Hey there! I’m a guy who’s lived in Sapporo for a good while now, you know, got some history here. Thanks a bunch for coming all the way to Sapporo and Hokkaido! Really appreciate it.
Since you’re in Hokkaido, you really have to experience a Japanese onsen, a hot spring. Guidebooks are okay, of course, but they can be a bit… standard, like a textbook. Here, I want to talk to you relaxed, like a friend, about what onsen are really like, and how to enjoy them from the perspective of someone who’s lived here a long time like me.
Let’s skip the formalities. I’ll talk to you in a friendly, laid-back way, so just relax and read. If you read this, I think your onsen experience will be even more fun and become an unforgettable memory.
Hokkaido’s Onsen: What’s So Great About Them?
First off, a Japanese onsen isn’t just any bath, you know? Since ancient times, it’s been a special place to heal tired bodies and cleanse yourself. Hokkaido, in particular, is blessed with rich nature, and there are wonderful onsen everywhere you look. Deep in the mountains, overlooking the sea… the atmosphere is totally different depending on the location.
The main point is really to warm up slowly and relax deep down in your core. Also, with an open-air bath (rotenburo), enjoying the scenery around you while soaking is just the ultimate luxury. After a long day of traveling and walking, an onsen truly does wonders for your body.
The real local truth here is, for Hokkaido, especially in winter, the charm of onsen is the “snowy landscape.” It’s crisp and cold outside, but you’re warm up to your neck in the hot water. Steam is rising all around, and in front of you is a pure white, snowy scene… This is something beyond words, truly the best. It’s like a simple hot and cold bath combo that really invigorates you, and you feel like you have the entire landscape to yourself. This is a special experience unique to Hokkaido that you really can’t get easily on Honshu or other places. If you get a chance to come in winter, you really gotta try it.
Okay, Let’s Head to the Onsen! What to Know Before You Go In
Once you arrive at the onsen facility, first go to the reception. After paying the fee, you’ll head to the changing room, but before that, there are a couple of things I want you to pause and think about.
・What about valuables? Basically, putting them in a locker with a key in the changing room is the safest bet. There are usually lockers for big bags and smaller ones for valuables like wallets and phones. Sometimes you’ll need a 100-yen coin to use the locker, so it’s a good idea to have a few with you. Most of the time, the 100 yen comes back to you when you unlock it, so don’t worry about it.
・What if I have tattoos? This is something I especially want visitors from overseas to know. In Japan, historically, tattoos (irezumi) have been associated with groups like yakuza or gangsters. So, unfortunately, in many public baths and onsen facilities, people with tattoos are refused entry. This is really to avoid making other customers feel intimidated or uneasy. Honestly, I’d say less than 1% of public baths across Japan allow tattoos. This is a kind of manners or customary rule to ensure everyone can relax in a shared space like an onsen.
However, attitudes towards tattoos are slowly changing these days, and with more visitors from abroad, some hotels and ryokans might allow them, or allow them if you cover them up. So, if you have tattoos, the most certain thing to do is check with the facility you plan to visit beforehand or ask honestly at the front desk. It’s really important to do this to avoid any unpleasant situations.
From the Changing Room to the Bath Area: Time for Onsen! Basic Etiquette
After you take off your clothes, it’s time for the bath area! But there are a few manners here too. Don’t overthink it, but knowing them helps everyone enjoy the space comfortably.
・What should I do with towels? Regarding the towels you bring into the bath area, it’s standard practice to leave your large bath towel in the changing room. The only towel you bring into the actual bathing area is the smaller face towel. You use this face towel for washing your body (or for using with the provided soap) and also to put on your head or cover yourself when you’re in the tub. A crucial manners point is to keep this face towel out of the bathtub! You can put it on the edge of the tub or rest it on your head. And definitely do NOT wring out your towel over the tub so the water goes in! If you need to wring it, do it outside the tub area, maybe at the washing station.
・Do I need shampoo or soap? Most hotels, ryokans, and larger onsen facilities that tourists usually visit are well-equipped with basic amenities like shampoo, body soap, and conditioner, which you can use freely. So, most of the time, you don’t need to bring anything yourself.
