Features of Japanese Hot Springs

Behind the Scenes | 日本の温泉の特徴

Features of Japanese Hot Springs

Foreign Student (hereinafter, FS): Onsen (hot springs) are one of Japan’s biggest tourist attractions. How many onsen are there in Japan? Teacher (hereinafter, T): As a volcanic seam lies under the Japan archipelago, there are approximately 3,000 onsen. These days boring technology has advanced so much that it’s said that if you dig to a depth of approximately 1,500 meters, you’ll hit a hot spring. Because of this one can now enjoy onsen in urban areas such as Tokyo and Osaka. Each region has an onsen of nationwide renown, with each having its own unique ambiance. FS: What are their individual characteristics? T: The color, scent and water temperature differ depending on the onsen. The various colors include milky white, blue, green, and transparent. In addition, each onsen has its own benefits. These differ according to the spring water. Some waters are even drinkable. FS: You enter an onsen naked. Is that correct? T: You might be embarrassed at first as you’re with total strangers. However, once you get used to it, you won’t mind anymore. Though mixed bathing is available, generally men and women bathe separately. Custom dictates that you wash your body before getting into an onsen. FS: Is there something special about hot spring ryokan? T: Of course, each ryokan has its own hot spring, many of their tubs are made of materials such as rock or Japanese cypress that create a sense of natural harmony. Bathtubs can be indoors or outdoors with a view of the sea, mountains, or a Japanese garden. Yukata are laid out in guest’s rooms. Once you change into one, you’ll feel much more relaxed. FS: I’ve heard that meals are included at onsen ryokan. Is this correct? T: Along with its onsen, dishes cooked with locally sourced seasonal ingredients are part and parcel of a ryokan’s charm. Unlike hotels, ryokan tend to be unique, with each resembling a Japanese style small theme park. However, in line with the development of transport networks, more and more ryokan offer the use of their onsen without lodging or meals included in the price, for those on day trips. Furthermore, in big onsen resorts such as Kusatsu in Gunma Prefecture and Beppu in Oita Prefecture, there are public onsen that you can use free of charge or for a very low fee. FS: There are so called “one day onsen” in urban areas or along major highways. What are they? T: They have many different types of bathtubs and because admission costs around 1,000 yen, here it’s possible to get a taste of the onsen experience for a reasonable price. Onsen are defined according to their water temperature and composition. Therefore, there are facilities that are not officially onsen. Up until a few decades ago, there were public baths called sentou everywhere. They’ve fallen out of use because most houses have their own baths these days, so more and more public baths have been converted into one day onsen.

留学生りゅうがくせい
ryuugakusei
foreign student
以後いごりゅう):
igo, ryuu
hereinafter FS
温泉おんせん
onnsenn ha
hot springs
日本にほん観光かんこう
nihonn kannkou no
Japan’s tourist <sightseeing>
もっとおおきな
mottomo ookina
biggest
魅力みりょく
miryoku
attractions
no
of
ひと
hitotsu
one
です
desu
are
が、
ga,
(as)
温泉地おんせんち
onnsennchi ha
onsen
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
ni
in
どのくらい
donokurai
how many
あるのですか。
arunodesuka.
are there ?
先生せんせい
sennsei
teacher
以後いごせん):
igo, senn
hereinafter T
日本にほん列島れっとう
nihonn retto
the Japan archipelago
地下ちかには
no chika niha
under
火山かざんそう
kazannsou ga
(a) volcanic seam
ある
aru
lies
ため、
tame,
as
およそ
oyoso
approximately
3,000さんぜん
sannzenn no
three thousand
温泉おんせん
onnsenn ga
onsen
あります。
arimasu.
there are
近年きんねん
kinnnennha
these days
掘削くっさく技術ぎじゅつ
kussaku gijyutsu ga
boring technology
非常ひじょう
hijyou ni
so much
すすみ、
susumi,
has advanced (that)
1,500せんごひゃくメートルめーとる
senngohyaku me-toru
one thousand five hundred meters
ほど
hodo
approximately
れば
horeba
if (you) dig (to a depth of)
温泉おんせん
onnsenn ha
(a) hot spring
てくる
dete kuru
(you)’ll hit
to
that
いわれます。
iware masu.
it’s said
そのため、
sonotame,
because of this
東京とうきょう
toukyou
Tokyo
ya
and
大阪おおさか
oosaka
Osaka
などの
nado no
such as
都心としん
toshinn
urban areas
でも
demo
in [also]
温泉おんせん
onnsenn ga
onsen
たのしめるようになりました。
tanoshimeru you ni narimashita.
