friends were at least from further east. Interesting how culture can change so much in one generation.

[@MeijiAcademy]

Shogo-san, thank you for this detailed summary on Japan's wonderful Onsen（温泉）& Sentou（銭湯）Culture♨ Recently a new Onsen Rule called MOKU-YOKU（黙浴）became popular. "Silent Bathing" without talking to other people to prevent the spreading of COVID-19. Happy Bathing everybody!🙌

[@TrungLe-re4yz]

Moku-Yoku really stopped me from bubbling with my friends and focusing on the Onsen experience fully. Everybody seems like meditating in the bathtub these days in Japan. lol

[@skytrail5991]

Visiting an onsen is definitely on my to do list! Your videos always provide useful information, and I want to use them to help plan a trip in the future. I am relieved to hear there are private onsen options; it makes me feel more comfortable since I am overweight.

[@Snofey1]

I’m from Finland and our Sauna culture has many similarities with japanese onsen. In public sauna you have to remember hygiene rules too and bathing suits are not allowed either. So when I first visited onsen during my student exchange, it really wasn’t a problem to undress in front of strangers. My classmate was kind to come with me and explain the rules for me. Without her I wouldn’t have realized that I was expected to cover my tattoo. Luckily I had only one small tattoo that was easy to cover with bandage but that was quite surprising 🤔

[@kanduyog1182]

I hope you don't mind but I often see Finns bring a branch full of leaves into a sauna, what is the branch for?

[@BrandonAEnglish]

Shogo-san, could you explain a little about the ladles near the baths, how to properly use chairs next to the bath, procedures for going from the hot bath to cold bath (and back), and perhaps your thoughts about showering again after finishing? Arigatou gozaimasu!

[@rollinggoronable]

For anyone with tattoos, Mt. Kurama has a pretty nice public onsen. Everyone seemed to at least not mind the tats. Got to have the full experience, which i was scared i wasnt going to be able to do

[@user-cm6tj2he4b]

Thanks for the tip.

[@trollmcclure1884]

Yakuza folks would be like "hold my sake!". I'm sure it's their favorite thing to show their tattoos in public baths.

[@gohalex8352]

I have to the onsen in Japan twice and this is a good video to educate me a 73 year old guy and appreciate this education.

[@championkendall2475]

As a half white/half Japanese male that is currently learning Japanese, I am fully interested in experiencing everything Japan has to offer when I eventually visit from the U.S.. So watching videos like this is completely educational for me. Arigatou gozaimatsu.

[@yorkaturr]

As a Finnish person I was born in a sauna and pretty much grew up in one as well. Onsen etiquette sounds relatable.

[@nintendont064]

Hearing that it's a requirement to shower before entering the onsen relieved a lot of my anxiety of wanting to go to one especially since I have a serious issue contacting anything I consider dirty due to having legitimate obsessive-compulsive disorder. I thought people used the onsen to clean themselves, and I *_really_* didn't want to be in an onsen with people who probably haven't showered in a day or two 😭. I really wish swimming pools and water parks everywhere adopted a similar rule.

[@stevenbauer1664]

I have been wanting to go to japan for a very long time. I’ve been so worried about going because I am a very respectful and responsible person and I wouldn’t want to be disrespectful in any way and I’ve been watching some of your videos and they are very knowledgeable . I hope one day I can go it’s been a dream I’ve had since I was a child to go.

[@teresajenkins9056]

I love your videos...and when I lived in Japan and my dance group went to a ryokan the onsen was divided into male and female so taking off our clothes was not a big issue and we had all age groups of women from their 20's to our Sensei in her 70s...it was so much fun...also the onsen was designed to look like a waterfall coming from a mountain...so there wasn't an issue of entering the onsen at the pouring gate...and I didn't wash my hair going into the onsen...I tied it up on top of my head, we bathed in the evening and again my Sensei woke us up early and we went again in the morning prior to tea and eating pickled plums...we even got to attend a tea ceremony so much fun

[@KungfuKitty602]

I went to an onsen resort in Tokyo. I totally hand my towel in the water, but nearly everyone there did. The pools for the onsen where you had to be naked were only a few inches of water. I got the best night's sleep after going there. So relaxing.

