ONSENS

Why not relax with a massage or a spa? Hot springs or onsen are a must visit place! Nothing beats a superb soak in an outdoor bath while snow flakes fall gently from above. As an added bonus, the minerals contained in the waters are said to be effective against a variety of ailments.

The Niseko area is home to a large number of onsens (hot springs). Bathers do not wear any clothing which can be a little intimidating the first time but please don't let this put you off. The main point of the onsen is to enable people to relax and leave their stress behind. You'll quickly find your inhibitions melting away as you soak in the hot baths. The water temperature varies according to location but is usually around 40ºC.

Many of the onsen in the Niseko area have a rotenburo – an outdoor bathing pool that will often feature a Japanese style garden or look out onto unspoiled countryside. These are highly recommended.

Onsen Etiquette: Purchase tickets at the reception desk or via a vending machine in the entranceway. Security lockers are available and are usually located in the reception area or changing rooms.

While there are some mixed baths, the majority of onsen in Japan are single sex. Look for the following signs: Men 男 (blue) and Women 女 (red). There will be baskets or lockers where you can leave your clothes.

If the onsen you're visiting is not located in your accommodation, you don't necessarily need to take towels with you; nearly all onsen have a large stock of towels that you can rent for as little as 100yen. You should have two towels when visiting an onsen - a large bath towel and a small modesty towel. Leave the large bath towel in your basket/locker and take the small bath towel into the bath area.

Then it's into the onsen...

• Use the showers to wash before entering the baths. There are stools and cubicles around the edge of the room. Sit at a cubical and wash thoroughly. Body soap and shampoo are provided and usually labeled in English. You can use the small privacy towel to apply soap to the body and scrub.
• After washing, make sure to rinse all soap from your body before entering any of the baths.
• When you are walking around, hold the modesty towel in front of you. Soak in as many of the pools for as long as you like but remember pools are for soaking not swimming! Don't put the modesty towel in the water.
• Wring out the modesty towel before re-entering the changing room. There will usually be a basket where rented towels can be placed after use. If not, please return to reception.

Repeat as desired throughout your holiday in Niseko!

• In Hirafu: Yugokoro-tei, Popolo, J-First, Niseko Prince Hotel, Hirafu-tei, Higashiyama Hilton Hotel, Alpen Hotel (insert links from hotels)
• In Niseko: others? Should have at least three nearby ones