Japanese natural hot-spring bath. Public or private. Nudity required and gender-segregated.
Definition: Japanese natural hot-spring bath. Public or private. Nudity required and gender-segregated.
Onsens are Japan's volcanic-fed hot spring baths. Found everywhere mountains touch the surface. Strict etiquette: shower thoroughly before entering, no swimwear (you bathe naked), no tattoos (yakuza association — though changing). Most ryokans have private onsens; public ones are gender-separated. Cost: $5-$15 for a public onsen.