Magic

merel3ssen in Indonesia:

Taking a #shower with the locals of #flores #hotspring

This entries lead concerns Japan - hot springs - naked. Oh no!

Yes. Articles on how to behave while enjoying a Japanese hot spring have been circulating around the globe the last few months. A selection:

Star Tribune (Jun. 4):

'Japan is proud of its bathing traditions. For many Westerners, though, the fact that these traditions involve being naked with strangers is awkward at best, even though men and women bathe separately.
On my first trip I tried to wriggle out of a friend's offer to take me to an onsen, or hot springs resort. I suggested a different town that had an attraction I wanted to see, and thought I was off the hook.
...
It turned out for the best, though, because I've become a fan. Nothing is more relaxing after a tiring day of sightseeing than a long soak, and you can reassure yourself that you're experiencing authentic culture at the same time'.

A more personal experience from yahoo7.com.au (Apr. 5):

'I’m standing in a small room wrapped in a towel. I know I have to go in to a further room to shower, but I’m finding it hard to will myself to go in there because… well, when I get in there I will have to shower naked.. with other people.

...

I get in and under before I’m spotted by anyone ('anyone' being the other three women - two of whom are already in the water, and one who is focusing on her own bits for the time being).

And then something magical happens.

It’s so relaxing... I allow the steaming hot water to envelop me. I do what I’ve read is customary and place the facecloth on my head, then lie back against a wall and relax.

...

My visit has made me realise that no one is really looking at me, that everyone has a body with bits that wobble or bits that we don't like, and yet, we’re all just wasting valuable time worrying about showing it'.

Shape.com (Apr. 20):

'I knew it was something I needed to do—a cultural experience to cross off my travel bucket list. But I was nervous about other people seeing me naked. I don't have any particular reason for my fear, other than years of American culture conditioning me (and all women) to shower solo, change your clothes as quickly as possible, and use robes and towels whenever possible. (You know, you've wrapped a towel around your waist while sliding underwear on and off in the locker room.) I worried that if I stripped down in front of other women and stayed that way for more than five seconds, then they would find something to silently judge. The cellulite on the back of my thighs. The slight pudge in my stomach. Hell, maybe I had too much—or too little—pubic hair for their liking. I didn't know, but certainly, they would find something.

....

We weren't forced to use public onsens the entire trip. In fact, only four of the 11 days had them as our only option. The other, larger accommodations had private onsens or personal en suite bathing facilities available. But by the end of the trip, we were all forgoing those private tubs and opting for the public onsens instead. There wasn't much talk, if any, of who would go when. A simple, "I'm hitting the onsen!" sufficed as we checked into our rooms, ditched our dirty hiking clothes, and slipped into our yukatas. Sure, my heart still skipped a beat each time I derobed, but the cry for a rejuvenating soak was louder than my body image fears. And as the warm water soothed my achy muscles and the quiet conversation between other women buzzed around me, my fears were, little by little, washed away.

I may not be down to dip in my birthday suit on the regular, but if this trip taught me anything, it's that body confidence—just like everything else—is always a work in progress'.

Japan Today (Apr. 8) notes how some national bathing traditions are on the fade:

'If you find yourself on Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu, you will come upon delicacies that are not offered abundantly in other parts of the country. However, what the island is the most well known for are its onsen, or hot springs. Dipping into the thermal waters of Kyushu is a must, especially if you can do it with all of your friends or significant other.

These days, the konyoku onsen, or mixed gendered bath, is a rare and dying breed. Every year, more facilities are closing their doors or changing their policies so that men and women bathe separately. Traditionally, onsen were meant for men and women to bathe together, so many advocates are pushing to preserve the old ways'.

It then refers to gaijinpot blog which lists 9 Kyushu konyoku's.

yakushima.kamesennin.iwaki with friends, bathing in one of the referred to konyoku's:

平内海中♨️温泉♨️#屋久島 #yakushima #温泉 #屋久島ガイド亀仙人岩城輝龍 #屋久島ガイド亀仙人 #屋久島写真 #平内海中温泉

Channel News Asia (Apr. 13) tries to broaden the cultural thing.

'Travelling the world is about exploring new cultures and traditions. And sometimes you do that completely naked, surrounded by equally naked locals, wearing nothing but your warmest smile.
...
But contrary to what you might think, going au naturel won’t embarrass you in front of the locals as much as your lack of etiquette might. For instance, what is customary in a Japanese onsen may be downright rude in a Turkish bath house'.

What follows is just some pointers for sauna's, onsens, Turkish baths and jjimjilbangs.

Soakings stamped

Then the stranger side of soaking, more or less related. 

Spoon and Tamago (Feb. 12) on the peculiar art of soaking-themed stamps:

'Each of Hirose’s stamp designs depicts an individual bath house in Japan with a particular focus on the bath house’s unique features: a stunning mural of Mount Fuji, a stately front entrance, a water spout in the shape of a lion’s head. By highlighting these specific quirks, Hirose hopes to inspire others to visit local public bath houses more frequently. In fact, traditional bath houses are disappearing in Japan, where one public bath house goes out of business about once a week.
Last month, Hirose held two exhibitions in Tokyo of his stamp designs intended to generate interest in local public bath houses. The first, a partnership with the Tokyo Sento Association, included stamps Hirose created for the 22 public bath houses in Tokyo’s Arakawa Ward, which has the second-highest ratio of bath houses to residents in Tokyo.
The second exhibition showcased roughly 100 stamps of individual bath houses all across Tokyo, representing what Hirose describes as a “sento pilgrimage.” Visitors can even embark on their own sento pilgrimages by collecting stamps from each bath house featured in Hirose’s designs'.

source

What happened to the Onsen Magazine? Pity, it seems there are no more updates.

