Phrasebook / Onsen & temples
Japanese Phrases for Onsen, Temples and Shrines
Hot springs, temples and shrines have their own customs, and most of them are easy to follow once someone has explained them. These phrases help with practical questions, and the notes below cover what to do once you are inside.
4 useful phrases
-
Can I enter with tattoos?
タトゥーがあっても入れますか？
タトゥーがあってもはいれますか？ · tatū ga atte mo hairemasu ka?
Many onsen sell cover patches or have private baths (貸切風呂).
-
Should I take my shoes off?
靴を脱いだほうがいいですか？
くつをぬいだほうがいいですか？ · kutsu o nuida hō ga ii desu ka?
-
Can I rent a towel?
タオルを借りられますか？
タオルをかりられますか？ · taoru o kariraremasu ka?
-
Where do I get a goshuin?
御朱印はどこでいただけますか？
ごしゅいんはどこでいただけますか？ · goshuin wa doko de itadakemasu ka?
Temple stamp book; usually ¥300–500 per stamp.
Good to know
Onsen etiquette
Wash and rinse thoroughly at the seated showers before you get in. Bathing is usually nude and separated by gender: look for 男 (men) and 女 (women) on the signs or curtains. Keep your small towel and your hair out of the water. Afterwards, drink some water, since hot baths can leave you light-headed.
Tattoos
Policies differ from one bath to the next. Some ban tattoos, some allow small ones covered with a patch, and some welcome everyone. Asking in advance saves a wasted trip, and a private bath (貸切風呂, kashikiri-buro) is a good option if a public one says no.
Temples and shrines
Shoes often come off before you enter temple buildings, and photos may be restricted indoors, so look for signs. At a shrine, the usual pattern is to rinse your hands at the water basin, bow twice, clap twice, pray and bow once more. At a Buddhist temple, you pray quietly without clapping.
Collecting goshuin
A goshuin is a hand-written record of a visit, given in a dedicated book called a 御朱印帳 (goshuinchō). It has religious meaning and is not a souvenir stamp, so visit the temple or shrine first and then ask at the office, ready to pay the small fee.