A long soak in a Tokyo sento (public bathhouse) or onsen (hot spring) is one of the gentlest pleasures of life in this city, and one of the most affordable. If the idea of bathing among strangers feels intimidating, you are not alone, and the good news is that the etiquette is short, sensible, and built entirely around keeping the shared water clean and the room calm. Learn a handful of rules and you can relax like a local on your very first visit.
A quick note on the difference: a sento uses ordinary heated water and is the neighbourhood bath you will find tucked between houses all over Tokyo, while an onsen uses natural hot-spring water. The manners are the same at both. Baths are split by gender (look for the 男 noren curtain for men and 女 for women), and you bathe nude, so leave the swimsuit at home.
How a visit works, step by step
- 1Take off your shoes at the entrance and put them in the shoe locker or rack.
- 2Pay at the front desk or the ticket machine. At an ordinary Tokyo sento the adult fee is set by a city-wide regulated rate (currently 550 yen for adults; less for children) — onsen and bath-house complexes set their own prices, so check the posted rate.
- 3Go to the correct changing room (men or women), find a free locker, and undress completely. Swimsuits and underwear are not worn in the bath.
- 4Carry only your small towel into the bathing area, and pick up a wash stool and basin if they are provided.
- 5Sit at a shower station and wash and rinse your whole body THOROUGHLY before you go anywhere near the shared tub. This is the single most important rule.
- 6Ease into the bath slowly — do not jump in. Soak quietly and enjoy it.
- 7Rinse off again before re-entering the tub if you have showered or sweated, wring out your small towel, and pat yourself dry before stepping back into the changing room.
Wash your body completely at the shower stations BEFORE getting into the shared bath — everyone soaks in the same water, so arriving clean is non-negotiable. And keep your small towel out of the water: rest it on your head or on the side of the tub. These two habits matter more than any other.
Small courtesies that make you a welcome guest
- Tie up long hair so it does not touch the bathwater.
- Sit down while you use the shower so you do not splash the people next to you, and rinse your stool and basin and put them back when you finish.
- Keep your voice down — the bath is a quiet, restful space, not a place to call across the room.
- No phones or cameras anywhere in the changing or bathing rooms. People are undressed, so photography is strictly off-limits.
- Avoid alcohol before bathing; the heat plus drinking can make you dizzy or unwell. Step out and cool down if you start to feel faint, and drink water afterwards.
- If you find a bathhouse flying a multilingual welcome sign, it likely offers English signage, cashless payment, and amenities for first-timers.
Tattoos: many sento and onsen in Tokyo still restrict tattoos for cultural reasons. A small tattoo can often be covered with a waterproof patch, and a growing number of baths are tattoo-friendly or offer private/family baths (kashikiri) you can reserve. When in doubt, check the facility's policy or ask politely before you pay — it is a normal question and staff are used to it.
- Do I really have to be completely naked?
- Yes. At gender-separated baths you bathe nude — swimsuits and underwear are not allowed. Your small hand towel is for washing and modesty in the shower area; it stays out of the water once you are in the tub. It feels strange for about five minutes and then completely normal.
- What should I bring?
- A small towel and a larger one to dry off, plus any toiletries. Many baths sell or lend a towel and have soap and shampoo at the showers, but a simple neighbourhood sento may not, so bring your own to be safe, along with coins for the locker or vending machines.
- How long should I stay in the bath?
- Listen to your body — a few minutes at a time is plenty when the water is hot, and you can get out to cool down and go back in as often as you like. Re-rinse before re-entering. If you feel light-headed, hot, or unwell, get out, sit down in a cool spot, and drink water.