Too much

lincy_rangsinee in Umphang, Tak, Thailand:

หนาวจัง แช่นำ้อุ่นหน่อย 🎋🎋 #privateonsen🏔♨️

And the trend in soaking Southeastasian-wise seems to replicate the Japanese experience, but then back home. And without the public viewing.

The Indonesiaexpat describes (Apr. 11) an onsen experience (The Onsen Resort) to be had in Batu, Eastern Java. 

'Batu’s most recent attraction has truly made this town unique in all of Java. The Onsen Hot Spring Resort opened its doors at Jalan Arumaldu, Songgoriti in December 2017. Though small, this resort is regarded as one of the most unique resorts in Southeast Asia as it is the very first resort with a Japanese bathhouse theme.
...
Though the water may seem dirty, it actually isn’t. The brown colouring comes from the sulphur powder used to prevent itching and cleanse the skin. It’s simply divine to soak in the hot water after a long day discovering the beautiful Japanese-inspired grounds of the resort'. 

A recent booking.com reviewer (average score 7.3) however notes: 

'The food!
The staffs were very friendly, the rooms were clean, there is a nice view, but the food was so bad [and] not tasty. The breakfast was also bad. A lot of empty food trays and the staffs were so slow too'. 

Tripadvisor, handing a visit with a review feedback of 3.0 stars, continues: 

'Japanese culture is popular around the world. In this place,I can experience it completely,no matter Japanese traditional clothes or onsen or food. Honestly, I like onsen most , because the water is yellow and not hot. It is really relaxed my body and mind. Of course, the lady clothes is fascinating and food price is suitable . I wanna get here again'. 

Quotes for a family villa for 2 nights, €508 no less.

_marnelli_ at Marawar hot springs, Kapatagan, Mindanao, Philippines:

💦 #nature #hotspring

More onsen, this time from Vietnam (Viet Nam News, Apr. 13): 

'Located 30km north of Huế City, the newly opened Alba Wellness Resort is nestled in a tranquil land cradled by tropical forest, hot and cold streams and a local lifestyle rich in Huế traditions.
...
Boasting a natural hot spring, a precious gift of nature scattering around the property, Alba Wellness Resort offers Việt Nam’s first authentic onsen and spa centre, where I enjoyed a seven-step contemporary Japanese bath.
Although I had experience with traditional onsen in Japan, where nudity is required, I was as a bit hesitant to strip off and bathe in front of other ladies. (There are separate spaces for men and women.) My embarrassment vanished quickly after I got into the ‘silk bath’ pool, which had thousands of small bubbles that I used to cover my skin'. 

Tripadvisor (the max of 5.0 stars no less): 

'The only minor thing was the water temperature of Onsen Spa. They were somehow lukewarm, and I was a bit unsatisfied with being an expert in hot springs. I left feedback so it will be fixed soon... I hope'.

This was the first review. Management responded that they would solve the problem and I see no repetitions of this comment.

Booking.com (8.9) on the same: 

'I like the beautiful atmosphere here. The staffs are very nice and helpful also. The hot spring here is a really great present of God'. 

Quotes are from US$180 and above.

Da Nang Corner on a visit to Nui Than. Google translates from Vietnamese: 

'Onsen bathing area is surrounded by two mountains of Thanh Long and Bach Ho, behind is Ba Na mountain, the two sides are the stream of water in front. This is a prime location with gas. Onsen Towers are built on the Japanese architecture and are standardized according to strict procedures of Beppu province, the home of hot springs in the world' 

It's not the only onsen experience to be had in Vietnam. Nui Than Tai Hot Springs Park (near Danang) boasts of an Onsen Tower: 

'Is a place for mineral bath in the tub with large size according the Japanese style and characteristic. At Onsen in Nui Than Tai hot spring park has qualified with standards of Beppu city - the famous city of Onsen in Japan'.

Tripadvisor (4.0 stars):

'We came during summer holidays on the weekends, so it was quite noisy and crowded in swimming pools. The Osen bathing facility was not too crowded so it was quite pleasant and relaxing. We tried out the 2 bathtubs, first with lemongrass then with milk, which we found very refreshing. There are more choices that we didn't try: with vietnamese wine, tea, coffee, and mud'. 

And: 

'Expensive, poorly run, slides closed, restaurants closed, 120k for Pho?? They made me share a mud tub with two other people?? Slippery tiles and screaming kids everywhere. Turned away from slides because of size (we are not overweight at all)'. 

Quotes from $60US. 

Booking.com gives it an 8.6.

hexezy in an onsen-like setting in Petchabun (Thailand). Read more here: 

『Hot spring ♨️』 バンコクから車で3時間かかる所です。 1時間で300バーツです。1人当たりで300バーツではなく、一部屋当たりで300バーツです。複数の人数でも入れます。肌がツルツルになるよ〜❤ 

ちなみに私は変態やな（笑）#温泉 #hotsprings #transgender #tanskin #まったり

Then in Thailand, Bangkok Post (May 8) posts the following:

'The popularity of onsens has been bubbling up in Thailand, even though it is a tropical country, says one wellness brand.

