Onsen...おんせん

We just returned from the Onsen down the street from where we are staying. In short a wonderful relaxing and at the same time invigorating experience. Hot springs bathing is very different from the American variety hots-springs/spa. In Japan the sexes are separate...men and women if a family can bathe together but the rule is men w/men and women w/women...firstly you are naked!!! When one enters the Onsen you go to your locker and put your clothing in...one then proceeds to the wash area...rinse off and scrub throughly rinse again...you must be clean before entering the bath...one carries a small towel for the purpose of drying off when leaving the bath in order to not carry water into the changing room after bathing...this towel must never touch the Onsen water so you put it on your head while bathing...i would like to include pix but it's forbidden to photograph in the Onsen. Another part of Onsen bathing is the quality of quiet.In the US the hot springs are filled w/noisy kids, guy's and women drinking beer or cocktails...it's also a parade of who look's the "hottest"in their bikini or speedo...in Japan body types are indifferent...it does not matter if your "out of shape" have a "six pack" etc...kids are quiet and relatively well behaved.There is no screaming,running around,water fights and the general lack of discipline that is the hall mark of American hot springs....unless you pay a ton of cash at some super highend private spa!
The water here is of great importance as well...some Onsen have water red w/iron others w/sulfer or salt or magnesium...some even advertise radiated water...the temperature can range from 42 degrees C to 15-18 degrees C. Being an American has never been a problem...many times Japanese men ask where i am from and we talk w/my broken Japanese and their broken English.
So that is a quick over view of the ancient and wonderful Japanese bathing experience...if you ever come to Japan please enjoy the delights of the Onsen.