Proper Onsen Jap Style
Trip Start
Jan 08, 2007
1
139
Trip End
Oct 01, 2007
Tokyo, Japan
Thursday, September 27, 2007
It's all done in the buff and yes the worlds smallest towel is provided free of charge! Anyway on with the show. We passed through the shower area complete with little wooden stools to sit on and every imaginable potion for cleaning yourself. Stopping briefly for a quick rinse I noticed my surroundings were all very pastel and kind of clinical in a way and certaintly not the relaxing atmosphere I had dreamt of.
Next we passed by noisy bubbling jacuuzi's before finally exiting into a world of rocks and trickling water... a wooden walkway flowed outside into the open air where the scenery changed entirely. I was confronted by 3 (almost plausable as natural on a roof top) pools, two connected by a bubbling stream, all situated under a wooden pagoda. the almost full moon sillhoueted outlines of the few bathers in the biggest of the pools and shone temptingly off the water... but having had quite enough of being butt naked in public I really wasn't interested in any of that so we got in the closest pool as quickly as possible. This really wasn't that quick mind you as the bath steamed with scalding hot crystal clear water that stung in all the places it probably shouldn't. Whilst sitting on a rock almost totally submerged in the water I did as Masa did, we talked quietly and he explained that this first bath was mineral water pumped directly from one of many hot springs found all over Japan.
The second bath we tried was just as hot but instead of clear inviting liquid it had a caramel coloured solution. I have to admit the herbal soak was fantastic and made the skin feel amazing. After a total degreasing, we relocated into the third and final pool. This had the same dark water but was meant for just chilling out and relaxing. we sat there alone with our thoughts both doing as the other men and sitting almost submerged with the small towel covering the tops of our heads.
After some time we ventured back into the now seemingly hectic interior of the bath house for a quick rinse and massage in what can only be described as a personal waterslide capsule. The force was quite something...I got it, this was obviously one of those new 2 in 1 workout and massage machines I'd heard soo much about hmm very efficient! But, then why was I surprised considering where in the world I had my arse planted. The finale to the evening began with a herbal rinse, ladled from a large wooden barrel with a bamboo spoon followed, by a freezing cold shower and last but by no means least sitting on those wooden stools and abusing all the free stuff!
