Onsens (Hot Springs)
 

Have you been to an Onsen? Do you like them? Are you comfortable being naked in front of people? :eek:

I never utilized an onsen as my Japanese friends informed me I would be denied entrance due to my tattoo =p

why? tis something wrong? is it "inappropriate" or something? or are they just hating?

Tattoos are really looked down upon in Japan. The Yakuza have a reputation of having exessive tattoos (though I have to say it's some of the most intricate and sometimes beautiful body art I have ever seen)

What's funny about that is that modern Yakuza discourage tattooing for that very reason.

hey thanks for that bit of info... iv always wanted to get some tattoos..

id love to go to an onsen... i dont mind about the naked thing... when ur packing what im packing you get naked every opportunity you get... joke.... but seriously.... i have a huge @#$%

Some onsen have signs prohibiting tatoos, because, until a few years ago the Yakuza were the only people who had them.

I think its a shame if the yakuza give them up - i think they were the coolest thing.

I enjoy the onsens and have been to some great ones. However, as a gia-jin, people tend to stare a lot. they are afraid we might not now the rules, and are curious 'bout body types. They seem to relax when you do stuff properly, though.

Well look at it from a different point of veiw, what do you think of when I say "oraganized crime" or "mafia" or even "gang"? People have a stereotype that they envision and usually avoid those that fit those sterotypes. If you match the streotype you're more likely to be under suspision.

As far as the naked thing goes I really don't care. The human body is just that, a body. It can be beautiful or ugly or in between but at the end of the day we are all the same.

are there many rules at an onsen? i know theres a couple.. like no bathing suits in the traditional ones.. is that correct? i read that some of the newer ones dont mind about bathing suits.. but when its my time to go to one id like to go to a traditional onsen..

EDIT: also how was your experience? was it very relaxing?