Onsen water - how hygienic is it?

This may be a silly question but how hygienic is the water in onsens/baths? Is the water constantly replaced or is it chlorinated in some way? Does the governement have any regulations in place for Ryokans?

Some of the Ryokans we have booked have large baths that are seperated by gender and some have family baths which are smaller that you book for private use.

The idea of sharing hot still water with a number of people just does not appeal. In Australia any still water is chlorinated to keep the germs or bugs at bay. Individual baths are emptied after the user and the next person runs a fresh bath.

Thanks

Pam

Onsen water - how hygienic is it?

Hi, Pamies,

Maybe it%26#39;s the mindset. Maybe it%26#39;s always been a ';given'; and I had never thought of it. There%26#39;s a saying that one achieves a different sort of relationship when we bathe together.

Yes, the government has regulations. An onsen has different categories and an owner has to state the quality of the water (what minerals on in it) and if any additives are in there. There should be sign at the entrance to the tubs (written in Japanese).

I%26#39;ve never been in any ';chorinated'; baths. The onsens are usually not very friendly to floaty and sinky wormy things, except I have seen a moth or two follow the light and come in for a soak in an outside tub. Onsen baths aren%26#39;t very ';still.'; There%26#39;s hot water running in constantly and flowing out as people come and go.

Whether it%26#39;s a large (communal) or small (individual size) bath, one is always supposed to wash OUTSIDE the tub BEFORE one enters the tub, so technically, everyone is clean. You%26#39;ll find a washing area with a stool, wash pan and individual showers. Come to think of it, we share the stools and pans, too. It%26#39;s good manners to shower off the equipment after you use it, but we, the guests, don%26#39;t use a cleaning fluid to sponge them off after each use. The hotel or onsen owner would do that at cleaning time.

Maybe you could go when the onsen opens. The place will be squeaky clean then!

Onsen water - how hygienic is it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onsen#Infections

There are possibilities but still rare.

There are many types of onsens. Most in well known onsen towns have abundant continuous flow of hot spring underground water(mixed with cold tap water for temp. control). Some other places, i.e. sento public baths recirculate %26amp; may use partial or full tap water w/ chlorine(cheap but outdating method) or other types of germ killing. The faucet water (hot %26amp; cold) in washing area is city tap water.

So in general, you don%26#39;t have to worry about if you stay at a decent onsen ryokan/hotel.

Just soak %26amp; relax.

All I can say is remember you are not travelling to a 3rd world country. Japan is not a place where I have worried about things like this.

I have never thought about it as the Japanese are obsessive about cleanliness. If there was a hint of a problem they would know about it.

The water is exceeding Hot in Japan compared to Oz..starting at 40degree C plus plus .... hot enough to kill anything scarey.. and hot enough to simmer a lobster ...depending on how hot your like your baths, a 5 to 10 min soak may be more than enough before you start getting %26#39;light headed%26#39;. Some baths had temperature regulators where some of the temps reach 90 degrees...

The only thing I was really concerned about was sitting on the little wooden wash stool ... wasn%26#39;t sure how many little %26#39;bot bots%26#39; had been there so would put my small wash cloth on the seat prior to sitting...

We found the tap water hot enough to leave burns so be cautious

Have fun :-)

I went to a Ryokan with outdoor onsen (rotemburo) in Nasu, Tochigi and they all had a constant flow of water in and out of them.

The tolerable temperature for bathing water is probably lower than you%26#39;d imagine and within the limits that some bacteria could survive.

I think the main concern should be dealing with the temperature of the water. I had to keep getting out every so often and the high temperature certainly made me fell rather light-headed.

One of them was too hot to stand. I was starting to cook!

Generally speaking, there is nothing to worry about. I have soaked many times and never had any problems. It%26#39;s just like going to the swimming pool. The scalding temperature takes some getting used to but you will naturally adjust to it after a while.

Regarding the small stool, most Japanese put some soap on it and rinse it with a burst from the shower.

%26lt;Regarding the small stool, most Japanese put some soap on it and rinse it with a burst from the shower.%26gt;

Ah, so??????!!! Boys or girls?

I%26#39;ve been to a LOT of baths (onsen, non-onsen, sento, etc.) and have yet to see anyone put soap on the little stool. Squirt with water -- always -- but never soap!

Darn! I%26#39;ll have to try it! That%26#39;ll really get the locals watching me! LOL

Shampoo should work, too, right?

Thanks, Sammy! :-)

I recently read an article where 7 people died of some bacteria that were in natural hotsprings in California (entered through the nose)over the past several years but I%26#39;ve never heard of anything like that occurring in Japan. I%26#39;ve been to hotsprings (natural %26amp; pumped in water) numerous times here over the past 24 years and have never had any problems. And like one of the other posters, you just take cleanliness as a given. I wouldn%26#39;t worry about it.

Thanks everyone for your feedback and tips.

Sounds like they have the water really hot, now that is going to take a bit of getting use to. Maybe I will come home looking like a lobster, well done of course. LOL.