(one) can now enjoy
各地かくちには
kakuchi niha
each region
全国的ぜんこくてき
zennkokuteki ni
nationwide
られた
shirareta
renown
温泉地おんせんちがあり
onnsennchi ga ari
(an) onsen (of) with
それぞれ
sorezore
each (having)
独特どくとくおもむき
dokutoku no omomuki ga
(its) own unique ambiance
あります。
arimasu.
has
りゅう
ryuu
FS
どんな
donnna
what
特徴とくちょう
tokuchou ga
individual characteristics
あるのですか。
aruno desuka.
are their?
せん
senn
T
温泉おんせん
onnsenn
(the) onsen
により
ni yori
depending on
いろ
iro
(the) color
ya
and
におい、
nioi,
scent
水温すいおん
suionn ga
water temperature
ことなります。
kotonari masu.
differ
いろ
iro ha
(the) colors
乳白色にゅうはくしょく
nyuuhakushoku,
milky white
あお
ao,
blue
みどり
midori,
green
透明とうめい
toumei
and transparent
など
nado
include
さまざまです。
samazama desu.
various
また、
mata,
in addition
各温泉かくおんせんには
kakuonnsenn niha
each onsen
独自どくじ
dokuji no
(its) own
効能こうのう
kounou ga
benefits
あります。
arimasu.
has
それは
soreha
these
温泉おんせん
onnsenn
(the) spring water
により
ni yori
according to
ことなります
kotonarimasu
differ
が、
ga,
[and]
める
nomeru
drinkable
温泉おんせんもあります。
onnsenn mo arimasu.
some waters are even
りゅう
ryuu
FS
温泉おんせんには
onnsenn niha
(an) onsen
はだか
hadaka de
naked
はいるの
hairu no
(you) enter
ですよね?
desu yo ne
is that correct?
せん
senn
T
見知みしらぬひとたち
mishiranu hito tachi
total strangers
一緒いっしょ
to issho ni
with
なります
narimasu
(you)’re
ので、
node,
as
最初さいしょ
saisho ha
at first
戸惑とまど
tomadou
embarrassed
かもしれません。
kamo shiremasenn.
it might be
しかし、
shikashi,
however
れれば
narereba
once you get used to it
になりません。
kini narimasenn.
(you) won’t mind (anymore)
混浴こんよく温泉おんせん
konnyoku no onnsenn mo
mixed bathing
あります
arimasu
is available
が、
ga,
though
男女だんじょ別々べつべつ
dannjyo betubetsu ga
men and women
一般的いっぱんてき
ippannteki
separately generally
です。
desu.
bathe <are>
からだ
karada wo
(your) body
あらって
aratte
(you) wash
から
kara
before <after>
温泉おんせん
onnsenn ni
(an) onsen
はいるの
hairu no
getting into
ga
that
エチケットえちけっとです。
echiketto desu.
custom dictates
りゅう
ryuu
FS
温泉地おんせんち
onnsennchi no
hot spring
旅館りょかん
ryokann
ryokan
ha
about
なに特別とくべつなものが
nanika tokubetsu na mono ga
something special
あるのですか。
aruno desuka.
is there?
せん
senn
T
各旅館かくりょかんには
ryokann niha
each ryokan
もちろん
mochironn
of course
独自どくじ
dokuji no
(its) own
温泉おんせん
onnsenn ga
hot spring
あります。
arimasu.
has
おおくの
ooku no
many of
湯船ゆぶね
yubune ha
(their) tubs
自然しぜん調和ちょうわするように
shizenn to chouwa suru youni
(that) create (a) sense of natural harmony
いわ
iwa
rock
ya
or
ひのき
hinoki
Japanese cypress
など
nado
materials such as
de
of
つくられています。
tsukurarete imasu.
are made
室内しつない
shitsunai
indoors
あるいは
arui ha
or
露天ろてん
rotenn no
outdoors
湯船ゆぶね
yubune
bathtubs
から、
kara,
[from]
うみ
umi ya
the sea
やま
yama,
mountains
あるいは
aruiha
or
日本にほん庭園ていえん
nihonn teienn ga
(a) Japanese garden
ながめられたりします。
nagameraretari shimasu.
can be with a view of
部屋へや
heya
guest’s rooms
には
niha
in
浴衣ゆかた
yukata ga
Yutaka
用意よういされています。
youi sarete imasu.
are laid out
着替きかえると
kigaeru to
(once) you change into (one)
とても
totemo
much more
くつろげます。
kutsuroge masu.
(you)’ll feel relaxed
りゅう
ryuu
FS
温泉地おんせんち旅館りょかん
onnsennchi no ryokann ha
(at) onsen ryokan
食事しょくじつきと
shokuji tsuki to
meals are included
きました
kikimashita
I’ve heard (that)
が、
ga,
[and]
そうなのですか。
sou nanodesu ka.
(as) is this correct ?