Thai onsen lovers no longer need to fly to Japan to enjoy a hot soak as onsen services are available across the country, particularly at major tourist destinations such as Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri and Bangkok -- specifically on Sukhumvit Road and at the K Village retail complex on Rama 4 Road.

Panpuri, a leading wellness brand, is set to open its first onsen on the 12th floor of the Gaysorn complex on Ratchaprasong Road next month, aiming to tap fans of the bathing ritual.

"It is the first onsen downtown. Apart from shopping in the area, onsen will be an alternative activity for visitors," said Vorravit Siripark, chief executive at Puri Co, the operator of Panpuri Wellness and Spa. Onsen will be one feature at the 100-million-baht Panpuri Wellness and Spa, which entails a variety of services, including organic spa, wellness bar, studio, body massage and meditation.

There are 10 onsen pools separated by gender and two small individual pools.The company has hired a consultant from Japan to design the onsen system, with hot springs imported in the form of powder from several Japanese cities. This wellness centre was soft launched last December.

"We've had better than expected responses, and about 60% of our customers are foreigners from China, Japan, Korea and Hong Kong," said Mr Vorravit, a self-described spa and massage lover.

Mr Vorravit first opened a Panpuri store in a 120 square metre space at Gaysorn Complex to sell organic spa products for body care. He opened the space shortly after returning to Thailand from Italy in 2003, where he was studying for a master's degree and was inspired to realise his entrepreneurial ambitions.

"I had a chance to try spa treatments at famous hotel chains. Their services are excellent. But there are no Thai products available there. This inspired me to create my own health and services, without imaging they would one day become part of a global trend," said Mr Vorravit.

He said there is huge potential for spa and wellness centres in Thailand, with foreign tourist arrivals reaching 35.4 million in 2017. Thailand is ranked No.1 globally as a spa-holiday destination, generating revenue of 32 billion baht from foreign customers in 2015'.  

Dis-spelled

mrjohnnybeans

Mountains Waterfalls and hot spring.. what more could you ask for 😀#vietnsm #nahtrang #waterfalls #hotsprings#beautifuldestinations #natureboy#naturelover #greatday #gopro

Let's look at the more natural springs, starting with Vietnam. 

Above a more touristic destination near Yangbay, I believe.

Condé Nast (Jun. 25) announces it's 

'105 of the most stunning swimming pools in the world'.

Including Nha Trang's (Vietnam) hot spring I-resort.

Possibly more to do with the lead and the local spin-offs but nonetheless interesting:

Baomoi.com describes (Jan. 23) the hot springs of Ngoc Chien hot springs in Loi village (Ngoc Chien commune, Muong La district, Son La province). Afforded with google translate:

'And Pham Ngoc Son, a traveling tourist from Hanoi, shared, working week with computer, head tense, Mr. Son gathered group to go to relax. His group runs a distance of more than 300km from Hanoi along Highway 32, to the Kim junction (Mu Cang Chai, Yen Bai province) to Ngoc Tuan to experience, relax, soak in the hot mineral water. Mr. Son and his friends all feel the same, when the bath is full of stress, tired all dispel them in a moment'.

_donsweet_ at Ngọc Chiến: 

------- Tắm tiên 👌Lần đầu thấy suối nước trong vắt sôi nổi bọt, ước chi mang được về để khỏi sợ tắm vào mùa đông 😆#NgọcChiến#MườngLa

Does Bali have some beautiful hot springs? Kura Kura Guide (Apr. 10) thinks affirmative. They

'... have summarized briefly 5 Natural Hot Springs in Bali with stunning scenery that will feast your eyes'.

In the Philippines, Nognoginthecity (Jun. 23) experiences Puning hot spring(s):

'It was a worth while experience that is combination of both fun and relaxation'.

 mr.cuthbert at Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines:

Hottest bath I've ever had 🛀🌡️

A visit to Laos Muang La hot spring (Daily Beast, Jun. 11) draws the author to see the future passing: 

'But the days of undisturbed authenticity are numbered in Muang La, and Laos in general. The Chinese are investing heavily across the country, building infrastructure that threatens the undeveloped tranquility of much of the country, including Muang La.

One of the biggest changes coming is a high-speed train line being built to China, which will cut through Oudomxay, a small city about an hour from Muang La. Today, Muang La villagers enjoy welcoming small groups of visitors, but they fear the train will bring development and crowds of tourists.

...