[@ERICxXxPlus]

Your absolutely amazing and doing a great service to share the knowledge of Japanese Culture as well as everything surrounding it! I found you randomly 3 days ago and have started watching every episode you have put out to learn so much of what I love....Japanese Culture! So thank you!

[@Helvetica09]

We have a lot of thermal baths in Switzerland and part of our culture I guess so I an excited to try onsen! I am glad the tattoo thing is getting more and more lifted so I can hopefully go 😌👌

[@matthewriggins9533]

Shogo-san, your channels bring back such good memories of our time living in Aomori prefecture! The endless beauty of Japan, and its people. Living In Aomori Prefecture we discovered three great onsens. First was Tohoku Onsen, famous for its black waters. Second was Motoyu Sarukura Onsen a seasonal I discovered riding my bike on highway 103, and finally a "wild" onesen in the mountains in the Towada Hachimanti National Forest. Thank you for such great content, and bringing back great memories.

[@Rockgodoflegend]

"Be sure to wash your hair before entering the bath." -"Makes sense, yeah." "Never let your hair touch the bathwater, as it might be dirty." -"Hol' up.."

[@shespawntwin1]

Unlike body hair, head hair sheds frequently. As someone with very long hair, my friends and boyfriends have found it everywhere. Imaging going into a bath, and coming out covered in hair THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN. Not only that, but the workers at the bath house have to clean up each day, so imaging cleaning those drains!

[@xtcaudio]

I really love this guys videos. Such a nice soul. I’m curious where he gets his video ideas and where he plans to take the channel. I would like to see a video/videos dedicated to how school, occupations, and holidays differ from the west.

[@robinmacomber9572]

You are an absolutely wonderful presenter Shogo! You should be in cinema if you aren't already :)

[@jant3528]

You’re a really great teacher. Very clear instructions and like the way you explain things. Super helpful. Thank you!

[@annina134]

So, I'm from Finland and we have the sauna culture. We go naked in the sauna and many foreigners don't understand it. But I understand very well those rules you have.

[@blackwings7373]

I learnt a lot from your channel, my dad used to live in Japan-Tokyo He told me a lot about the tradition and culture over there, I sort of fell in love with your culture and katanas

[@MrCyclos1985]

Shogo, is it ok to talk to the people enjoying the Onsen? Or is it rude?

[@Lily-gz3ip]

ofc, casual talks at onsens are nice

[@pokeman6543]

Can't stand noisy talkers in onsens you go there to relax not hear blah blah blah it's actually very rude 🙄

[@mashedpotato8607]

Love learning from these videos, allows me to learn about the culture while I can learn the language from a book at the same time

[@chrisstopper4541]

Curious thought; is the bathing suit rule because of potential dirty/cleanliness issues, or could it be the opposite? The reason I ask is because, when bathing suits are washed with laundry, they tend to absorb the detergent that is used and often time will release that soap back out if placed into hot water. I know a number of hot tube and sauna manufacturers that actually warn about this, because it will clog filters and cause problems in keeping the system running.

[@Ryker2608]

I visited Japan for a month back in 2018, and was absolutely appalled when I came back to the states and realized just how inconsiderate and rude we tend to be. I had culture shock when I arrived in japan AND when I returned home. We really can be quite barbaric in comparison.

[@TheKittengoddess]

LOL. I thought the pouring gate was for people to sit under and enjoy. I hung out under it for most of the time. Oops. Thank you for this tidbit. I won't do it again.

[@michaeljakeusman]

haha that's where the hot water comes, which is a better area to position oneself XD

[@SkaiSharku]

Warning for some standing showers: they are sometimes limited to use for after the bath and not allowed to use shampoo. Also, strangely, the tiny face towel usually suffices in drying your body. I prefer a bigger towel, but if I don't bring one and have to buy one at the onsen, I'll just do with the tiny towel and it works.

