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Why you should try “Onsen”??

The first question that you might ask is “what is Onsen?”.  Good question! If you are not living in Japan, have never been to Japan nor read any Japanese guide book, you might have no idea what it is.

“Onsen” is hot spring in Japanese and sometimes can be used to describe bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs (acc. to wikipedia). There are numberous onsen in every region all over Japan since it is located on stratovolcano archipelago.

“Onsen” in term of public bath is also an unique japanese culture which reflect many angles of Japan. The people who use public bath are suppose to clean themselves very well before bathing. FYI no single piece of cloth is allowed to be soak in the tub.

Some people wonder why Japanese people who are quite introvert, are so extrovert about bathing. In my point of view, this might be the heritage of the old time when population in Japan was highly density. Within family, they had to share one room for almost every daily activity such as eating, sleeping and bathing so people used to share their private life in some extends…But that is just my assumption..please don’t use it as the citation

As have to be naken in public space, some of you might don’t want to try Onsen.. If you don’t, believe me, you will  miss a lot..

Therefore next question is what will you gain from taking “Onsen”? Will it be able to make you better off?
1. Medicate value Onsen can be use as a treatment and prevention - it is good for skin and some skin diseas can be cured by Onsen.  Morevoer; the onsen water is good for the relief / treatment of neuralgia, muscle pain, articular pain, dermatosis, frozen shoulder, bruises, sprains, chronic gynecological diseases, diabetes, hypertension, arteriosclerosis, convalescence, fatigue and overall health promotion.(http://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/foreign/kusatsu_onsen1.html) wow….
2. Life understanding – there is a golden rule for Onsen that everyone must be totally naked! Even you are proun of your body or not you have to publicize it as the way the others do to you. Seeing people naked in public bath is differrent from viewing in in magazines or movie because there are various group of age, kid with mommy , girl gang, teenager, youth, adult and elderly. Some of them will remind your past some will give you some ideas about future or your dietary and excercise. All is about what we are given.. clothes and make up are something just artificial to help us to be something we want to be.. They are parts if ourlives as long as we r alive or at somewhere else but onsen. Unfortunately, Onsen for female and male are separated..
3. Quality time to relax and think in onsen you cannot chat on internet, creep other people profiles on Facebook, watch movies, read books or anything but sit so you can pay all of your attention to your mind..you can think seriously about something or just free your mind from any thought. In my opinion both activities are what we  really need sometimes.

You can relax both mind and body in Onsen…

In Japan, Onsen is something you can find easily. If you ask for recommentations, I think I’d better give you the list from the survey from Kankokeizai new for the top 5 chosen places.

1. Kusatsu in Gunma

2. Noboribetsu in Hokkaido

3. Yufuin in Oita

4. Kurokawa in Kumamoto

5. Beppu in Oita

After bathing in Onsen, you will feel so relex …Wish my dear reader will have chance to try, at least once in life.. if you learn something different, please let me learn some from you..

(pictures from ; http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-feature/hell-or-hot-water-20090909-fh6z.html)