The villages were rustic, but a visit to Muang La can be luxurious. We stayed at Muang La Lodge, about a 45-minute drive from the mountains where the tribes live. The resort is set over a river with natural hot springs, with food from local markets, fisheries, and chefs, and only 10 rooms. It was an unpretentious indulgence. The only nuisance was a stray goat we had to shoo away from the pool'.

turismo_timor_leste

guterres05 Waicana Hot spring!•••#goprophoto#gopro#goprolife#gopronation#gopro_captures#goprouniverse#goprotravel#beahero#hero5#goprohero5#goprophotography#gopro_epic#lightroom#goprouniverse#gopro_moment#moodygrams#ig_masterpiece#goprooftheday#aov#hot_shotz#master_shots#exploretocreate#exploreeverything#fartoodope#earthpics#beautifulseasia#photooftheday#timorlesteparadise#timorleste🇹🇱#hotspring#turismotimorleste🇹🇱

Freefalling

didian9_ at Curug Cilengkrang (Java):

Hot spring
Habis seharian dikerjain sama mobil, malemnya camping cantik diiringi irama biola pengantar tidur, besoknya gagal liat sunrise gara gara mendung yang akhirnya ngopi di jembatan bambu dan siangnya berendam di kolam air panas yang didepanyanya ada kolam air hangat terus di belakangnya ada air terjun air dingin, di depan kolam ada sungai aliran air terjun... Bayangin dulu lah kombinasinya.. kebayang gak tuh #apasih

Well, yang paling berharga adalah ilmu baru dari orang-orang baru...

#longjourney #exhausted #experience #hotspring #visitindonesia

In contrast to the above, let's look at some detail to a very interesting article from Japan on it's own soaking culture. It looks into what could possible be the imminent demise of traditional mixed gender bathing in Japan.

Where elsewhere in the globe bathing habits are slowly appreciating the likelihood for bathing and recreating naked, trends in Japan seem to be in the opposite direction. The Japan Times (Dec. 10):

'The problems seen in Shiobara fit in with a wider trend that has seen a precipitous decline in the number of konyoku around Japan. In 2013, the inaugural issue of Onsen Hihyo (Hot-spring Critique) dedicated its cover feature to the plight of mixed bathing.

“Nobody else was writing about it,” says the magazine’s editor, Takashi Ninomiya. “I had a feeling that they weren’t as many konyoku as before, but when I actually looked at the figures, there had been a massive drop.”

There are no official statistics on the number of mixed baths in Japan, so Ninomiya turned to Keita Oguro, a veteran onsen photographer with an encyclopedic knowledge of konyoku. When Oguro first totted up all such onsen 23 years ago, the total came to more than 1,200. By 2013, that figure had fallen to less than 700.

...

“This is really unusual, isn’t it? They’re in total free fall, but hardly anyone is standing up and saying, ‘This is weird,’ or, ‘I want to do something to stop this.'”

However, when you’re talking about a fragile social accord that permits men and women to bathe naked in the company of strangers, it’s hard to know where to start.

...

Mayumi Yamazaki, a prolific essayist who has penned multiple books about onsen culture, including 2008’s “Dakara Konyoku O Yamerarenai” (“That’s Why I Can’t Get Enough of Mixed Bathing”), says that people in hot-spring regions would share a single bath as a matter of course: they bathed wherever the spring was.

...

Ninomiya explains that such hot springs are unable to perform large-scale modifications, such as relocating a bath. And if they stop allowing mixed bathing, however briefly, there’s no going back.

“It’s not something that’s happened suddenly — there has been a gradual shift,” confirms Yamazaki. “However, the rules have definitely become stricter in recent years.”

...

While there are multiple books on the subject, the most comprehensive online guide to konyoku onsen was compiled by a former flight attendant who uses the moniker “Mixed Bath Journalist Mina.” Succhi no Konyoku Rotenburo Taikenki (Stewardess’s Outdoor Mixed Bath Diaries; www.food-travel.jp) has exhaustive photo reports on nearly 500 onsen, each of them rated for overall satisfaction and how potentially embarrassing they are for female bathers.

...

Tucked away on the site is a page listing places that have disappeared since she started out. There are more than 160, and while many have closed for business, a significant number have simply taken konyoku off the menu. Some have divided their existing baths between men and women, introduced a rotation system or converted their facilities into private family baths (kashikiri). In a few unfortunate cases, a single konyoku bath has been split in two.

“I worry that genuine konyoku may disappear altogether,” Mina says.

Yet she’s clear about where the problem lies.

“The main issue,” she says, “is bad manners amongst bathers.”

...

The main reason that mixed baths have endured for so long in the face of official opprobrium is that communities have still supported them. When an onsen stops being a gathering place for locals, there’s less to stop it slipping into disrepute.

...

Ninomiya laments the growing atomization of Japanese society, even in rural areas that until recently were bulwarks of mixed bathing. He describes how it would once be common for agrarian workers to finish a day’s labor by piling into the tub together, irrespective of gender.

“There’s an amazing sense of community when you decide it’s OK to get naked and hang out together, rather than just being ‘Me, me, me’ all the time,'” he says. “I think it’s one been of the good qualities of Japanese people and I’m sad to see it dying out. Those kinds of places are going to disappear. We’re turning increasingly into a world of ‘I’ll do my thing, you do yours.'”

...

“Being able to take a bath, naked, with a bunch of strangers would be unthinkable in a world that wasn’t peaceful,” she says. “The number (of konyoku baths) may keep decreasing, but I think this culture is going to survive.”

Ninomiya, however, is less convinced.

“I think I’d like to do another feature on the subject for Onsen Hihyo,” he says. “But the title next time wouldn’t be, ‘Are konyoku onsen in trouble?’ It would be something more like ‘Farewell, mixed bathing.'”

How to reverse this trend? Is it possible? It is though very unfortunate if this trend is not upheld.

In this it's interesting to see that incoming tourists from Southeast Asia see some  curiosity in soaking and acceptance in that in Rome one does as a Roman would do.