[@fishrsa9046]

I'm not sure why KZbin recommends this video to me but I found it very interesting. I'd like to learn more about Japanese culture like this

[@anttikivi]

I love this video, and as well the Japanese culture, everything is in order, I assume we Finnish people in some ways have the somewhat similar culture 🇯🇵💕🇫🇮

[@byronharano2391]

Finland is a neat country. I church brethren has bloodline with Finland and very interesting what he says.

[@LetsaskShogo]

*7:12~ 7. Do not let your hair in the bathtub I apologize that I didn't make it clear enough... "hair" here means the hair growing from the head. Any other body hair wouldn't be considered a problem. And although many of you have pointed out that "public hair" might be more dirty, it's interesting but I think no Japanese have ever even considered that before... Anyways, body hair will not be a problem, only the hair on our heads! So far I've made videos about manners for eating food, and this one about onsen rules. Are there anything else you would like to know more about? ▼Who is Shogo? What is this channel about?▼ kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZoqyiXeGd7mqeZY ▼Related videos in this channel▼ -[Kyoto Hidden Gems] A private ryokan & open-air bath near Kyoto station! Hotel “季楽 藍 Kiraku Ai" kzbin.info/www/bejne/rafco5mIptKsnsk -5 tips for polite Japanese table manners! How to be a better guest at a Japanese restaurant kzbin.info/www/bejne/aF7EZYqunr-tbbM -4 most important things I was taught as a child by my Japanese parents! Kids education in Japan kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4nIg5Sgg5mhhNk ▼MY DREAM▼ “To make every Japan lovers’ dream come true, by making Japan a more secure, comfortable, and safer place for everyone to visit, study, and live in” I will be using the profit I gain from this channel at restaurants, hotels, and cultural facilities in Kyoto to introduce them. The more you watch the videos on this channel, Kyoto and Japan will become a more exciting place, and you can support your own and others’ dreams in the future even more. ▼Join our Membership▼ kzbin.info/door/n7D... ●Membership benefits -Limited behind-the-scene videos -Weekly live stream -Priority reply to comments Every single yen we earn from this membership, we will be donating to groups of people who are fighting to solve social problems in Japan, the Japanese schools where foreign students can study, or use it to spread the works of people working with traditional culture in Japan to preserve the arts they are doing. ▼[Sub-channel] “Shogo’s Podcast”▼ kzbin.info/door/ZAe... Please subscribe!! The perfect channel to learn about Japanese culture and history in your spare time, during your walk to school or work, and when you are cooking or doing house chores. Not only will I be covering the topics in this main channel, but also some topics that you will only be able to enjoy in the sub-channel, like answering questions I receive, and my opinions towards some of the comments. ▼[Listen to the real voices of the Japanese] "Voices from Japan series"▼ … ▼[For YOU traveling to Kyoto] Check out the "Kyoto Hidden Gems" that we introduce▼ kzbin.info/aero/PLp... ▼Instagram▼ instagram.com/lets_ask_sh... *Please ask me questions through the DM here!（⚠️I do not use e-mail） ▼Shogo’s profile▼ Hello everyone, and thank you for watching my videos! I’m Shogo, a Kyoto born & Hiroshima raised Japanese, that grew up in Michigan USA for 6 years, and studied Mandarin in Beijing university for a year! I live in Kyoto now, as I train in Iaido(katana), Sado(tea ceremony), and Noh theatre(traditional stage art). In this channel, you can take a closer look at Japanese traditional culture, tips on traveling to Kyoto, and social problems in Japan. So learners and lovers of Japanese language and culture, be sure to subscribe to enjoy more content! If you enjoyed this video, please hit the LIKE button, and share with your friends and family! My goal is “to achieve 1,000,000 subscribers by January 2023”, so your help would mean a lot!

[@shinyanovikov2502]

If I have to tai my hair back what about short hair stands that are hard to tai back it's a problem very common amoung white people with long hair.

[@senixahaa]

Do you know a youtuber who shows you how to go to different types of restaurants ?

[@RoAnneHendrich87]

Riding trains and taxis if possible. Thank you!

[@ThanatosZero]

In regarding to onsen, the rule with hair touching the water in the bathtube also applies to body hair, correct?

