Taking The Plunge In Hokkaido

        My roommate, Cheng, refers to it as "the highlight of our trip" and I find myself agreeing with her, despite delighting in other aspects of our holiday in Hokkaido. Even though it has now been 6 months since we got back, we find ourselves reminiscing about our onsen moments.

        An onsen is a Japanese hot spring, immensely popular among locals and tourists. Being a volcanically active country, Japan abounds in onsens. They are a central feature of tourism in Japan and are definitely high in the list of must-dos for any tourist interested in immersing himself in Japanese culture. It's listed as #4 out of 102 things to try in Japan. Indulging in a soak in the onsen, however, requires overcoming one's inhibition. You see, one has to be completely in the buff!

        Onsen etiquette dictates that bathers have to shed all clothing at the changing room and cleanse themselves  thoroughly before entering the hot springs. It can be a mighty long walk from the changing room to the shower area and then on to the hot springs, which can be indoors as well as outdoors. So the catwalk to parade your nudity can be a long one. And you are only permitted one minuscule towel for modesty. Male bathers, admittedly, require only one towel, but what about female bathers?

        Cheng and I braved ourselves to take the plunge on our very first night in Hokkaido. We convinced each other that we were quite blind without our spectacles and contact lenses so  any perusal of the other's naked body would be a mere blur. We were initially extremely hesitant to remove our yukatas and valiantly tried to cover some unmentionables. Also, we were conscious of possible prying eyes, even though we were in an all-female onsen. Boy, were we relieved to finally be able to ease our bodies into the hot springs!

        And the fun began! It was incredibly relaxing to submerge ourselves in the hot waters, which range from 40 degrees to 43 degrees Celsius. I could feel my muscles unknotting, especially after being pounded by some jets of water. We left the first hot spring pool to venture to another pool outdoors, which was even more enjoyable as the crisp night air helped to balance the hot temperature of the pool.

        Once we overcame the initial shyness, there was no looking back. We tried out the onsens at all the different hotels that we stayed in. By the time we reached the end of our Hokkaido holiday, we were confidently striding from the changing room to the shower area and finally to the hot springs, without being self-conscious of our nudity. It is really so true what people say, life is too short to be ashamed of your body, regardless of size or shape. And honestly, no one even glances your way! I am so glad Cheng and I gave each other the courage to brave the first hurdle.

Dressed in our yukatas, which we wore to dinner as well as to the onsen

Outdoor onsen with a view of Lake Akan (photo taken from the Web)

Two beauties (not us) in an onsen (photo taken from the Web)