From the Philippines (Manilla Bulletin, Feb. 26):

'To cap off a long day on the road, nothing could be better than to go skinny-dipping outdoors in an onsen or hot spring pool in the dead of winter before retiring in your traditional ryokan hotel room with wall-to-wall tatami mats and a comfy futon bed. Now, don’t let dirty thoughts as well as your misplaced fear of exposing your naked bodies to members of the opposite sex get the better of you. Although a private onsen is a communal experience, decent ryokan hotels in Japan like the Aishinkan in Tsunagi and Hotel Jodogahama in Miyako have separate onsen facilities for men and women'.

taveeruechanok at Tsurunoyu:

 วันนี้มาออนเซนน้ำนม~💦🍼

Singapores' Strait Times (Feb 12) has a travel article on a journey to Kagoshima, Japan.

'... we walk back to the bathhouse for the next stop: the good old-fashioned onsen experience.

This is where it can get a little tricky. There are separate baths for men and women, but every one has to strip naked as custom dictates.

I have never shared a bath in my birthday suit with so many strangers - any stranger, in fact.

But seeing as nobody bats an eyelid, I quickly feel at ease, even liberated'.

Then Thailand's The Nation (Feb. 15) notes how the bullet train arrival in northern Japan's Hokkaido island whets potential Thai tourists appetites. The island's main attractions: hot springs ...

Further afield, the Brits (Daily Telegraph, Feb. 13) are also in on the act: 

'Take the plunge into one of Japan's best onsens'

An expansive introductionary article on Japan's hot springs.

'Onsen baths are taken at any time of day (or night), after washing and always naked (but for the optional flannel). For visitors to Japan, they are not only a pleasurable experience but a great way to get beneath – or at least down to – the skin of this fascinating, inscrutable country.  

With 2,300 known onsen across the nation, Japan offers a multitude of places in which to soak up the local ambience, from the deep south to the wilds of northern Hokkaido. Here is a selection of my favourites'.

Happy 

 tildaaagc at Marobo

Such an amazing but extremely hot place 🇹🇱💕 #hotsprings #timorleste

More onsen news.

How to grab attention? Rocketnews24 (Feb 13):

'As Japan gears up for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, local and prefectural governments are working hard to find ways to accommodate foreign tourists and help overcome language barriers at establishments like restaurants and onsen hot springs around the country.

Iwate Prefecture in the northern Tohoku region has been implementing a plan to welcome foreign travellers to the area since April last year, with a set of pictograms for local businesses to download and use on their premises. Titled “Ten Ways to Make Travellers Happy”, this collection of black-and-white icons is designed to catch the eye of tourists with fun graphics, which include an image of a naked samurai with a topknot.

...

Unlike the controversial onsen hot spring mark and the traditional temple pictogram, these icons are a lot easier to understand universally so let’s hope they don’t run into any problems!'

More onsen curiosa, an article from Australia: why not copy the onsen experience at home? Traveller.com.au's (Jan. 19) author visits a non-named so-called Japanese onsen, probably in Melbourne's sweltering summer:

'I'd hoped to recreate the Japanese bathhouse experience, even on this warm Melbourne day. And yet, I'm now questioning whether that was really a good idea. Everything about this bathhouse looks right, but it doesn't feel right. It's lost some of the magic, some of the adventure, some of the exoticism'.

What's wrong? It

'... feels uncomfortable and even slightly creepy over here in Australia'.

Odd. I mean I understand that feeling, but what the author describes as quintessential Australian is in fact nothing more than connecting with friends or nature. The onsen experience could be likewise, it often is. In Japan. 
But without the cultural context in the center of a busy city, in as stated the sunny summer, it might be wrong. Maybe on a cooler day, or nighttime. Author's closing remarks:

'... sometimes it's better to just enjoy and appreciate what you have'.

Problems

vivian_travelexplorelive

at Penebel, Bali, Indonesia

 #relaxing#hotspring#inpeacwithnature👌

Moving on. Soaking naturally (well with natural waters for a starter) should assist in the idea of using communal waters for bathing and recreational purposes. A recent study (so reports BBC, Mar. 2) reveals all is not well in public pools:

'Canadian researchers have figured out a way to test just how much urine can be found in a swimming pool.

The results? In some cases, about 0.01% of pool water is urine.

It is a small amount but likely more than enough for most swimmers - and enough to be a public health concern.

...

The University of Alberta researchers analysed more than 250 samples from 31 pools and hot tubs. The samples were collected in two undisclosed Canadian cities, from public and private pools, hotels, and hot tubs.

...

When mixed with chlorine in a pool or hot tub, urine can contribute to the formation of so-called "disinfection by-products" in pool water that can be harmful to a swimmer's health.

Those compounds. specifically one called trichloramine, can potentially cause eye irritation, respiratory problems, and has been linked to occupational asthma for people who spend hours in pools, like pool workers and professional swimmers.

...

Urine is not the only factor in the formation of those disinfection by-products - sweat, body lotions and hair care products contribute to the problem as well.

The Edmonton-based researchers suggested that a public health campaign focusing on pool hygiene, like taking a quick shower before jumping in the pool, might help reduce exposure to those disinfection by-products'.