[@melsch8740]

Maybe daytrips from kyoto? I'll be in Kyoto next year for uni, but on a student visa all the neat rail passes will be unavailable for me 😂

[@lucimitchell7273]

I stumbled upon your channel after watching abroad in Japan. Your videos are so calm and incredibly informative. Hope you and your family are having a wonderful new year😊

[@SchroederUSMC]

Shogo, can you discuss the "Dame Gaijin", or no westerners allowed at some onsen. Also, it seems like some would want more clarification on the tattoo ban, and that the rules for tattoos may be changing. I remember PM Abe saying something about being more tolerant when I was there.

[@supernoodles908]

Hmmm depends. I've been in the no westerners allowed places while being white. The key thing was being able to speak pretty good Japanese

[@rainbowskin3379]

I like the fact that you have subtitles in English despite the flawless English

[@PlutoKaron]

I also want to recommend one less touristy place and super fun to get to is Kurama onsen, into the forest north/east of Kyoto. Great cable car drive and the scenery is amazing.

[@moonbaby1723]

I love this culture that thinks not only of themselves but of others near them to the point that there are rules about it!

[@christophg.6339]

So it‘s like a nudist beach with a bunch of rules.

[@ermaga]

this is traditional than that..

[@martialbrother5790]

to me its more like the pool but full on nudity

[@megshimatsu8615]

Typical American mentality.

[@Some_guy_passing_by]

It's more like a nudist swimming pool , but warm. One doesn't want to catch/spread diseases or crear inconvenience; that's why rules are there.

[@ko-Daegu]

@@megshimatsu8615 how did you know he's American ?? also saying it's tradition doesn't make it better anyway

[@lingth]

Explained clearly and easy to understand. I went to an onsen in Hakone area many years ago when i went to Tokyo, and we travelled to Hiroshima and went to a ryokan at Miyajima island, has a lot of deers roaming around.

[@EarthenCavy]

I love that reversing the words Arashiyama into Yamaarashi makes it mean “porcupine.” 🤣💕

[@rainwateringly]

these rules are very reasonable! this has made me much more confident of going to an onsen in the future. the being naked part will be very hard for me, but i can probably do it, and if ican't i will just go into a mixed one, or a private one.

[@douglassmith6663]

The first time I visited Hot Springs in Taiwan I was the only Caucasian there every eye was on me 😂😂 I soon lost my inhibitions,I go every visit to Taiwan every year love it ✌️

[@jasonirwin4631]

Had the same experience when I visited a onsen.

[@mepacrina9291]

This was one of the best tutorial seen on youtube, you have such a talent and teaching skills ! Great job !

[@TheMadameMystique]

Thank you. That was so clear and understandable! And thanks for the recommendation.

[@Turboy65]

I loved my visit to Japan a few years ago and can't wait to do it again. Next time, an onsen visit is on the must do list. No worries about getting naked, I can't wait! I'm fully comfortable naked, around other naked people. Doesn't bother me at all. I actually like it.

[@Teigism]

This was yet again a very informative video, Shogo-san, thank you. And 20.5k more subscribers to meet your goal, you can do it!

[@beringstraitrailway]

The little pause after every word... I_like_it! It makes it easier for me to follow along. But please don't misunderstand me... your English is perfect. It's just that... I never realized how fast everyone around me usually talks, until now! 😁

[@gabem6863]

I've been to Japan a few times and alway looked forward to enjoying an onsen. The first time went was with a tour group. I was the only one who was willing to use it. I had no problem and felt no embarrassment- when in Japan, do as the Japanese people. I usually try to book at ryokans or hotels that have one so I can enjoy it across my entire time travelling. I did have an incident one time when I had bathed and was sitting in the water. A Japanese man came and went straight into the tub. I got up and left right away. Was it laziness or inconsideration or both?

[@feyfey4768]

Idk why but your voice is just so calming to me , and your videos are always sooo interesting and fun!

