DESIGN
Japan’s onsen revival.
The word “onsen” is so popular in Japan it has its own symbol (and emoji). Japan is volcanically active, and for thousands of years the Japanese have used its hot springs as part of a ritual to relax and ease stresses, to cure ailments and as social places where friends and family can gather.
The oldest recorded onsen, Dogo Onsen in Japan’s south, reportedly dates back to 712AD. As far back as the 7th century, ryokans offering the comforts of home and a place to bathe became fixtures along the Nakasendo, a route used by shoguns, pilgrims and samurai between Tokyo and Kyoto.
While the Western world obsesses over spa culture, Japan has always been ahead of the curve – the onsen is the perfect wellness retreat but priced for the people, so that anyone can soothe tired or stressed bodies and souls.
A century ago there were about 2,000 bathhouses in Tokyo and an estimated 3,000 in wider Japan. Though the number has since dwindled, there are indications that the onsen is experiencing a revival, with more contemporary approaches being blended with retro style and historical nuance.
An onsen is defined as a hot bath that contains at least one of 19 designated chemical elements – including iron and sulphur – and that comes from underground at a temperature higher than 25 degrees.
Kashikiri-buro, or private baths, are usually found in hotels and ryokans, and can be rented to guests so families or couples can enjoy their bath exclusively. Sento, meanwhile, are constructed baths that use heated tap water. They usually charge a small fee and are largely utilitarian in their facilities; customers usually bring their own towel, soap and shampoo, and separation of the sexes is often by way of a large partition. Even so, the sento has its own charm and it too is experiencing a revival. New and refurbished sento are bringing luxury and variety to the bathhouse experience in Japan, some adding jet baths, cold plunge pools and even outdoor rock pools with the appearance of an onsen. Many sento pride themselves on their murals depicting classic Japanese scenes such as Mount Fuji or shrines. Others have evolved into ultra-modern spa facilities.
Some disused onsen and sento have been turned into cafés or galleries. The café conversions of the Showa-era Maisen in Tokyo, Saganoyu in Arashiyama and Sarasa Nishijin in Kyoto have kept many of the original bathhouse features
while adding dramatic new design elements. Sarasa Nishijin, in particular, has retained a stunning Taisho-era gabled entrance, while Scai the Bathhouse in Tokyo is an Edo-era sento transformed into a contemporary art space.
At its heart the onsen is about hadaka no tsukiai, a Japanese term meaning “naked communion”, a way to break down social barriers and encourage people to relax – it’s hard to be stressed or laud your status while standing stark-naked in front of your peers.
Onsen is a ritual, a social gathering, a bath with benefits.
It’s gokuraku – heaven.