I like swimming a lot. Unfortunately winter months mean a swim in our local pool. I found out some time ago that I'm allergic to chlorine, no wonder natural waters swim nicer. 
My advice is to shower prolonged before and after swimming; before to saturate your skin, afterwards to rinse all the swim water off.

With the above findings it's odd that there's no more widespread use of say Iceland's precautions or Japan's bathing habits. What will be the future? Culture as it is, sees less and less need for hygiene for oneself but also deplores the lack of hygiene of others. Everybody has their own swim machine at home?

Finally, a slightly lighthearted feature from China which sees tradition  as opposed to a sanitised future. Nextshark (Feb. 9) asks what's with the Granddads soaking naked?

source

'A wall that previously provided some modesty for a hot spring bath in Wentang District in Chongqing got destroyed after a flood knocked it down. However, even with the lack of privacy, it didn’t stop several patrons from doing their usual business.

...

These old uncles and grandpas from China were certainly not shy about their public display of nudity, as can be seen in the photos that circulated on the internet. No matter how chilly the weather is, they’ll still jump into a hot spring to go skinny-dipping'.

On Order

kaminkretys on how soaking takes place in Burma

 #hotsprings #Hsipaw #Myanmar #fun #adventure #travel #nomad

Cambodia? Khmer Times (Feb. 23) reports on the nation's only hot spring and don't be surprised plans to develop it:

'The Ministry of Tourism is preparing to develop a hot spring area in Kampong Speu province to attract more local and international tourists. 
...
Tourism Minister Thong Khon ordered development of the area into a special attraction for the country and for the province. 
... 
“The hot spring area is a rare tourist attraction and has features that can attract international tourists from neighboring countries to visit the area,” he said. “After an inspection and study, an expert group from Japan found the hot spring of good quality for the treatment of various diseases and for skin care and beauty.” 
... 
Ho Vandy, the secretary-general of the Cambodia National Tourism Alliance, welcomed the hot spring idea, saying that if the ministry is taking serious action by cooperating with the private sector for its development, it will be good for the area. “The hot spring development will attract more tourists, both local and international, and generate more income for local people and as well as the private sector,” Mr. Vandy said. “It can reduce poverty in the area. “We should maintain some parts of the original area of hot spring for tourists to see. “However, some parts of it have to be renovated like in other countries because the hot spring in Kampong Speu is so hot we have to  cool it down for tourists to soak in,” he said. 
... 
Hot springs are rare in Cambodia. Te Teuk Pus is 100 meters in diameter. The surface of the water, which comes from six sources and smells like sulfur, is 80 square meters. The water temperature is 70C, according to the ministry'.

antaurpe at Yeh Panes, Bali:

Thank you, spirit.

✨

#bali #bliss #hotsprings #infinitesourceyoga #spiritled #trust #yogini #healing #yoga #pixiedust #mermaid #sacred #sulphursprings

Indonesia's geothermal exploitation seems to be all systems go. Thinkgeoenergy notes (Mar. 9):

'Today, the Indonesia Ministry of Environment and Forests (KLHK) has given a “green light” to uses of geothermal energy or geothermal for new renewable energy (EBT) in conservation area in “order to support energy security and sovereignty of energy and to help reduce emissions of greenhouse gases ( GRK).”, as reported by Antara News'.

Whether or not this is a good measure remains to be seen. But considering already how poor legislative enforcement is in Indonesia, one would have some doubts. Or many.

The controversy surrounding conservation and geothermal development in this republic is witnessed in upcoming elections. Mongabay (Mar. 11):

'The governor-elect of Aceh province said he would revoke a proposal to drill for geothermal energy and build a power plant in the heart of Sumatra’s largest intact rainforest, a victory for environmental and indigenous rights advocates who are struggling to secure the broader landscape’s protected status'.

Simmer

morethantravel_mtt:

Between the well visited cities of #luangprabang and #vangvieng there is a secret spot only known by cyclists and motorbike travelers. The hot springs just 20km north of kasi. We stoped for lunch and fell in love with the scenery, so we decided to spend the night. Swimming at night in hot water with the brightest stars above you. Can anything top this? #laos #hotsprings #motorcyclediaries #secretspot #slowtravel #offthebeatenpath #morethantravel_mtt 🇱🇦🏍✨⛰

The Laotian Times (Feb. 23) has a short write up on the province of Huaphan's hot springs: 

'The hot springs of Hiem hold the title of being the hottest springs in the country, with a water temperature reaching as high as 100 degrees Celsius. The temperature of the spring is so heated in that a common activity for eco-tourists is egg boiling (or simmering). In addition to indulging in a natural Jacuzzi session (and a protein boost), visitors of the hot spring can enjoy the various delicious cuisines of Huaphan and enjoy cozy, forest picnics!'

Paul Eshoo visits Muang La hot spring resort (Oudomxai) and has some pointers (Jan. 27) such as :

• The hot spring has been left open to the local public for bathing. This is a very nice community-oriented touch, as it is quite often the case with such resorts that locals are kept out. For the guests, there are private elevated tubs in addition to the public spring, which are filled every night and lit by candlelight in a very romantic setting overlooking the trees and river below. 
• The food is quite the highlight, with special attention made to using local ingredients, colors and presentation. My favorite was the sorbet made with organic dragon fruit. The chefs are local women from the village and ensure that all dishes have an authentic flavor. 
• The staff are all local except for one foreign intern who helps with welcoming and coordinating groups. Local staff are able to manage most everything with very little backup from the managers—a key element for any remote, community-oriented lodge.

