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Onsen & Sento Etiquette Quiz

Ten quick questions on Japanese bath manners: washing first, towels, hair, photos, shoes, tattoos and resting afterwards. Each answer comes with a one-line explanation.

Free, no sign-up. Nothing you enter is sent to a server.

  1. 1.When should you wash your body?
  2. 2.What do you wear in the bath?
  3. 3.Where does your small towel go while you soak?
  4. 4.You have long hair. What should you do?
  5. 5.Before going back into the changing room, you should…
  6. 6.Can you take photos in the bathing area?
  7. 7.Where do your shoes go at a sento?
  8. 8.You have a tattoo. What should you do?
  9. 9.Is it OK to swim or splash in the bath?
  10. 10.After a long soak or sauna, it's a good idea to…

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10 questions left.

The 10 rules in short

  1. Before getting into the bath. Wash and rinse at the shower stations before you get into any shared bath, so the water stays clean for everyone.
  2. Nothing. Japanese baths are used naked and separated by gender. Swimsuits are only for mixed facilities that say so.
  3. On your head or beside the bath. Keep towels out of the water. Many people fold the small towel on their head or leave it on the side.
  4. Tie it up so it stays out of the water. Tie long hair up so it does not touch the bath water.
  5. Wipe off most of the water with your small towel. Wipe yourself down so you do not drip on the changing room floor.
  6. No — cameras and phones are not allowed. Photos are not allowed where people bathe. Most facilities also ask you not to bring phones into the bath or sauna.
  7. Into a shoe locker near the entrance. Take your shoes off at the entrance and put them in a shoe locker, usually with a wooden key.
  8. Check the facility's own policy before you go. Policies differ: some baths welcome tattoos, some accept them covered, many refuse them. Check each facility's website.
  9. No — get in quietly and relax. Baths are for quiet soaking. Enter slowly, do not swim, and keep your voice down.
  10. Drink some water and rest. Hot water and saunas make you sweat. Drink water, rest, and do not stand up too suddenly.

How it works

Tap an answer for each question. You will see straight away whether it was right and why. Your score appears at the end; nothing is saved or sent anywhere.

The rules apply to most onsen (hot springs), super sento and neighbourhood sento in Japan. Each facility can add its own rules, which are usually posted in the changing room, so follow those first.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most important onsen rule?

Wash and rinse your whole body at the shower stations before you get into the shared bath.

Can I wear a swimsuit in an onsen?

Usually not. Most Japanese baths are gender-separated and used without clothing. Only mixed facilities that say so allow swimsuits or bath wear.

Is it rude to put a towel in the bath?

Yes. Keep your towel out of the water — on your head or beside the bath.

Sources