Mikokuyu: The Japanese Bathhouse

I left Michael at the apartment to go on a little night time adventure to a local bathhouse about a 10 minute walk from the apartments. It's so crazy that our neighbourhood is so chill that you can wander about at night and almost hear a pin drop. It's lovely.

I really like bathing, and Japan is full of onsens and bathhouses. However, I have a giant tattoo on my back, which means that about 98% of onsens and bathhouses are no go zones. Alas, there are two bath houses within walking distance from our apartment that are tattoo friendly.

I have no qualms getting naked around other naked women (Michaels very not keen to be naked around other naked men) so this was a solo adventure and essentially became monkey see, monkey do. You take your shoes off at the front and put them in a locker, purchase a ticket from a vending machine (this bathhouse is only 750 yen entry and towel hire, which is about 7.20AUD), head up to the women's floor, pick a locker, get naked, dump your stuff, then head out and wash yourself on little buckets with soap, and then go to the bathing area.

This bathhouse had black natural spring, so all the really hot baths were black. Some of them were obscenely hot. I went in a 42 degree in for a bit and could only get my legs in, so decided that wasn't for me. It also had some really cool cubicle style baths, where it's one big bath but divided into cubicles with spa jets. This slapped. Nothing better than kicking back with a bunch of jets in your back and glutes.

The highlight was the outdoor black hot spring. It was lovely and warm but not boiling, and having the winter air glaze over... Absolute bliss.

Once done, it's back to the little buckets you go to wash yourself again, with a lot of ladies bringing their own haircare and skincare and going to town, and then you dry off with your towel, get dressed, and head back the way you came.

I came out of it as red as Michaels ramen from dinner, but I am absolutely going to sleep like a log tonight. I felt my muscles pulsing, so happy to be there. Will definitely go at least once more, as they are open until 3am in the morning each day. It was a wide range of women, with a few women like me who were western and had tattoos, a few younglings, and then a heap of Japanese local middle aged and elderly women.Read more