[@whythosenames]

I dont know how I came to this video, but you introduced japan in a great way! Now I really want to go to an onsen or to japan, exploring new cultures

[@nightcoresenpai1813]

I love the simp reaction of when I reveal who I really am... Your peace of mind is of my utmost concern, so I am discreet. 😁

[@sparkymularkey6970]

Thank you so much for this video! I have always wanted to go to an onsen, but I have a tattoo and I was always uncertain of the rules, so the idea of going made me very nervous. Now I know how to enjoy the onsen properly, and I now know that there are options available even for people who have tattoos! ^_^

[@R7Rolan1]

I don't know if I'll ever visit Japan (I would like to), but if I do I'll definitely love to try going to an onsen. Thank you for the video.

[@Dr_V]

I'm European and it sounds a bit odd to me that you need to explain these rules in such detail. Besides the fully naked thing they're pretty much the same with public swimming pool rules. You change into your swimsuit in a locker room area, than go bathe, than swim, than take another shower if you want to (many do, because of the high chlorine concentration in swimming pools), than go back to the locker room to get dressed. Nobody dips towels in swimming pools either and the main reason behind wearing a swimming helmet is to avoid shedding hair into the water. It's common sense hygiene, shouldn't require that much explaining.

[@stephenstonge7968]

You say this, but too many people don't know to shower before the pool.

[@fahmiadlisulthani3275]

@@stephenstonge7968 i agree. Many people don't really care about shower their body first before jump into the pool. That's why detailed explanation is crucial

[@ghostratsarah]

I've never seen anyone outside of sports wear a cap- and I've only heard their purpose being described in terms of sports practicality. Especially women, they go to the pools to mostly show off, defeats the purpose of you cover your hair. Note, I am a woman, and I'm not calling out other women for vanity. That's just how it is. Unless you're there for sports, classes, or your friends dragged you, you're there to show off. There really isn't any other reason to pack like a sardine into a concoction of urea, hydrochloric acid, and a bit of water with some fecal matter. That's why pools in the US are pure chlorine.

[@Dr_V]

@@ghostratsarah Well, I'm a man and the only reason I go to a swimming pool is to swim, as a work out routine, and most people there do the same regardless of gender. The cap does help with speed, but in hobby swimming its main purpose is pool hygiene. To be completely fair I wasn't thinking about small dipping pools like those at some clubs or hotels, but actual swimming pools (at least 25m/80ft long). Although since this f*ing pandemic I swim mostly in lakes, as most sports pools are closed to the general public.

[@beorngare]

No, it is completely different. 1st the water temperature is waaaaaaay hotter in japan. And it is a kind of ritual. In onsens, you go wash your body and spirit. In european bath.... you just go to have a dip in the water, enjoye saunas etc... i'm a frequent user in switzerland and, frankly, you cannot comparewith the experience of an onsen.

[@TOM-ph7xy]

Very clear explanation. Your english pronounciation is very good. Thanks for sharing the knowledge about onsen and japanese common culture to fully understand why everything is handled like you have explained. When i come to japan onsen is my nr.1 on the list. You got one more subscriber and thumb up from my side :) . Good luck with your goal

[@Papersak]

"A little worried" was an understatement 😆 I've been to Japan 3 times and have been afraid of improperly using an onsen. Even my sister who studied there for a year would only go with a resident. But I didn't even know there were swimsuit baths, seemed like an anime myth haha I guess my other concern is, being American on an American diet, I have a lot more weight than other women. 😖 I wonder how much I'd stand out just for that...

[@PG-ml5rf]

Hi there, I’ve been to hotel onsens and local sentos throughout Japan. As a foreigner, I have found that onsens and sentos are one of the most body-affirming experiences. No one cares. You’ll be bathing with people of all ages, body shapes and sizes. You’ll have old grandmas, housewives around you at the local ones. At hotels, you’ll have other foreigners like us, and we come in all body types, too. No one is bothered. At first, you will be nervous, that’s just normal. Speaking to other women from overseas, they have all said they felt more judgement at their local gym than at an onsen as a foreigner with Japanese locals. They felt more at ease at the sento/onsen, despite being a foreigner, thinking they would stand out, the Japanese women just want to relax, practice self care and bathe. Of course, every experience is different, but this has been the overwhelming response from all the foreigners (including men) who I’ve spoken to, so I truly hope you do try it. Taking the care and time to slowly clean oneself at the shower area even before getting into the bath is very soothing and calming. It has become a very meditative part of my self care.

