If you are hoping to visit an onsen, you might be wondering if you can wear a towel. Afterall, it is very likely that you will need to undress fully to spend time in one. As a tourist, it comes as no surprise that this question is on your mind.
Not everyone will feel comfortable being nude in front of strangers. So, can you wear a towel in an onsen? No, you cannot wear a towel in an onsen. However, the reason this may confuse you is because some onsens offer you the chance to rent a towel.
They may also offer you what is called a ‘modesty towel’. To find out more about towel etiquette in an onsen, read on.
What Is The Reason Behind Not Being Allowed To Wear A Towel Into An Onsen?
Most owners of onsens want to keep their hot spring water as natural as possible. While the government allows them to use chemicals to clean the water, most owners do not want to use such a thing.
Keeping the spring water natural and toxin-free allows the benefits of the onsen water to be at its highest. Having to add chemicals may affect a person’s skin, for example eczema. It will also take away some of the goodness that the spring water offers.
Making sure it is in its purest form allows it to work better on those who visit. For this reason, towels are not allowed into the water. Towels can harbor bacteria, which if dipped into the water might spread.
Before you get into the warm spring water at an onsen, you clean yourself off first in a separate room. However, who knows when that towel was last cleaned?
Out of respect for the onsen, never put a towel into the spring water. You will want to make sure it stays clean for everybody else.
Can You Use A Towel To Cover Yourself In An Onsen?
The majority of people are likely to feel very nervous about bathing naked in front of strangers. Because of this, you can use a modesty towel. Some onsens also allow you to wear a towel around your waist before getting into the water.
Even so, this is on a case-by-case basis. Always ask beforehand. A modesty towel is very small. Most people place it in front of themselves as they travel from the changing room to the bath.
However, do not be surprised if some people choose not to use the towel at all. This kind of towel is so small that you can not wear it around your waist. Instead, the only option is to hold it in front of anywhere you want to hide.
However, you need to remove it before getting into the spring water. The towel itself should not touch the water for hygiene reasons – and the same goes with your hair too (so tie it up if it’s long).
You can then drape the towel onto rocks or somewhere else dry that is next to the water. You can also place it on your head, or use it to wipe away sweat.
Can Women Wear A Towel In An Onsen?
Single sex onsens are often naked bathing only. Onsen owners want to minimize the amount of bacteria that may go into the spring water as much as possible. However, this rule changes when it comes to mix-gendered (konyoku) bathing.
It is often a lot more popular when it comes to tourists, rather than the Japanese locals themselves. When it comes to konyoku bathing, each onsen has their own rules.
If you are planning to bathe as a mixed group, you may want to find out the rules beforehand. Some konyoku onsens allow bathing suits to be worn. While others may allow the women to wear a towel, and the men to still be naked.
Even so, the women will need to remove the towel before entering the water. You may also struggle to find a mix-gender onsens in Tokyo too, so it is worth looking further afield.
If you are planning a trip to enjoy konyoku, you will need to respect the rules of sharing a bath with the opposite gender. It is considered very rude to stare at a person. You should also not flirt and chat anyone up.
Is It Okay To Take A Large Towel Into An Onsen?
Large towels are generally not allowed into an onsen. Again, this is not the case for all onsens. Some do allow you to take a large towel. However, this is normally to dry yourself off, rather than wear.
The towel itself is not allowed to touch the hot spring water. A larger towel is more likely to do so. If you have a small towel with you, your best bet is to keep it as dry as possible.
You can use it to cover yourself as much as you can when you are out of the spring water. You can also place it next to you on any rocks or the side of the bath during your time in the onsen.
However, you may need it to dry yourself off afterwards in the changing room before you leave.
What Should You Do If You Drop Your Towel Into An Onsen?
It is not unusual to want to use a towel in an onsen. More often than not, an onsen may allow you to rent or bring a small modesty towel. You can use it to wipe away any sweat on your face while enjoying the warm water.
However, there may come a time when you accidentally drop it into the spring water. If this does happen, remove it immediately. Once done so, ring it out away from the bath itself. Never ring the water back into the natural spring water.
Either do it outside of the bath or onto the rocks. While accidents do happen, it is more respectful to ring the water away from the bath water.
Final Thoughts
Being naked in a bath full of strangers can be a daunting affair. However, it can also be a once in a lifetime experience. Understanding the towel etiquette at an onsen is often very confusing.
While you can wear a modesty towel to cover yourself, it should not be used within the spring water. Wearing your towel in a bath is disrespectful. This is because it can add bacteria to the water.
Onsen owners want to keep their spring water as pure as possible without the need for chemicals. The only time you can use a towel is to cover yourself once out of the bath.
However, you can also use the small modesty towel to wipe sweat off your skin or wear it on your head. Just make sure it never ends up in the water. If it does end up in the water by accident, remove it.
You will then need to ring out the excess water on a rock or outside of the bath. If you are ever in doubt about the towel rules at an onsen, never be afraid to ask. You never know, the rules might be different.
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!
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