The majority of onsen in Japan are single-sex establishments. It isn’t surprising either, as you have to be naked once inside the natural spring water. This wasn’t always the case, however. Men and women traditionally bathed together.
These days, it is a lot more common to have men- and women-only onsen. While mix-gendered (konyoku) onsen do exist, they are not the easiest type of onsen to find. Also, while one onsen may allow a bathing suit, most still require both sexes to be naked.
Fortunately, if you are wanting to bathe with your opposite-sex partner, then you can book a private onsen. If this is something you are looking to do, read on to find out our advice for couples when it comes to booking a private onsen.
Why Book A Private Onsen As A Couple?
There are many reasons why you might want to book a private onsen as a couple. While one of you might be fine bathing naked in front of people, the other person may be too shy.
You also might not be able to find a konyoku in the area of Japan that you are visiting. Booking a private onsen means that you can both enjoy the experience together – and in peace.
It allows you both to have time to relax without other naked bathers around you. But not only that, perhaps one of you has tattoos. You can hide your tattoos in a private onsen. Sometimes they are even allowed due to you not being in public with them.
What Actually Is A Private Onsen?
A private onsen is often referred to as kazoku buro or kashikiri buro in Japanese. It is a place where a guest or guests can enjoy a small bath on their own.
While the bath itself is a lot smaller than a regular onsen, the luxury of bathing in private is the selling point. However, you will need to pay for this benefit – but that’s usually a price worth paying.
The latter is often a great choice, because it means you do not have to stay the night. Though, the option to stay at a ryokan is great too if you have found an area you want to visit for a couple of days.
How Much Might A Private Onsen Cost?
The cost of a private onsen all depends on the pricing system of the onsen itself. If you are wanting to know a rough estimate, then you are looking at between 1500 yen to 10000 yen for every hour spent bathing.
There are a number of onsen in Beppu that offer cheaper private onsen if you are on a budget. Beppu itself is known for onsen, so this is no surprise.
You may also want to seek out the secret onsen in Beppu known as Hebin Yu. While not a private onsen, it is free and is a small onsen that is quiet compared to a commercial establishment.
How Do You Book The Use Of A Private Onsen?
Depending on the private onsen you use, will depend on how you book it. Some onsen allow you to book over the phone or the internet. Others may be a first come first serve kind of basis.
When it comes to the latter, you may want to arrive early to secure your place. When you book a private onsen, you may get the choice of which bath to use. When booking over the internet, you may get to choose via a picture.
If you book in person, there is often a monitor that shows you the pictures instead. If you do not get to choose, it likely means there is only one type available. Once booked, then you will pay an hourly rate beginning from the start time chosen.
How Should You Use A Private Onsen?
Just like with a lot of things when it comes to an onsen, each establishment has its own rules and ways of working. Some onsens will supply you with a tag made out of wood which you then hang on the door.
This shows other people that your bathing room is occupied and makes sure to keep it private. A staff member will take you to the onsen too. Other onsen may have a coin machine.
This works by placing coins into the machine to allow the bath to fill with clean spring water. You should then treat the onsen as if you would a regular onsen. That means respecting the sanitary conditions.
For example, tying the hair up, wearing no makeup, cleaning yourself beforehand, and not putting the towel into the water. You will also need to bathe naked – so there will be no point taking a bathing suit.
Once you learn the basic rules of using an onsen, you can relax and enjoy the skin and mental benefits of being in the hot spring water. Even better, you can enjoy all of this alongside your partner too.
What Do You Say In Japanese To Use A Private Onsen?
If you are attending an onsen that isn’t a well-known and commercial establishment, you may need to brush up on your Japanese language skills. Because of this, it is handy to learn some useful phrases that may help when booking a private onsen.
I want to enter the private bath – “Kazoku buro ni hairitai desu.”
You can then also change the first part of the sentence with:
Indoor bath – “uchi buro”
Outdoor bath – “Roten buro”
Can You Wear A Towel In A Private Onsen?
You should treat a private onsen the same way as you would a public onsen. That means not wearing a towel once inside the hot spring water. You may wear a towel beforehand. However, the beauty of a private onsen is that you are on your own.
That means no strangers to feel embarrassed in front of. You will feel a lot more comfortable about being naked, especially if it is just you and your partner.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking to enjoy an onsen experience in Japan, then you may want to go down the private route. While more expensive, you do get the luxury of privacy.
Not only that, a private onsen often allows you to share with people who are of the opposite sex. This means that you can relax and enjoy an onsen together, rather than being forced to be separate.
While you do get privacy, you will still need to respect the onsen. The spring water is beneficial and healthy, so you will need to avoid wearing a towel. In fact, the towel should not enter the water at all.
A private onsen is also very straightforward to book and use. The hardest part will be choosing a bath to enjoy – they are all so wonderful. However, you will want to choose a bath that gives you the all-round onsen experience that you are after.
Hi, I’m Jason Patrick, and for as long as I have been alive, I have been obsessed with Japanese culture. From the sights and sounds of Japan’s many cities to its culinary delights that have become famous worldwide, I simply cannot get enough of this wonderful nation!
I hope that, by exploring this website, you all will develop a much deeper appreciation for Japan, and that it may even influence you to pay it a visit yourself eventually! It is definitely a trip of a lifetime, and whether you experience it firsthand, or through my own website, I’m sure you will become just as passionate as I always have been!
