Monday, July 27, 2009

My first onsen (at Fuji Rock Festival): a wobbly experience!

Both of us felt rough this morning so decided to copy the boys and go to and have lunch followed by an onsen (natural hot spring) to get scrubbed up more than anything, we were looking and feeling minging. We walked into Naeba town (about a 15 min walk from the main festival site) and found a restaurant that were doing an all you can eat offer. I filled up with the carbs but still felt wobbly.



The onsen was next door, sorry peeps can’t remember the name. For my first onsen experience we got lucky, no-one else was in their apart from me and Sarah. Perfect!

Now for those not in the know you have to go to onsens naked. Yep stark, butt NAKED! When you go in, there is always a line of washing areas with soap, shampoo and conditioner provided. Sit on one of the little stools provided and give yourself a good scrub with the little wash towel that you rent (or bring) when you pay. Most Japanese I’ve watched tend to treat this wash like a Buddhist type ritual so make you don’t scrimp on the wash!



Once you’ve washed and rinsed down you can get in the tub. You usually put the little towel on your head.

This one had a lovely rotumburo (outside tub) where we sat and listened to the little stream and did some butterfly spotting. It would have been idyllic had I not suddenly started to feel really sick, the hangover was really kicking in, so we got out and took a very very slow walk back to the festival site.

Onsens are definately a fantastic way of refreshing yourself at a festival, sooo different than my scuzzy mixed naked sauna experience at Shambala...now that's another story.

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