Kevin and Pierre had classes again, so I thought that I could go and check out an onsen 
I decided to go to an onsen named Nagominoyu なごみの湯. It’s near Shinjuku and costs 2000 Yen, which includes a small and a big towel and clothing. As soon as you enter the facility you’re supposed to take off your shoes and put them in a locker. Afterwards, you go to the counter and pay the price. Although there were so many signs, maybe because there were so many signs, I was so confused and didn’t know where to go and just followed a woman and hoped that she also wanted to go to take a bath and not to the restaurant.
I decided to go to an onsen named Nagominoyu なごみの湯. It’s near Shinjuku and costs 2000 Yen, which includes a small and a big towel and clothing. As soon as you enter the facility you’re supposed to take off your shoes and put them in a locker. Afterwards, you go to the counter and pay the price. Although there were so many signs, maybe because there were so many signs, I was so confused and didn’t know where to go and just followed a woman and hoped that she also wanted to go to take a bath and not to the restaurant.
It was my first time to go to an onsen, which wasn’t part of a hotel, so I didn’t really know whether I should just take everything off or put on the clothing, whether I should take the small or the bigger towel with me, if at all. So, again.. I just looked around and tried to figure out what I was supposed to do. I successfully entered the bath (I had to go back to my locker twice, the first time because I entered with the clothing I got, the second time because I entered with the big towel). I tried everything for two or three hours. Cold bath, carbonated bath, outdoor bath, a dry sauna, whirlpool bath and you don’t have to bring shampoo or any of that stuff because they have everything there! Even when you’re ready to go and just want to dry your hair, they even have toner, moisturizer etc.
In the beginning, I was so worried about other people seeing me naked but nobody cares! Nobody stared at me! Everyone was just happily taking a bath So, if you ever get the chance to go to Japan, I suggest you go to an onsen and just experience it! Bathing with 10 strangers in one pool is less awkward than you imagine!
So, if you ever get the chance to go to Japan, I suggest you go to an onsen and just experience it! Bathing with 10 strangers in one pool is less awkward than you imagine!
Although… I do have a super awkward story to tell. But don’t worry, it’s not really something you’re likely to encounter. Here we go: Because it’s an onsen the floor can be a bit slippery but there are mats outside of the bathing area, in order to prevent any incidents. Well, it’ just my luck to witness someone slipping. My usual reaction would be asking that person if everything’s alright and helping them to get up but in this case… my first reaction was to stare and I thought “Should I pretend to not have seen this? But she saw me seeing her! Should I help her?”
Reasons for this train of thoughts:
1) She was naked. 2) I was naked. 3) She was an elderly woman.
Can you feel the awkwardness? Anyway, being the awesome person I am, I helped her and asked her (without looking past her neck, at least I tried) if everything’s alright and (I think) she said “Thank you, everything’s alright but you should also be careful. It’s quite slippery.” She thanked me again and the awkwardness finally ended, when she went to the lockers.
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