[@neilhosler9001]

Thanks for the clear cultural tidbit bits I am also impressed at you clear English and effort:)

[@davidragan9233]

They are all common sense when explained (Thank you), although the one I might have the most trouble remembering is #5 (Probably because this and the last one are the newest etiquette rules that have been explained to me.) and I have a tendency to turned around easily. ;p

[@davidcorreia6251]

I loved Japan but unfortunately I never got to experience an Onsen, but I will go back. Thank you for your explanations.

[@squarefenix9694]

I remember my first time being asked by a friend to go to an onsen, literally after dinner out of nowhere. I was like SURE! But on the way there, I used gogglefu and found out about onsen and realized that I had to be naked at the onsen. I asked and he said yes. Immediately I told him I wasn't feeling well, hahahah even though I'm much more muscular than most I still find the whole no towel thing as a ridiculous excuse to just see humans naked.

[@Lubin-md4ml]

You should visit Sweden and Finland someday because they have similar rules like the onsen, although not as strict, where you are naked in a sauna with other people naked and enjoying a temperature of around 80°C together :) And even in Finland they whip each other with oak branches which is hilarious😂 I long to visit both Finland and Japan one day😍🇫🇮🇯🇵

[@bluefox8011]

I recently found your channel and I enjoy your voice. After a long day at work I feel calm listening to you.

[@robinb312]

One thing that I always felt makes sense but don't know if it's really a rule or not, is after the shower, when available, to pour some onsen water on yourself with the scoop before entering the bath. Definitely not something everybody does, but I've seen some people do it, and I like to do it, makes sense to me: not bringing some normal shower water into the ofuro. What do you think ?

[@jedisupersaiyan3]

Here in January 2022 and you have 758,000 subscribers, you really beat your goal of 100,000! Great video, thanks for sharing!

[@garrickpahl631]

I wanted to know if you are an amputee and you need crutches to get around how would you go about go into the onsen cause it’s essentially the same as wearing shoes into the onsen

[@Gzussss]

That'S a good question. My guess is you either have someone help you or leave the crutches on the ledge of the pool? A wheelchair would be very difficult though.

[@lenhummel5614]

Thank you. Very helpful and sensible. Love Japanese culture and their simple kindness & consideration of others.

[@orkyo]

Can we get a video on Shrine maidens? 🙏🙏🙏

[@AngelaMerici12]

Yes!! I would like a video talking about miko's clothing.

[@kairinase]

Yeah... what secrets are they keeping?

[@kaminana144na2]

I wonder if the fascination in Miko is similar to the western nun fetish to them.

[@leavewe]

@@kaminana144na2 at least nuns are adults

[@SilentAndy]

U just wanna see some, weirdo. There's sites for watching nude bods in action. 🙄

[@LightDragonSlayer]

I wish to visit Japan for a long time now and Kyoto was always on my list to visit. And I wanted to try an onsen to. Now I have an Adresse to go. Thank you!

[@Twoface698]

Weird question, but how does one wash his butt with these sitting shower arrangements?

[@stephenbrowne3399]

You can raise up a bit in a squat, tilt sideways a bit or just stand and do it while watching out for shower overspray. Some places have discreet alcoves to wash.

[@kansasthunderman1]

Most of the toilets in japan have a "Bidet" to wash your butt ans it's not done in the shower.

[@chamllis]

Hole in the seat just shove the handle up the hole

[@gamegirl181]

@@chamllis for real? :)) i ve never considered that lmao

[@chamllis]

@@gamegirl181 you haven’t experienced life until you had a bidet with a jets mode.

[@Officialencode]

You have such a soothing voice 😯👌🏾

[@mauriciopinedagarcia2114]

why did i get this recommended? man i just wanna finish study but the procrastination tho

[@nestorvillarrubia2002]

Well, if you go to procrastinate, Why no do it with a relaxing long hot bath?