Tipped

jongsajulga 

hot spring recovery -- 11.15.2016 #selayang #hotspring #recovery #KL #malaysia

The Guardian (Jan. 17) has an article of Malaysia's travel highlights. 

'Winning tip: Hot springs, Sabah 
Kundasang is a beautiful mountain town in Sabah. I stayed at the Kinabalu Pine Resort, which has a great view of the 4,000-metre Mount Kinabalu. A lovely excursion is to Poring Hot Spring, an hour’s drive away in Ranau. It has many shaded bath tubs but my favourites were the pools with different depths, starting from half a metre with the deepest being about seven metres'.

alwaysstartingsomething 

Hot springs today in the hills of Pamplona Phillipines...
🌴💆💏🐊

Lock up

The Strait Times (Feb. 28) has an article on the future of the island's hot spring, Sembawang. Jammed between Singapore suburbia and a military camp, the hot spring site has seen little recent development, though by no means is the site poorly managed. In a pursuit of better and best, the site has now been earmarked for more development.

'There were mixed reactions from visitors to Sembawang Hot Spring when told that the area will be turned into a park as soon as next year.

Some people who have been visiting it for years were cold to the prospect and expressed dismay, while others were warm to the idea of redeveloping the area, which sits in a military camp'.

Though it doesn't exactly mention what the development will be, change vexes crrent uusers:

'But people like Mr Gui Kim Toon, 74, who see the benefits of development, disagree.

"It would be nice if we had some shelter to protect us from the sun and rain," said Mr Gui, who visits it two to three times a week. "It can also get very messy now - sometimes people wash their clothes here and hang them up to dry. Regular visitors even padlock their buckets - or in one case, a metal bathtub - to the chain link fence enclosing the spring'.

kateintinette 

ออนเซนเมืองไทย

#hotspring #onsen #spa

#kanchanaburi #thailand

Finishing off this blog entry a photo from north Vietnam's Serena hot spring resort also known as Kim boi hot spring.

belnxnxle:

 8 am 🌿

.

.

.

#onsen #morning #japanesestyle #hotspring #bath #private #nature #green #outdoors #familytime #trip #holiday #vscocam #hkig #vscovietnam #landscape

Expansion

Onsen soaking
Miho Tabuchi is a well-known name within the the global soaking culture. At home (Japan) she is known for a Japanese language onsen review site as well as a publicist of articles on onsen. The English language part of the world will be familiar with her onsensoaker blog.

Laying claim to being a global expert, at the time of this publication, Miho has visited 215 hot springs in 28 countries excluding Japan (and counting China and Taiwan separately). If including Japan, the number of soaking sites visited rises to 1,500 hot springs in 29 countries, a very impressive count indeed.

Miho at Jinata Onsen, Shikinejima (Shikine Island), Tokyo 

Gifted
Miho, what would be your favourite hot springs and why? 

"Let me answer my favourites this way:
My favourite hot springs area is Beppu, Oita prefecture, Japan. Beppu is a rather big area and actually consists of eight hot springs: Beppu, Kannawa, Myoban, Shibaseki, Kankaiji, Kamegawa, Horita and Hamawaki. There are various soaking spots in Beppu, especially many public baths. 
Outside of Japan I liked the hot springs of Iceland, Indonesia and Taiwan. Iceland and Indonesia are geothermally active. Taiwan is geothermally not so active, but this mountainous country has many unspoiled wild hot springs and Japanese style public baths. 
I prefer though the wild hot springs and public baths as I can feel hot springs are gift of mother natures while soaking in wild ones".

Mugen-no-sato, Horita Onsen, Beppu Onsenkyo, Beppu City

Trendy
In your blogs we see you are concerned with onsen closing. 
Do you have figures to illustrate this?

"The latest statistics from Japan's Ministry of the Environment (March 2013)  show that the number of the day-visit onsen (commercially run onsen without accommodation) was 7,771 which had increased by 54 from a year before. However the number of ryokan (onsen with accomodation) were 13,521: a decrease of 200.

Additionally, according to the first issue of the Onsen Hihyo, the number of konyoku decreased from more than 1,200 in 1993 to less than 700 in 2013".

Can you describe the reasons behind these trends? 

"I think the main reasons for the number of ryokans to decrease are a lack of successors and changes in our lifestyle. When the Japanese economy was booming, visiting big onsen hotels as part of a tour group was popular. Many larger hotels counted on these groups. But after our so-called economic bubble burst, the number of these tour groups decreased sharply. However, many hotels had invested in expanding their capacity and couldn’t avoid bankruptcy.
Small-scale ryokans and hotels also suffer from the economic down turn and the lack of successors. Very often ryokan owners’ children tend to prefer working in larger cities such as Tokyo or Osaka, rather than taking over the family business.
More recently, new building standards have been introduced to prevent damage by earthquakes. Since, some ryokans and hotels have had to close their business as they couldn’t afford to renovate their buildings in accordance with the new standards.
Revitalization / regeneration business is booming. Specialized companies acquire bankrupt hotels and ryokans, and turn them into economical hotels and ryokans. They omit service as much as possible to offer cheap accommodation prices. For example, they serve buffet dinner and breakfast. If you stay in traditional Japanese style ryokans, they will serve your meals dish by dish in your room".

