Some people are comfortable being naked; I am not one of those people. Locker room changes and communal showers became regulars in my collegiate athletic career, but while my teammates lounged au natural, I quietly changed in the bathroom stall and waited until the showers were all clear. With my aversion to nudity, visiting a nude hot spring never crossed my mind until my travel companions decided to visit a Japanese onsen. Japan is volcanically active, which lays the foundation for thousands of onsens throughout the country. As an important part of traditional Japanese culture, I knew I had to try it!

Traveling with only male coworkers, I tentatively wandered alone into the women’s locker room. Juggling my towel to attempt to cover every bit of exposed skin, I stripped down then placed the last pieces of my comfort zone in a locker. Using two towels is the custom: a large towel to dry off before leaving and a small hand towel to “cover your privates”. Ummmmmm, girls have two major private areas!?!  After internal deliberation, my hand towel drifted downward. Unsure of where to go next, because all the signs were in Japanese, I scanned the room and found that these women, young and old, skinny and plump, had no insecurities. They let it all hang loose!

By the luck of the draw, I chose door number two and miraculously found the cleansing area.  Slinking into the room, there were many small washing stations each equipped with a showerhead and bottles of soap and shampoo. I took a tentative seat on an open stool (only one cheek of course) and started washing my light blonde hair and tall, pale body. After a full body rinse, I realized that everyone who was washing when I arrived was still going strong.  So naturally, I decided to sit there rewashing myself over and over and over again not wanting to be rude on accident. I stayed until I spotted a small, elderly woman get up who I could follow to the baths.

After the stressful start, I headed straight to the first empty bath I saw. I bounced from bath to bath to feel the variations in temperatures and jets whenever one emptied, stemming from both a desire to try everything and to escape invaders of my personal bubble. Settling into a bath with jets, I was finally able to unwind. I reflected on how difficult I made this experience for myself, I built it all up in my head. Slowly my tension evaporated, well, until it all repeated getting out…