せん
senn
T
その土地とちでとれる
sono tochi de toreru
with locally sourced
しゅん食材しょくざい
shunn no shokuzai wo
seasonal ingredients
使用しようした
shiyou shita
cooked <used>
料理りょうりは、
ryouri ha,
dishes
温泉おんせん
onnsenn
(its) onsen
とともに
to tomoni
along with
旅館りょかん
ryokann no
ryokan’s
おおきな魅力みりょくひとつです。
ookina miryoku no hitotsu desu.
are part and parcel of a charm
旅館りょかん
ryokann ha
ryokan
ホテルほてることなり
hoteru to kotonari
hotels unlike
個性的こせいてきで、
koseiteki de,
(tend to be) unique
いっけんいっけん
ikkenn ikkenn ga
with each
ちいさな
chiisana
small
テーマてーまパークぱーく
wa no te-ma pa-ku
(a) Japanese style theme park
のようです。
no youdesu.
resembling
しかし
shikashi
however
交通網こうつうもう
koutsuumou
transport networks
no
of
発達はったつ
hattatsu
(the) development
で、
de,
in line with
日帰ひがえりできるようになった
higaeri dekiru you ni natta
for (those) on day trips
温泉地おんせんち
onnsennchi
[onsen resorts]
では、
deha,
[in]
宿泊しゅくはく
shukuhaku
lodging
ya
or
食事しょくじ
shokuji wo
meals (included in the price)
せず、
sezu,
without
温泉おんせん
onnsenn
(their) onsen
だけを
dake wo
[alone]
利用りようできる
riyou dekiru
(the) use of
旅館りょかん
ryokann mo
ryokan
えました。
fuemashita.
offer more and more
また、
mata,
furthermore
群馬県ぐんまけん
gunnmakenn
Gunma Prefecture
no
in
草津くさつ
kusatsu
Kusatsu
ya
and
大分県おおいたけん
ooitakenn
Oita Prefecture
no
in
別府べっぷ
beppu
Beppu
などの
nado no
such as
おおきな
ookina
big
温泉地おんせんち
onnsennchi
onsen resorts
には、
niha,
in
無料むりょう
muryou,
(you can use) free of charge
あるいは
aruiha
or
低価格ていかかく
teikakaku
(a) very low fee
de
for
利用りようできる
riyou dekiru
[can be used]
公衆こうしゅう温泉おんせん
koushuu onnsenn ga
public onsen (that)
あります。
arimasu.
there are
りゅう
ryuu
FS
都心としん
toshinn
(in) urban areas
ya
or
街道かいどう沿いには、
kaidou zoi niha,
along major highways
いわゆる
iwayuru
so called
日帰ひがえ温泉おんせん」が
higaeri onnsenn ga
one day onsen
ありますが、
arimasu ga,
there are
これは
koreha
what
どのようなものですか。
donoyouna mono desu ka.
are they?
せん
senn
T
さまざまな種類しゅるい
samazama na shurui
many different types
no
of
湯船ゆぶね
yubune ga
bathtubs
あり、
ari,
(they) have and
入場料にゅうじょうりょう
nyuujyuoryou ga
admission
せんえん
sennenn
one thousand yen
ほどです
hodo desu
around costs
ので
node
because
気軽きがる
kigaru ni
for a reasonable price
温泉おんせん気分きぶん
onnsenn kibunn wo
a taste of (the) onsen experience
あじわうことができます。
ajiwau koto ga deki masu.
(here it)’s possible to get
温泉おんせん
onnsenn ha
onsen
水温すいおん
suionn
their water temperature
ya
and
成分せいぶん
seibunn
composition
により
ni yori
according to
定義ていぎされます。
teigi sare masu.
are defined
そのため、
sonotame,
therefore
温泉おんせんでない
onnsenn denai
(that) are not officially onsen
浴場よくじょう施設しせつ
yokujyou shisetsu mo
[bath] facilities
あります。
arimasu.
there are
むかし
mukashi ha
up until a few decades ago
銭湯せんとう
senntou
sento
ばれる
to yobareru
called
公衆こうしゅう浴場よくじょう
koushuu yokujyou ga
public baths
いたるところに
itaru tokoro ni
everywhere
ありました。
arimashita.
their were
いまでは
ima deha
these days
ほとんどのいえ
hotonndo no ie ni
most houses
風呂ふろが 
furo ga
(their own) baths
ある
aru
have
ため、
tame,
because
利用客りようきゃく
riyoukyaku ga heri
(they)’ve fallen out <decrease> of use so
日帰ひがえ温泉おんせん
higaeri onnsenn
one day onsen
ni
into
改造かいぞうする
kaizou suru
have been converted
公衆こうしゅう浴場よくじょう
koushuu yokujyou ga
public baths
えました。
fue mashita.
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