As we have noticed, you have been to many hot springs outside of Japan. 

What are your ideas about the development of wild and / or rural hot springs into resorts?

"For Japanese, onsen means bath / soaking place. Outside of Japan, hot springs are for swimming / for leisure / for drinking / to cure disease / forcooking and so on. I always enjoy finding these different kinds of use. However, I don’t like resort type hot springs myself.

Resort hot springs are rapidly increasing in China and Southeast Asia. They are though nice places to visit and watch other visitors".

Resources I have the impression that taking an onsen bath in Japan is very important aspect of life. 

To what degree are the surroundings (natural / non-natural / enhancements), price, catering and the ability to stay overnight important aspects in selecting where to take an onsen?

"It’s very important to me personally, but generally speaking, I think we Japanese love taking bath. It’s usually humid in Japan and I take a bath every day. And if it’s an onsen bath, the better. I prefer natural onsen bath, but if impossible, circulated onsen water bath is fine to me. Sometimes after visiting a wild onsen, I have to drop in to another onsen to wash off mud and other dirt. 

I don’t limit myself as to how much I spend when visiting an onsen, if a reliable friend had made recommendations, then I will visit there. But my favourites are small, old, family-run ryokans and usually they offer rooms with meals costing 15,000-20,000 yen (150-200 $US) or less per person. Once I stayed at a ryokan costing just 3500 yen (35$) with dinner and breakfast! 

Gorgeous places are usually rather new ones. However it’s difficult to find naturally gushing hot springs at these places. Many of these are obtain their hot springs from deep bored wells. Of course there are always some exceptions".

 

A look inside the latest issue of Onsen Hihyo magazine. 
And the article on Singa Tatopani, Baglung district, Nepal written by Miho.
   

You recently authored an article in the Japanese publication Onsen Hihyo (Hot Spring Critique). 

How important are these sorts of publications in Japan?

"Though it might seem in book stores in Japan that there are many onsen publications, they are mostly not of much significance. Many of these publications carry articles on onsen which have been sponsored. They look like an usual article, but onsen owners pay for favourable reviews. I know the writers and editors of these publications get their information from websites, blogs and social media, but magazines and guidebooks are resourceful for those who recently got interested in onsen, I guess.

The Onsen Hihyo is an exception to the above, as it has no sponsored articles or advertorials.

Otherwise, good information is available through internet rather than magazines and / or guidebooks".

Li-song Hot Spring , southeastern Taiwan

Enthused
Is there an aspect of hot springs bathing which you would like to highlight?

"My most memorable hot spring experience is a recent visit to Li-song hot springs in Taiwan. Maybe because I came back just a few weeks ago and my memory is still vivid. The hot spring itself was amazing and support from the Taiwanese was impressive. 
Let me explain about Li-song hot spring a bit more. When I first saw a photo of Li-song in an in-flight magazine 8 years ago, it caught my breath: I couldn't imagine that such a beautiful hot spring was there in a neighbouring country. 
But I can't understand Chinese and without any friends there to help me, visiting Li-song was just a distant dream. Since then, I have visited Taiwan 7 times, learnt how to travel and one by one made some friends.
When I visited An-tong Hot Springs in October 2013, the general manager there told me, if I wanted to visit Li-song so much, he could come with me next time. He kept his promise, even asked the #1 specialist of wild hot springs in Taiwan to come with us and the specialist came out of kindness.
The trail was so steep, I had to cling to a rope, and crossed the river twice, with short swims in cold water, but it was rewarding. I'd never been to such a beautiful wild hot springs before. I'm so happy and looking for next main target".

 

"What I like to do is to make people of other countries get interested in onsen and want to come to Japan. 
I've been to more than 70 countries in the world. People are generally nice to me wherever I go. So I want to welcome people to Japan in turn. And I believe onsen is worth visiting while travelling in Japan, I want to provide useful information.

I also want to make Japanese people more interested in hot springs in other countries. 
It might sound strange, but Japanese onsen enthusiasts tend to look down on hot springs in other countries even though they don't know any. They say "Hey, they take hot spring bath in swim suites, right? That's a swimming pool, not a hot spring at all". I want to change this by explaining to them there are so many attractive hot springs in the world. 

Finally I would like to build a network of hot springs enthusiasts like myself.
To visit hot springs in the world, I need up-to-date information from other hot spring enthusiasts.
I think I'm doing well, gradually expanding my network".

Thank you Miho for your effort in giving an insight into how you experience wild soaks from the Japanese perspective. 
It's also very interesting reading about the trends affecting hot spring soaking in Japan. 
Good luck in your future endeavours to highlight global soaking!

Notes
All photo's are used courtesy of Miho Tabuchi.

For more info on Jinata onsen, see the onsensoaker report. 
Concerning Mugen-no-sato, onsenaddict has a blog entry.
Singa Tatopani has it's own Facebook pag.
Li-song hot springs is featured at Lonely Planet ("most beautiful natural hot spring in Taiwan").

Japanese soaking vernacular:

Konyoku (混浴): Mixed baths 
Onsen (温泉): Japanese for hot spring 
Ryokan (旅館) : Traditional Japanese style inn