However, if you’re adventurous and want to visit a small, local public bath (sentō) for a deeper experience, there’s a chance you might need to bring your own shampoo, soap, and even towels. These places are used by local residents every day, so some of them have that kind of style. If you’re unsure, it’s best to ask your hotel staff before you go or check directly with the staff at the sentō.
・Wash your body thoroughly before entering the tub In Japanese onsen and sento, it’s a basic manners rule to wash your body cleanly before you get into the bathtub. Even just doing a quick rinse is fine, but showering thoroughly with soap before entering the tub helps keep the hot water clean for everyone else to enjoy. It’s a really important manners point for keeping the water hygienic.
…Well, having said that, the real local truth is, honestly, some local guys might just do a quick rinse or even jump straight in sometimes (lol). But, everyone’s here to relax, so it’s best if we all try to use the facilities cleanly, right?
Inside the Onsen: Manners for Enjoying Your Soak
Okay, time to finally hop into the tub! But even here, there are a few manners to keep in mind for a pleasant soak.
・Enjoy it quietly and relax The onsen is a place where everyone comes to relieve their daily fatigue. So, shouting loudly or constantly chatting in a loud voice is a bit of a manners violation, you know? Basically, it’s a place where everyone comes to relax quietly. I recommend just soaking in the hot water quietly, enjoying the surrounding scenery, and listening to your body.
・Absolutely no swimming! This is something you seriously must not do. This isn’t a swimming pool; it’s a place for relaxing by soaking in hot water. If you swim or make big splashes, the people around you will seriously dislike it. Seriously. Even among locals, only really small kids might do it, but even they’ll get told off by their parents or get a lot of disapproving stares from others. This is an absolute NG, a major manners violation in Japanese onsen.
The purpose is always to “warm up slowly and rest your body, cleanse yourself, enjoy the atmosphere, or heal from travel fatigue,” so please enjoy soaking quietly.
Enjoying Hokkaido Style: Snowy Open-Air Baths (Rotenburo)
Especially if you’re visiting onsen in Hokkaido or Sapporo, something you absolutely have to experience is the “rotenburo,” the open-air bath. And in winter, entering one while looking at the snowscape! This is truly the best.
Outside, the air is crisp and cold, but you’re submerged in warm water up to your neck. Steam is rising all around, and you’re gazing at a picture-perfect snowy scene. This contrast between the cold outside and the warmth inside is just incredible. It’s like a simple hot and cold therapy that makes your body feel refreshed, and you feel like you have the vast landscape all to yourself. It’s truly a luxurious time, so I really hope you get to enjoy it.
By the way, Jozankei Onsen Town, located about an hour’s drive from Sapporo, is a popular hot spring area with many ryokan and hotels. You can enjoy many wonderful open-air baths there too. If you’d like to know more about what kind of onsen area it is, be sure to check out this article too!
Post-Onsen Treat!
After warming up your body thoroughly in the onsen, get out of the tub and head to the changing room. At this time, there’s another little manners point.
・Dry your body thoroughly before going to the changing room If your body is still wet, the floor of the changing room will get soaked, right? So that the next person can use it comfortably, please dry off the water droplets on your body thoroughly with the provided towel or your face towel before leaving the bath area for the changing room. This is everyone’s manners for keeping the changing room clean.
And then, the best moment after the onsen! For Japanese people, the image is often “milk” or “beer” (lol). Gulping down a cold milk or sipping a beer specially for after the bath makes you feel like, “Ah, it’s good to be alive!” If you go to a slightly nicer “Super Sento” (large-scale public bath complex) or a ryokan/hotel, there should be vending machines or a small shop inside the changing room or on the same floor, so please give it a try if you like. It really makes the onsen experience complete.
Summary
So, how was that guide to enjoying and the manners of Hokkaido’s onsen? There are a few rules, but they’re just there so everyone can have a comfortable time. It’s not difficult at all, and basically, it’s just about “relaxing while being considerate of the people around you.”
Maybe these aren’t in the guidebooks, but I’ve tried to tell you some little tips and the real truth that only someone who’s lived here a long time like me can share. I hope this helps make your Hokkaido onsen experience richer and more wonderful.
Enjoy the abundant blessings of nature in Hokkaido’s onsen, learn a little about Japanese manners, heal your daily fatigue, and make the best memories! We’ll be waiting for you in Sapporo!
