Quote:
Originally Posted by japaneseinkyoto
There are many good places to visit in Japan.The most atractive place must be Onsen or hot spring all over Japan.
I have a questions for the people living in Europe or USA.
1)Do you have negative feeling to put your naked body without swimming wear in the hot spring tub which is big enough for 10 or more people?
The people in western countries such as Switzerland,Italy,Germany,USA enjoy hot spring wearing swiming suite,but the Japanese enjoy hot spring in naked.
I think this culture gap prevents toursits from western countries staying Japanese Onsen Ryokan(hotels).
2)Do you want to stay in Japanese hot spring hotel,if the hotel is managed by the Rits or Fourseaons?
3)Is there any good idea to make Japanese Onsen more attractive for you?
Advertisement in English may comes first. And what else?
4)Plese describe your impression on the following web site.
http://www.awara-turuya.jp/ |
MMM is correct about many westerners being more shy, but I visited many onsens while in Japan, from the famous Dogo Onsen to one at a resort in Minabe to a small one not far from where I lived. I didn't feel all that embarrassed because I'm 9x over legally blind, so once I took my glasses off, I didn't see anything but blurry shapes around me!
I would suggest the following:
Have 1 person on the staff that speaks English, or signs or a brochure in English, that explain to visitors they should wash in the shower first, then get in the tub. Westerners who have lived there for a while will know this already, but a visitor on vacation may not.
Supply both hand towels and large bath towels (the ones for drying off afterward). I found that several of the Onsens I visited, including Dogo Onsen, only rented hand towels, and visitors were expected to bring their own large towel for drying off.
Explain (in the brochure, website, or in person) how the onsen is a traditional part of Japanese culture. Many western visitors want to see and experience the real Japanese culture and history, which is why shrines, temples, castles, and other such places are so popular with western visitors. If you make the onsen a part of that historical and cultural experience, rather than just taking a bath, it becomes much more interesting to western visitors.
The website looks fine, but either an English version, or buttons with pictures or easily recognized symbols would help a lot.
I don't care about the Ritz or 4 Seasons. In fact, I'd be less likely to stay in such a place for 2 reasons: I would immediately think it must be very expensive, and I would think it probably isn't a traditional Japanese style onsen, but a western one. When I go to Japan, I want to feel like I'm really in Japan, not a hotel in New York.