Free guide · 5 min read
Japanese for onsen & bathhouses
What the signs mean, what the etiquette is, and the handful of phrases that make a first onsen visit relaxed rather than nerve-racking.
Onsen etiquette is strict but simple, and almost all of it follows from one rule: you wash before you get in, and the bath itself is only for soaking.
Signs to read first
The 男/女 curtains are sometimes swapped between morning and evening, so check every time rather than relying on where you went last night. 湯 is the character to burn into memory - it marks the baths everywhere.
Etiquette
Two things catch visitors out. You wash thoroughly at the seated showers first - the bath is for soaking in clean. And many onsen still refuse entry to guests with visible tattoos; search for 入れ墨OK (irezumi OK) places or book a 貸切風呂 if that affects you.
Useful phrases
初めてです is quietly the most useful sentence here - staff will happily walk a first-timer through the routine, and saying it removes any worry about getting the etiquette wrong.
These phrases get built into real conversation in the90 day course. The first week needs no account.