Onsen Etiquette for First-Timers: Rules and Private Baths

In short: Japan’s national tourism pages boil onsen etiquette down to a few steps: leave your clothes (including swimwear) in the changing area, wash and rinse thoroughly at the washing station before you enter the bath, keep your small towel and your hair out of the water, and stay quiet and calm. Most onsen are separated by sex, and the national tourism organization says a small towel can be used for modesty. If you would rather not bathe with others, some inns rent private baths (the JNTO etiquette story page says), and the JNTO onsen guide page mentions rooms with their own open-air bath. Tattoo policies depend on the facility: one JNTO page says the vast majority of onsen still do not allow tattooed guests, and the other says some traditional onsen may not accept them. Either way, check with the facility before you go. I group the etiquette into seven steps below (the grouping is mine), with the pages each step comes from. Checked on October 9, 2026; please check the official pages and the facility’s own rules for current details.

If public bathing in the nude is not common where you come from, the idea of an onsen can feel like a lot. The rules are simple once you know them. This post explains them in plain English, using official tourism pages.

Please read this first: this post is general information. I am an individual who lives in Sapporo. I am not a tourism office, an onsen operator, a doctor, or an official of any kind, and I do not recommend any facility. Quotes are the wording of the English pages. Anything marked “my suggestion” is not from an official page. Every facility sets its own rules, so follow the facility’s signs and staff, and check the official pages listed at the end. For any health question, such as bathing with a medical condition, please ask a doctor.

The seven steps at a glance

The JNTO pages do not number these steps; I grouped their points into seven steps myself.

Step	What to do	Where it comes from
1	Take off your shoes or slippers before the changing room	Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) onsen guide
2	Undress completely in the changing area, including swimwear	JNTO onsen guide
3	Use the small towel for washing or for modesty, but keep it out of the bath	JNTO onsen guide and JNTO onsen etiquette story
4	Sit and wash thoroughly at a washing station, and rinse off all soap	JNTO onsen guide and JNTO onsen etiquette story
5	Pour hot water over your body (called kakeyu) before you get in	JNTO onsen guide
6	Tie up long hair, and keep your head and hair out of the water	JNTO onsen guide and JNTO onsen etiquette story
7	Soak quietly: no swimming or splashing, speak softly, and leave your phone and camera outside	JNTO onsen guide

Do you have to be naked in an onsen?

The JNTO onsen etiquette story says: “Full nudity is mandatory at almost all hot springs, which are segregated by sex.” It adds that mixed-gender onsen are a tiny handful and increasingly rare, and that at those you can wear swimsuits or some kind of body covering if they provide them.

The JNTO onsen guide says onsen bathing is typically enjoyed in the nude, so clothing, including swimwear, is left in the changing area. It also says “people tend to be discreet and respectful of each other’s space”, that changing rooms are always gender specific, and that you may cover yourself with the small towel while you walk to the bath.

The story page puts it this way: “It’s optional, but you can use a small washcloth to cover your private parts.” Both pages say the towel must stay out of the water once you are in the bath.

If you still feel shy, the JNTO guide suggests a private bath or a room with an attached open-air bath, which it calls a rotenburo. More on that in the next section.

Can you bathe in a private bath?

Two JNTO pages mention private options:

What the page says	Source
“some ryokan (inns) offer private bath rentals, usually in 45- to 60-minute increments.”	JNTO onsen etiquette story
A private bath (called kashikiriburo) is a way to relax “all by yourself”, and a private bath or a room with an attached open-air bath is “a great option” if you feel shy	JNTO onsen guide
Many onsen welcome families with children, but “check the rules in advance”; some have family-friendly baths or offer private bathing for people with children	JNTO onsen guide
Many facilities at onsen towns offer day-use plans or drop-in bathing and do not require an overnight stay	JNTO onsen guide

The pages do not say which facilities in Sapporo have private baths, and I do not name any. My suggestions for what to ask before you go:

Is the private bath for hotel guests only, or can day visitors use it?
Do you need to book, and for how long (the story page mentions 45 to 60 minutes as usual)?
Are children allowed, and is there a rule about who can enter together?

Can you go to an onsen with a tattoo?

Policies depend on the facility, and the two JNTO pages word it a little differently.

Page	What it says
JNTO onsen etiquette story	“the vast majority still do not allow tattooed guests to use their baths”, though many places have relaxed their rules; some offer cover seals for smaller tattoos, and it is best to check with the facility in advance, or book a private bath
JNTO onsen guide	“Some traditional onsen may not accept people with a tattoo, but this is beginning to change!”; look for tattoo-friendly facilities or a private bath; cover sheets are “generally only suitable for very small tattoos”

Both pages say to check ahead. The guide’s final tips include: “check the onsen’s tattoo policies in advance (if needed)”. I cannot tell you the policy of any facility in Sapporo. Please ask the facility itself before you travel there.

