Onsen Experience

cpuer

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Just want to share some onsen experiences as a first timer.

I have never had a chance to do the traditional Japanese onsen before. Though I planned for one in last year but last minute cancelled it due to the incessant rain of the night that we intend to go visit one at our neighborhood. It was a sento though, not onsen.

This year, helped by the Osaka Amazing pass, 2 onsen was listed as "free". So I decided to go for these 2 for a start. They are namely:

Naniwanoyu:
?????

Spa Suminoe
?????????

We went first to Naniwano yu in the morning. Its quite easy to reach from its nearest station 天神橋筋六丁目駅(tenjinbashisujiRokuchome) where the long Tenjinbashi Suji shopping street is right in front. After walking pass a sub campus of Osaka Uni and a columbarium we found Naniwanoyu. It's housed in a multistory building roof top.

Before reaching there. all 5 of us were a bit apprehensive. As these are our first time going naked in the public. Among all, I felt the least intimated as I will be going in myself as the only male. The rest though are related but I guess they have not seen each other naked bodies before.:)

So after putting our shoes into the shoe lockers and let the staff scanned our Amazing Pass, we went into our respective section of the changinga area. As I stepped into the male section, I was greeted with many male of all ages walking around care freely in their birthday suit. No one make any eye contacts. Spotted a few chatting away as they undress.

After adjusting myself a few seconds with these sights and my mind getting used to these naked bodies, I am stripping off myself. Though clumsily due to shyness, I managed to undress and becoming part of the nakedness of the place. took a deep breath and wiping away the steam accumulated over my specs with my only small towel in hand, I walked to the wash area adjacent to the onsen.

The wash area provides bath lotion and hair shampoo. One stool and one bucket. And there's a warm water hose too. using what was provided, I cleaned myself up. before entering the onsen(there are a few indoor and a few outdoor ones), I warmed my body up by splashing some onsen water on myself. Then I choose one pool and slowly dip myself inside. First just up to my tummy then slide myself into till the water reached my neck/chest. I rest my towel on my head, but realized the locals are usually leaving it on the side of pool then on their heads, I also did the same like them. By now, all the shyness had disappear and I really started to enjoy the onsen and the experience. And after trying out all the pools indoor, I tried the outdoor ones. Surprisingly, I didn't feel that cold when I stepped into the Mid Dec winter. The onsen has actually warmed my body up so much to handle the cold outdoor. In total, we spent about 1hr there. The first onsen experience was memorable and a personal triumph overcoming shyness. And this experience was so good that I was looking out for onsen for the rest of my travel around Kansai.

Total onsen visited this time was regrettably only 4. If I have the time, I would like to do even more. But that will have to wait for the next visit to JP or any countries that has onsen.

These are the 4 onsens:

Naniwanoyu (free entrance with Amazing Pass)
Spa Suminoe (Free entrance with Amazing Pass)
Aguronoyu (850)
”ü”§‰·*ò*@‚*‚®‚ë‚Ì“’*^*_ŒËŽs’·“c‹æ*^Ž©‘R‚Æ–ü‚µ‚Ì‹óŠÔ‚ÆŒ¹*òŠ|‚¯—¬‚µ‚̘I“V•—˜C‚Å‚·*B
Kin no yu (650)
—L”n‰·*ò‚ð‘ã•\‚·‚é“ú‹A‚艷*ò | ‹à‚Ì“’ | ‹â‚Ì“’ | ‘¾*}‚Ì“’“aŠÙ | —L”n‚Ì*H–[ |

To those that wanted to try a public onsen but due to shyness and planning to give it a miss, don't. You should try it for at least once. You will love it.:)
 
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cpuer

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Maybe just a note to first timer after soaking for max 10mins please get out of e water. Take 5 before soaking again. Speaking from my embarrassing experience of fainting inside the onsen

Sent from OPPO X9076 using GAGT

I had this fainting spell when I did my very first onsen in Taiwan. It could be due to the strong sulfuric gases around or something else, I almost passed out while I was cleaning up after my dip. Took me a long while to regain my footing even after I stumbled out from the wash area to the onsen hotel main hall in Yangming shan

With the Taiwanese experience, my japan onsens are all in short dip and the fact that I kept trying out all sort of pool helps too.
 

limweeli

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Hehe, nice share. Just to add a point on yukata ... it's LEFT over RIGHT. The other way is how they dress up the deceased. I was corrected by our tour guide on my virgin trip :p
 

cpuer

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Hehe, nice share. Just to add a point on yukata ... it's LEFT over RIGHT. The other way is how they dress up the deceased. I was corrected by our tour guide on my virgin trip :p

HAHA, probably that's for those onsen ryokan bathers than my experience as day tripper. Nothing is provided for me, towels can be rented if you need to.
 

cpuer

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Of 3 onsens, The Osaka Spa Suminoe was the most memorable. As they employed female attendants to take care of the male onsen :s13:

Their appearance gave me a fright but quickly realized non of the fellow males responded to their present, so I acted cool and calm too.:s22:

Here's a cool milk after a nice dip at Suminoe
BlmhoMe.jpg
 

Lancer4332

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I think onsen is good for health too as it promotes blood circulation. The last time I went to an onsen in Hokkaido, I lost 1 kg in just 10 mins in the hot water!
 

cheefarn

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Of 3 onsens, The Osaka Spa Suminoe was the most memorable. As they employed female attendants to take care of the male onsen :s13:

Their appearance gave me a fright but quickly realized non of the fellow males responded to their present, so I acted cool and calm too.:s22:

Here's a cool milk after a nice dip at Suminoe
BlmhoMe.jpg

Well did the girls provide you with extra services or not??:s13::s13:

Got lobang must share mah
 

cpuer

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I think onsen is good for health too as it promotes blood circulation. The last time I went to an onsen in Hokkaido, I lost 1 kg in just 10 mins in the hot water!
Wow that's agood 1kg loss. I have weighted before and after, lost about half a kilo.
 

chaotah

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Well did the girls provide you with extra services or not??:s13::s13:

Got lobang must share mah

Lol

I went to one with massage room tended by aunties. (No extra services). All the locals Just walk in naked like nothing.
 

koicafex

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Lol

I went to one with massage room tended by aunties. (No extra services). All the locals Just walk in naked like nothing.

:eek::s22:
how isit oh?

u guys make me feel like going there also :s13:
can go there after my waterfall trip around 2pmish
 
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cpuer

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This is about the second onsen. This one is located near Suminoekoen(Yotsubashi Line). Use exit 2 turn left when u reach street level and keep walking for about 5 to 7min. There's a elevated highway running parallel with the road that you walk, look for a building on the right(need to cross the road) with lots of sign, its something like a entertainment complex. The onsen is on the street level and at the back of that building.

In all my visits, i just brought a small towel for modesty and drying. No need bring a big towel like many has suggested. But if you are particular then of course no harm. With lots of walking, a wet big towel is a weight that best avoided.

koicafex, onsen after a hike is best.
 

koicafex

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haha this kind very expensive though
i can't go after every hike :p

the arima 1 then can keep go, $10 iirc
 

cpuer

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haha this kind very expensive though
i can't go after every hike :p

the arima 1 then can keep go, $10 iirc

Arima one is best of course. If you can only go for one then go Arima one.
 

koicafex

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no la i hiking 3 time around osaka area :p
will go this once

arima sure will go :p but not hiking day
 
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