Are there still hot springs or onsen with mixed bathing in Japan?

While centuries ago Americans were studying the possibility of accepting mixed bathing at the beach. The Japanese have long had a tradition of bathing together in a hot spring called onsen. People of all ages, women and men without their clothes bathed without caring about the nudity in a controversial place called mixed onsen.

The Japanese have never been ones to notice the nudity of others while enjoying the delicious waters of a hot spring. Even if there was a pervert in the place, he could not stare too much at a woman’s body covered by water, nor could he touch her because of the large number of people present at the onsen.

Mixed baths are called konyokuburo (混浴風呂) and are more organized than you think. Nowadays, hot springs are already full of rules, imagine the mixed ones? Women who visit a modern mixed onsen usually cover themselves with a towel to avoid perverted eyes.

What happened to mixed bathing in onsen?

Indecent cases have always happened, especially when few people were present at the onsen. Gradually, the rules ended up being broken and more bad people frequented the places. It was with the influence of the West that the Japanese ended up prohibiting the creation of mixed baths.

It was after the Meiji Restoration in 1868 that Japanese authorities began to gradually eliminate the large number of mixed onsens that existed in Japan. All this to present a good image to Westerners who saw Japan as an indecent and immoral place. Various criticisms were raised by foreign historians.

The history of Westerners and the prohibition of mixed bathing in Japan is long. The great discussion ended with Japan prohibiting the emergence of new mixed onsens. The existing ones ended up separating baths by sex, and those who wished to maintain the tradition did not last long due to the behavior of the bathers.

Is there still mixed bathing in Japan?

There are still places that allow couples to bathe in a private onsen. There are also public baths that allow both sexes with swimwear. Traditional mixed onsens that allow bathing without clothes usually request that women use a towel and that everyone present behaves at the location.

The existence of mixed onsens in Japan is a complicated matter because if something happens at the location, the responsibility falls on the owner. For this and other reasons, traditional mixed baths are increasingly ceasing to exist.

Fortunately, some rural areas and mountains allow local residents to enjoy traditional mixed bathing at the hot springs. Some of these places are natural and do not usually charge for access to avoid problems with the law. A large part of the Japanese who frequent these secret mixed baths are elderly residents.

The existing mixed baths in Japan are really in remote locations. Few foreigners usually access these places. Besides men and women, monkeys and deer can bathe along with you in the mountains.

If you want to find a mixed bath, we recommend visiting the site secret-japan.com. On the site, you will find the name, location, and details of the mixed onsens. There are about 82 mixed baths on the list. You should research details about it to know if they allow the entry of foreigners or if the bath is without clothes.

Some Onsen that Allow Mixed Bathing

We recommend checking the places on the list through the website or other means of research. Some may have certain restrictions, or are private, or are mixed onsens with clothing. We also recommend 7 onsens to visit in Japan.

• Amagiso (Shizuoka);
• Awanoyu (Nagano);
• Fujiyoshi (Shizuoka);
• Kurogane Onsen (Yamanashi);
• Lamp no Yado (Ishikawa);
• Oyadani no Yu (Ishikawa);
• Tsubame Onsen (Niigata);
• Yarimikan (Gifu);
• Aidomari Onsen (Hokkaido);
• Hot Spring Lodge Daiichi (Hokkaido);
• Fukiage Onsen Recreation Facility Shirogane (Hokkaido);
• Kotan Onsen (Hokkaido);
• Mizunashi-Kaihin Onsen (Hokkaido);
• Shikaribetsu Gorge Shikanoyu (Hokkaido);
• Iwaobetsu Onsen (Hokkaido);
• Hirauchi Kaichu Onsen (Kagoshima);
• Myoken Ishiharaso (Kagoshima);
• Hozantei (Kumamoto);
• Oku no Yu (Kumamoto);
• Hage no Yu (Kumamoto);
• Fukumotoya Kabeyu (Oita);
• Hoyo Land (Oita);
• Beppu Beach Sandbath (Oita);
• Aoni Onsen (Aomori);
• Numajiri Onsen (Fukushima);
• Sukayu (Aomori);
• Tae no Yu (Akita);
• Todoroki Ryokan (Miyagi);
• Saiunsou (Iwate);
• Tsuru no Yu (Akita);
• Ubayu Onsen (Yamagata);
• Arima Grand Hotel (Kobe);
• Hotel Kitanoya (Kyoto);
• Kaisyu (Wakayama);
• Kawayu Onsen (Wakayama);
• Hotel Kazurabashi (Tokushima);
• Iya Onsen Hotel (Tokushima);
• Kamitoku Onsen (Ehime);
• Onsen Yurara (Ehime);
• Seapa Makoto (Ehime);
• Kikunoya (Shiga);
• Rurikei Onsen (Kyoto);
• Ryujin Onsen (Wakayama);
• Spa World (Osaka);
• Tsuboyu Onsen (Wakayama);
• Asuka no Yu (Ehime);
• Hoshi no Oka Onsen (Ehime);
• Yumoto Yachio (Kagawa);
• Semi Onsen (Iwate);
• Akashiya (Tottori);
• Chorakuen (Shimane);
• Megahira Hot Spring (Hiroshima);
• Misasa Onsen Ryokan (Tottori);
• Togo Yu-asis Ryuhokaku (Tottori);
• Yubara Onsen Sunayu (Okayama);
• Yunogou Bishunkaku Onsen (Okayama);

You who live in Japan, have you ever tried going to a mixed bath? What was your experience? We appreciate comments and shares. We also recommend reading: