Tips to avoid Wani & unpleasant experience at mixed baths

Are these alligators or crocodiles? Many Japanese inluding myself can't recognize the difference. (Oniyama Jigoku, Kannawa Onsen, Beppu City, Oita Pref. in Jan.2008)

The number of Wani is said to be increasing at mixed baths in Japan. The Japanese word "Wani" stands for both crocodiles and alligators.

Maybe you say "Hey, you share an onsen bath with crocodiles and alligators in Japan? Isn't it too dangerous?" Well, wani appearing at onsen is different from ordinary wani and often described as "Wani Otoko" (Crocodile Man or Alligator Man) as well. Many Japanese except onsen enthusiasts doesn't know its existance yet. It has following characteristics.

Spices: Homo Sapience

Gender: Male only (as far as I know)

Habitat: Gender mixed baths, especially open-air baths not far away from big cities (within 2-3 hours).

Action: Spends long time in mixed bath, waiting for female soakers. Sometimes brings in big bottle of water or tea preparing for hours of soaking. When a target comes, it gazes at her body with eyes wide open, without blinking. Sometimes it follows and approaches victims without a word. Usually they don't make  groups, visits mixed baths by themselves. It's easy to recognize them as they have sharp eyes like real wani. (,,ﾟДﾟ)∩

Of course most soakers are well-mannered, but many female soakers I talked with say they met wanis more often recently. As for me, I saw some wanis in last few years including the Kawaranoyu, Tsubame Onsen, Niigata Pref. in Aug.2008. (left)

They threaten our custom at the mixed bath of "not to see, not to show" and the number of the mixed bath is decreasing  in inverse proportion of the the mannerless people.　（*｀へ´*）

Followings are tips for ladies to avoid wani and unpleasant experience at mixed bath. If you have other suggestions, please leave a comment.

1) Go with your husband or boyfriend.
Wani never stares at ladies with male partners.

2) Go with your friends.
I think three or four of you is enough to drive wani out. Just stare at him and chuckle.

3) Choose day and time
Less possibility to meet wani on weekdays, in the early morning, and in the night. Some onsens with mixed baths set "ladies only time".

4) Towel wrapping
Soaking towels in the bath tub is generally against bathing manner in Japan, but many onsens with mixed bath allow ladies to wrap their body with bath towels.

5) Choose muddy bath
Some onsens aren't transparent. If you soak yourself in a muddy or milky white onsen, you don't have to care about being watched at least while soaking.

6) Inform the manager
He or she will drive wani out, I hope. But wani knows unstrict onsens and onsens without managers.

7) Talk to wani
If you meet a wani unfortunately, just talk to him "Wani desuka? (Are you a wani?)" I think he will leave. But if he answers "Yes, so what?" I have no idea what to say next.

8) Dare not go
There are many good gender separated onsens in Japan. If you just want an onsen experience, you don't have to persist with a mixed bath.

9) Swimsuites bathing
Go to the onsen allow swimsites bathing. But swimsuites bathing is different from our onsen culture. The onsen is to soak in a bath in your birthday suites, not in a pool with swimsuites, I guess.

Finally, I want to suggest wanis to take advantage of their special talent in different fields. How about trying a Guiness World Record of "Keep eyes open without blinking"?

General Info: Part 2 - Tattoo Ban

Tattoo ban signboards at the entrance of day visit onsens in Kanagawa and Tokyo. They say "People with tattoos or tattoo stickers are not allowed to enter regardless the size of tattoo" (left) and "People with tattoo can't take a bath here. If you don't follow, we will call police" (right).

This is a controversial topic, but most day visit onsens in Japan ban people with tattoo. Tattoos used to be a symbol of criminals and still being associated with Yakuza or violence group, at the same time the number of young people with tattoo just as fashion is increasing recently.

A manager of a day visit onsen once told me "We ban all kind of tattoos, even a tiny one, because sometimes it's difficult to distinguish a fashion tattoo from a scoundrel tattoo".

According to a newspaper's report a few days ago, a boss of a violence group or Yakuza was prosecuted recently for ignoring "tattoo ban" sign and a manager's petition to leave at least twice at a bath house.

Of course some onsens aren't strict about tattoo ban, and I know many foreign visitors with tattoo have enjoyed onsens in Japan without any trouble. But I feel it's getting stricter and I see the "tattoo ban" signs more often than a few years ago.

If you have a tattoo and plan to visit onsen, you'd better recognize there is a risk that you will be cordially asked to leave. I suggest people with tattoo to go to the onsens with private baths that you can share the bath just among your group.

I don't remember any tattoo ban signboard at ryokans. So I called the Japan Ryokan Association to confirm if the tattoo ban applies for ryokans as well. A young lady answered "There is no uniform consensus among the member ryokans about guests with tattoo, it depends on each ryokan's decision".

Useful Site : Japan Ryokan Assosiation

Now that the holiday season has started in many counties, the number of incoming e-mails asking recommendable onsen ryokans is increasing, and it's getting difficult for me to respond each request.

I suggest you to look up the official website of the Japan Ryokan Association. It has English, Korean, simplified Chinese, and traditional Chinese sites.

It carries overall information on ryokan in　Japan like "What is Ryokan", "How to choose" and "How to stay". It has extensive list of ryokans all over Japan as well to help you finding suitable ryokans.

Please note the ryokan itself is Japanese style inn, not necessarily supplies onsen. The number of the ryokans accepting solo travelers is limited. Usually they provide dinners and breakfasts and charge per head, not per room. Check in time is generally around 3:00 - 4:00 P.M, and check out time is 10:00 A.M.

General Info: Part 1 - Onsen Glossary

I'm going to update this glossary constantly. If there are any onsen-related words you need explanation, please leave a comment. I'll follow up.

• ashiyu（足湯）: Foot bath. Usually free of charge except famous tourist spots like Arashiyama (Kyoto) and Yufuin (Oita). See the picture of this post.
• datsuijo（脱衣所）: Changing room.
• ganban-yoku（岩盤浴）: Stone sauna.
• furo（風呂）: Bath. Often means bath room as well. Ofuro is more polite expression.
• hinoki-buro（檜風呂）： Bath tub made of Japanese cypress woods.
• iwa-buro（岩風呂）：Bath tub made of rocks.
• kashikiri-buro（貸切風呂）: Private bath. You can share a bath with your family or friends. Same as kazoku-buro.
• kazoku-buro（家族風呂）: Private bath same as kashikiri-buro. Literally means family bath.
• konyoku（混浴）: Gender mixed bathing. Pronounce as kon-yoku.
• kousen（鉱泉）: Cold mineral springs.
• kyodo-yokujo（共同浴場）: Public bath. Admission fee is usually cheaper than sento.
• mizu-buro（水風呂）：Cold water bath.
• neyu（寝湯）: Lying Bath. Shallow bath with about 20 cm deep. Lying down for soaking.
• ofuro（お風呂）: Bath and bathroom. More polite than "furo".
• onna-yu（女湯）: Ladies' bath.
• onsen（温泉）: Hot springs. Also means hot spring bath, hot spring bath house, and whole hot spring gushing area depending on situation. Keep in mind an "ONSEN" named bath house sometimes supply heated tap or well water instead of hot springs (It's legal). See also Wikipedia.
• onsen tamago（温泉卵）：Eggs boiled with onsen. Softer than usual boiled egg.
• otoko-yu（男湯）: Men's bath.
• rei-kousen（冷鉱泉）: Cold mineral spring. Same as kousen.
• rotenburo（露天風呂）: Open-air bath.
• ryokan（旅館）: Japanese style inn. Generally serves dinner and breakfast for overnight staying guests. Many onsen ryokans accept day visit soaking.
• senmenki（洗面器）: Washing bowl.
• sento（銭湯）: Communal bath house for those who doesn't have a bath room at home. Some of them supply hot springs. Most of them are family run. All sentos are under authority of local governments and each prefecture set the addmission fee. Gender mixed bathing never allowed. See also Wikipedia.
• super sento（スーパー銭湯）: Value added sento with ganban-yoku, restaurant, barber, massage parlor, nail salon, and etc.
• uchiyu（内湯）: Usually means indoor bath, sometimes means bathroom inside ryokan.
• utaseyu（打たせ湯）：Pelting water. A steady stream of hot water cascading one's shoulders or back. Massaging effect expected.
• yukata（浴衣）: Cotton kimono. Almost all ryokans provide yukata for staying guest as bathrobe and pajama (Don't take away). See also Wikipedia.