Can solo travelers go to a mixed gender onsen?
I'm planning on going to a mixed gender onsen (konyoku), and one place suggested to me in Nyuto onsen village, Tohoku, has a male only section, a female only section, and a mixed section. If I'm by myself (as opposed to being part of a mixed sex group), am I going to raise eyebrows if I choose the mixed section?
One ojiisan (old man) told me that obaasan (old women) are the only women who bathe without a towel in mixed onsen nowadays. Maybe that means I wouldn't be accused of having bad motives in choosing a mixed onsen, unless a fetish for old women exists in Japan.
Also, I've heard that mixed onsen are becoming increasingly rare in Japan, mainly confined to conservative rural areas (perhaps non-tourist oriented onsen?). Why is this happening? Are western influences to blame? (I asked the ojiisan about it, and he didn't know either)
Best Answer
It turned out that while there were separate areas for men and women for the indoor spas, outdoors, there was only a mixed section, and a section for women only. So being in the mixed section was not so much permitted as mandatory!
There is a slang term for males who only go to mixed gender onsen to see naked females. They're called wani (??). Many Japanese people I've talked with haven't heard of the term, though, and nobody accused me of being one.
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Are there unisex Onsens in Japan?
These are listed form northern Japan to southern Japan. They amount to more than 50 mixed-gender onsen and other places where men and women can bathe together in Japan. If you have questions about konyoku onsen, or mixed-gender hot spring, bathing etiquette, please read our Guide to Mixed Gender Onsen in Japan.Is mixed bathing allowed in Japan?
Konyoku (\u6df7\u6d74) are mixed-gender baths, a concept that might seem a little risque in a country that generally divides its public baths quite clearly by gender. But the truth is that these baths, open to anyone, have a history going back at least 1,000 years\u2015they may not be common, but konyoku are a long-lasting tradition!Are there unisex bathhouses in Japan?
Some baths that offer konyoku, the Japanese term for mixed-gender hot springs, work in a way where the women have their own bath but can join the men on their side if they are so inclined. There are one-way doors and men cannot enter the women's side.Are there co ed onsen?
If you are not visiting Japan anytime soon, Ikeda Spa offers an authentic, co-ed Japanese onsen-style bath experience as well. Above all, our Sento onsen-style bath allows you to experience the Japanese communal bathing experience first-hand.HOW TO MEET PEOPLE WHILE SOLO TRAVELING \u0026 BACKPACKING!
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