The 'Onsen' Walhalla

An Onsen is a sort of Spa steam bath like we know it from home. However, the Onsen are all volcanically warmed with ‘healthy’ mineral water and are wildly spread over Japan due to the volcanic activity here.

Luckily we have a small Onsen in our hotel in Hakone, The Onsen Walhalla of Japan. There a large volcano here which warms the entire place. Restaurants have little foot baths and such. Which is great.

The customs here are quite different, there is a set of rules which you must follow. Important were the rules that men and woman are bathing divided (This rule is set almost everywhere in japan, even in hotels). Which kind off sucks as you’d like to be together, but hey silence is nice. Yes the next rule. Silent. Last, strip naked And clean yourself while sitting on the little chair, do not stand!

But it’s totally worth it, the water is hot, really hot and it feels good on the skin when laying in there. Little massage machines which you can use after or before. Nice soaps, foot scrubs, you name it, they have it, in Japan.

In the photo below you can see our Onsen (ssst I was not allowed to take pictures).