The seven steps, in more detail

1. Shoes. The JNTO guide says guests are usually asked to remove their shoes at the entrance, and in any event you should remove shoes or slippers before entering the changing room. It also says most onsen provide a locker or other secure place for valuables, often in the changing room.

2. Undressing. Everything, including swimwear, stays in the changing area.

3. The small towel. The guide says it is for washing yourself or covering yourself for modesty before entering the bath, and “not for use in the bath”. You can fold it and put it on your head or on the side of the bath.

4. Washing. The guide says wash at one of the washing stations (a bucket, a stool, often a hand-held shower, and amenities), use the soap and shampoo, rinse off completely, and remove makeup. The story page says to sit on the small stools, and to rinse the stool and the wooden basin afterward so they are clean for the next person. “Cleanliness is essential.”

5. Kakeyu. The guide says it is customary to pour hot water over your body before getting in, and that many baths have a basin near the entrance for this.

6. Hair and head. The guide says to tie up long hair or wrap it in a towel. The story page says: “Onsen aren’t swimming pools.” and that it is bad form to submerge your head.

7. Quiet soaking. The guide says to speak softly, leave your phone outside the bathing area, and avoid swimming or splashing. It also says phones and cameras cannot be taken into the onsen: “in consideration of privacy, particularly of minors, it is absolutely forbidden!”

Other points from the guide

Time in the bath (the guide’s wording, not my advice): it says to avoid staying in too long, to take it slow, and to pop out for a drink of cool water if you feel too hot.
Alcohol (the guide’s wording, not my advice): the guide says “Avoid drinking alcohol before taking a bath”.
Rinsing afterward: the guide says it is a personal preference.
Don’t worry too much: the guide says not to be overly concerned about following every custom at first.

Before you go: a short checklist

Before you go	Why
Ask about the tattoo policy if it applies to you	The pages say policies vary by facility
Ask whether a private bath exists and how to book it	The pages say some inns rent them (my suggestion: ask about length and who can enter)
Remember there is no swimwear in most baths	The story page says nudity is mandatory at almost all onsen
Leave your phone and camera outside the bathing area	The guide says they are forbidden
Plan for a small towel	The pages describe how it is used
Check the facility’s own signs and rules	Rules vary

If you are traveling to Sapporo from the airport, see New Chitose Airport to Sapporo, Explained: Trains, Buses, and Which to Choose. If you also want to check food or prayer facilities before you go, see Muslim-Friendly Sapporo, Explained: Halal Certification, Food Labels, and Prayer Rooms.

FAQ

Do I have to be completely naked in an onsen?

The JNTO onsen etiquette story says full nudity is mandatory at almost all hot springs, which are segregated by sex, with a small number of mixed-gender onsen as the exception. You may cover yourself with the small towel while you walk to the bath, but the towel stays out of the water.

Is there a way to bathe without other people?

The JNTO etiquette story page says some inns rent private baths, usually in 45- to 60-minute increments, and the JNTO onsen guide page mentions rooms with an attached open-air bath. Ask the facility whether it offers one and how to book it.

Can I go to an onsen if I have a tattoo?

It depends on the facility. The JNTO onsen etiquette story says the vast majority of onsen do not allow tattooed guests, and the JNTO onsen guide says some traditional onsen may not accept them. Both suggest checking in advance, and both mention private baths as an option.

Can I take my phone or camera into the bath?

No. The JNTO onsen guide says it is absolutely forbidden, in consideration of privacy, particularly of minors, and says to leave your phone outside the bathing area.

What should I do with the small towel?

The JNTO onsen guide says it is for washing or for modesty before you get in, and that you should fold it and put it on your head or on the side of the bath, not in the water. The JNTO onsen etiquette story also says to keep it out of the water, at the side of the bath or on top of your head.

Sources checked: Let’s Go to an Onsen and Enjoy It Like Locals Do (Japan National Tourism Organization), How to Best Enjoy Japan’s Onsen | Guide | Travel Japan - Japan National Tourism Organization (Official Site). Checked on October 9, 2026. This post is general information, not medical advice; rules differ by facility, so please follow each facility’s own rules and check the official pages. I tried to read a Hokkaido tourism page on onsen manners but could not open it, so this post does not use it, and I did not check any specific facility’s rules in Sapporo.