KK Day 3 Japanese Onsen Culture

The deeply rooted ritual of communal bathing in Onsen hot springs is serious, segregated business in Japan valued for relaxation, healing and social bonding intertwined with sacred Shinto purification beliefs and connection with nature. Samurai frequented them to heal wounds and recover from fatigue in mineral-rich waters. In modern times no tattoos linked with yakuza are allowed, although tourism has impacted this taboo. Carol and I were taking our friendship to a new level…

We entered the ‘Women Only’ shoji door decorated with Hokusai’s ‘Great Wave’ in pink, showering before slipping discretely into the bath. We greeted the Tassie pair and since no washcloth was allowed to touch and depurify the Onsen water, it took ‘show us your map of Tasmania’ quite literally. The hot water had a rotten egg smell, natural crystallised mineral deposits of sulphur on the surrounding rocks and sloppy ‘hot spring flowers’ floating around us - all signs of a good sulphur Onsen. This was the moment we were 🎵’turning Japanese, I really think so’.🎵Lue lisää