Odaiba & Ariake, Tokyo

What greeted me next was quite a surprise (even for a liberal thinker such as myself!) & even though I had mentally prepared for it. A sea of women of all ages and a few girls, were changing out of their yukatas in readiness for the best part-the bathing ritual.

Here, I was handed a big towel & a small towel & had brought along a 100 yen coin for the small & final locker. Photography is strictly not permitted here.

Having changed out of my yukata, I entered through the doors & found numerous stations outfitted with low wooden stools, showers & various ranges of liquid soaps shampoos. I picked an unoccupied shower station, turned on the water and gave the little stool a quick rinse. Taking my cue from a mother & daughter team I observed there, I proceeded to wash & scrub every inch of my body. (The hot water of the public bath is meant for soaking, not for cleaning.)

After that, I was faced with many choices. There were pools of all sizes, some with Jacuzzi-like bubbles, a few that were hot and others hotter still and one at the corner which was filled with icy cold water. There was also a small steam room.

After some minutes of peaceful soaking (per Japanese customs, no splashing please!), I wandered in a daze & stumbled outside. It was drizzling lightly but with a clear plastic covering the “roof”, only a bit of water splashed through. I then soaked in a couple of the small hot pools, and soaked in the atmosphere. It was lovely, and I felt completely sensual, free and at ease, absorbing the outdoor scenery, the Japanese gardens, the light blue skies and beautiful women around me.

After that, I returned back indoors and bravely soaked in the the cold pool. Thus invigorated & feeling pleasantly drowsy, it was time to leave.

Entrance Fees: 2,827 Yen for Adults, 1,575 Yen for Children. Extra for massage, foot reflexology, sand sauna.

Yukata-wear the left flap on the outside, over the right. I wore mine the wrong way!Sash can be tied in many ways, usually, with bow at the back.

*Update (2009): The link below which is by the Tokyo Metro Tourist Board is very useful as it describes how to get to the Onsen. It also has 53 different self-guided walking tours for visitors to Tokyo to explore on their own.