[@chunellemariavictoriaespan8752]

Same... 2nd year in college here...

[@diegofianza3525]

Shogo-san!!! Currently, I’m visiting Japan, and I’m very grateful for your very informative videos!!!

[@diegofianza3525]

And I’m about to visiting my hotel’s onsen. Thanks for this video and all the others.

[@orkyo]

4:32 Shogo-san is a time travel confirmed.🙏🙏🙏

[@darrendavid7613]

All these rules make me suki Japan more! All their rule truly care about the other people🥰 Definitely will travel to Japan one day♥️

[@kk6aw]

Only thing I remember about Kyoto was it was very cold. I friend and I took a Volkswagen van from Yokosuka Naval Base to Kyoto, we slept in the van, actually shivered all night. In the morning it felt like I was walking on blocks of ice rather than feet. This was 1959

[@CrowTenguOfBunbunmaru]

Definitely saving this video if I head to Japan. Might be useful.

[@davejob630]

Thankyou for your presentation. As an Australian of Scots descent, I wonder how do Japanese people feel about foreigners with body hair? Is this offensive to them in this context? Thankyou in advance for your consideration.

[@Nekosasunaru1]

I've been trying to look for a handicap accessible place for a while and this place looks amazing. Thank you for all the tips

[@riverotter68]

It's like he's trying to make up sign language as he talks

[@davidtesler1198]

I have been to Japan many times and I love it.

[@kendallcaminiti-hess2243]

Thanks for the rules about the Osen...however, I am a bit concerned about being overweight and *naked* in the public area(s). I would be concerned that someone may either give me a "dirty" look or say something...is that something I should be concerned and/or worried about?

[@EucalyptusHigh]

Indeed, this onsen is in my bucketlist

[@lawlietway]

I love the way you wrap up everything at the end. However, I have a few tattoos, then I wouldn't be able to enter any public ♨？

[@michaeljakeusman]

just go to where the yakuza do onsen XD

[@pgmusgrave]

Plenty of onsen these days are ok, just check on the website first. (Use chrome and the auto translate). Particularly the foreigner friendly ones are often ok. Also some will let you if you put a large skin coloured patch over them which can be purchased at some stores here (though if you have darker skin tones then you won’t be able to find anything the right colour)

[@elementalheroneos2757]

Those are great rules to keep in mind I might have rewatch this video later to remind myself

[@lindadaheim3412]

All of these rules seem to be common politeness to me. I was very surprised to hear that it would be problematic to have tattoos, I really would not have thought about that. Many Europeans are tattooed today.

[@emilymccarty6343]

Thank you I didn't know all of them.

[@JehielLyreLMalan]

I wonder how are onsens faring in the middle of the pandemic?

[@pgmusgrave]

Most stayed open, some limited the numbers of people though.

[@magripinop]

He is so eloquent and greatly structured lecture.

[@andreanatsuminadeau5608]

It's fun to see that even if it need to do more research and might cost a bit more there is private onsen, not because I'm shy but rather because I'm transgender and entering a non-mixed gender area naked with both "male" and "female" part would be problematic and embarrassing one side or the other and taking a bath with a bathing suit (in a mixed onsen) is not an option for me either so thanks for the private ones. :D

[@helloitismetomato]

I used to live in a cheap capsule hotel with a sento/sauna for about a year (really). I've seen tons of foreigners there, and what stood out to me is that it's mostly people from the UK who had a problem getting naked around other people. Although by far most people did not care regardless of where they were from. Funny thing is quite a few Japanese people there dipped their towels in the cold bath to take into the sauna. Partly because the sauna was a sweltering 120ºC and most people can't stand being in there for more than 5-10 minutes at a time. But you know, it was a cheap sauna, quite a few people visiting it were actually homeless and slept in the sento's relaxation room every night (they had special discount all-month tickets), so it's totally understandable they would just do whatever is most comfortable for them in what was basically their "house". Unfortunately I haven't been able to visit and see them for a while due to the pandemic.