"Japan -- bathing is a national ..." a Japan Travel Page by chihiro75

Being Japanese it's difficult for me to see my country through the eyes of a tourist -- to me it's always too crowded, too expensive, too busy, too noisy, too much of a lot of things. But I can see why a lot of people are fascinated by it -- the technology and consumerism on one side, and the quiet meditative atmosphere of the ancient temples and gardens. I think we have one of the weirdest cuisines in the world (it's actually not so much weird but poor -- who else would eat "weeds" picked in the mountains, or seaweed? but it's become fashionable especially because it's supposed to be so healthy.

It's impossible to travel in Japan without spending a lot more money than everywhere else. Transportation, even if you get the Japan Rail Pass, is expensive, taxis are prohibitive. Food is OK if you only eat noodles and rice bentos (lunch boxes), but if you want really good Japanese cuisine, it's impossibly expensive. Accomodation is expensive too, although you do have some pensions and guest houses, where the Japanese never go, they prefer the posh hotels because they only stay for a day or two.

Tokyo can be a lot of fun but you need time and money. Kyoto of course is worth the visit for the temples and gardens, I prefer Nara because it's much more quiet, but of course there's less to see. There are some nice spots all over the country -- I personally think the north is underrated.

If you can afford it, I would definitely recommend staying at a Ryokan (with a Onsen = hot springs) -- a traditional Japanese inn, where you will sleep on futons on tatami mats, take your shoes off at the entrance of your room or of the ryokan, where the food is usually typically Japanese, and where you will bathe in a big "public" bath. It's huge room full of steam where there are one or several big pools of water, usually very hot, and rows of taps and showers on the walls where you wash before you step into the pool. Bathing has always been a big deal in Japan, and the Onsen has become one of THE leisure activities for the Japanese, they all have curative properties (rhumatism, arthritis, digestive problems etc.) a lot of the Ryokans now will have several baths - rock, wood, outside, inside...The outside bath (Rotenburo) especially in winter when it snows is great (no you're not cold). Do not be offended if all of a sudden when you arrive everybody leaves -- foreigners often don't wash before stepping into the bath (although now most places have signs explaining what you are supposed to do) which is considered quite yucky. And it's also because the Japanese are shy with foreigners -- it's not that they don't want to see you, but that they don't want you to see them. The Onsen (hot springs) are quite an institution in Japan. All my foreign friends have loved it. After taking a bath (the water is very hot so you have to cool down), you wear a cotton kimono provided by the hotel, and your dinner will be served in your room (not always, but I would recommend a place where they serve in the room). They will serve a lot of very small dishes most of which you won't know what you are eating unless you already know Japanese cuisine. Of course the staff all wear kimonos.
Practically all Onsen Ryokan now have private bathrooms with the room, but that takes out all the fun. A lot of them also have smaller but "public" bathrooms, again rock or wood or outside or whatever, which you can reserve and rent for 2000 yen or so. Very romantic and a lot of fun if you're a couple or a family.

The good thing about an Onsen Ryokan is that you get a lot of Japan at once -- food, bathing, clothing (kimonos), service, interior decoration. Of course this comes at a price...if you go to one of the better know Onsen spots (Hakone, Itami, Izu), it can cost anywhere from 30000 to 80000 yen per person (this always includes breakfast and dinner). But if you go to one of the Northern Onsen areas (Kinugawa, Yunishikawa and others), which aren't as famous, but which are as nice, you can find a fairly nice Ryokan for 10000 per person or even less depending on the season.