Onsen Etiquette: What Every Foreign Camper Should Know

Many campgrounds in Japan have on-site onsen (hot spring baths) or are located near public bathhouses. For foreign visitors, the bathing customs can feel unfamiliar — you bathe nude, you wash before entering the water, and there are unwritten rules about noise, towels, and behavior. This guide covers everything you need to know so you can relax and enjoy the experience confidently. For more detail, the JNTO onsen guide provides an excellent overview.

The basic rules

Japanese onsen etiquette follows a simple principle: keep the bath water clean for everyone. Every rule stems from this idea.

1. Wash your entire body before entering the bath. There are shower stations with stools, showerheads, soap, and shampoo. Sit down, lather up, and rinse thoroughly. This is not optional.
2. Enter the bath nude. No swimsuits, no underwear. This is universal at Japanese onsen and sento (public baths).
3. Do not put your towel in the water. You can bring a small washcloth-size towel into the bathing area for modesty while walking, but fold it and place it on your head or on the edge of the bath when you soak.
4. Do not swim or splash. Onsen are for soaking quietly, not for exercise or play.
5. Keep your voice down. Conversation is fine, but speak at a low volume. Many people come to onsen for relaxation and quiet.
6. Rinse off before moving between baths. If there are multiple pools (different temperatures or mineral compositions), rinse briefly before switching.

Tattoo policies

This is the question most foreign visitors have. In Japan, tattoos have historically been associated with yakuza (organized crime), and many onsen and bathhouses prohibit visible tattoos. The situation is evolving, but slowly.

Here is the current reality:

• Large public onsen and hotel baths — Most still prohibit tattoos. Signs at the entrance will say "tattoo no" or show the symbol.
• Campground onsen — Generally more relaxed. Many campground baths are smaller and less formal. Some explicitly welcome tattooed guests, others look the other way.
• Private baths (kashikiri) — Available at many ryokan and some campgrounds. You rent the entire bath for a set time. Tattoos are irrelevant since no one else is present.
• Glamping onsen — Private baths attached to glamping units do not have any tattoo restrictions.

If you have visible tattoos and want to use a shared onsen, ask at reception before undressing. The Japanese phrase is: Tatuu ga arimasu ga, daijoubu desu ka? — "I have tattoos, is that okay?"

Some people use waterproof tattoo cover patches (sold at pharmacies and Don Quijote) to hide smaller tattoos. These work for discreet ink but are not practical for large pieces.

What to bring to the onsen

• Small towel (tenugui) — A thin Japanese-style hand towel. Use it to wash at the shower station and for modesty while walking around. These dry quickly and pack small. Available at convenience stores and 100-yen shops.
• Large towel — For drying off in the changing room. Leave this in the changing room, not in the bathing area.
• Toiletries — Most onsen provide soap, shampoo, and conditioner. Campground baths may not. Bring your own just in case.
• Plastic bag — For your wet towel after bathing.
• Coins — Some campground baths charge a small fee (100 to 500 yen) or have coin-operated lockers and hair dryers.

The changing room

Before entering the bathing area, you pass through a changing room. Here is the process:

1. Remove all clothing and place it in a basket or locker.
2. Take your small towel (and toiletries if needed) into the bathing area.
3. After bathing, return to the changing room to dry off and dress.

Most changing rooms have a mirror, hair dryers (sometimes coin-operated), and a scale. Some have vending machines with milk and coffee — drinking cold milk after a hot bath is a Japanese tradition.

Types of baths at campgrounds

• Indoor bath (uchiyu) — An enclosed bath inside a building. Temperature is usually 40 to 42 degrees Celsius.
• Outdoor bath (rotenburo) — An open-air bath, often with views of mountains or forest. The experience of bathing outdoors, especially in cooler weather, is one of the highlights of camping in Japan. For more on these, see our rotenburo outdoor bath guide.
• Foot bath (ashiyu) — A shallow pool where you soak your feet while fully clothed. Found at some campgrounds and many hot spring towns. No nudity or etiquette concerns.

Gender separation

Almost all Japanese onsen are gender-separated. Look for the curtain (noren) at the entrance:

• Men's bath — Usually indicated by a blue curtain
• Women's bath — Usually indicated by a red or pink curtain

Some smaller campground baths alternate between men's and women's hours rather than having two separate facilities. Check the posted schedule.

Campground onsen vs. city onsen

Bathing at a campground onsen is generally more casual than at a large city bathhouse or ryokan. The facilities are smaller, the atmosphere is relaxed, and other campers tend to be friendly and understanding of foreigners learning the customs. If you make a small etiquette mistake, people are usually forgiving. The key rules — wash before soaking, no towels in the water, stay quiet — will get you through any onsen visit without issues. For a list of the best hot spring towns within reach of campgrounds, check out our guide to the best onsen towns near Tokyo.

Explore hot spring campgrounds

Ready to find a campground with an onsen? Browse our Hot Spring Campgrounds guide for top-rated sites in Hakone, Yugawara, and the Tanzawa mountains. All are within two hours of Tokyo.