Japanese Bathing Culture: Soak Like a Local

Discover hidden hot springs in Kyoto, learn effective bathing methods, and enjoy local sweets on this unique cultural tour.

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Sarasa Nishijin - This unique cafe, transformed from a public bathhouse, offers an exclusive experience. Enjoy a drink while discovering the history of Japanese public baths and learning proper bathing techniques.
  • Funaoka Onsen - Prior to bathing, materials will be used to provide a lecture on distinctive bathing methods. Afterward, guests are encouraged to try the techniques themselves.
What's Included
  • Guide fee
  • Rental spa bags and body soap
  • Drink fee (choice of orange, apple, or grapefruit juice)
  • Rental bath towels and towels
  • Bathing fee
Additional Information

Seeking an authentic Japanese experience beyond the usual tourist attractions? Embark on a unique cultural journey into the essence of Japan’s bathing tradition!
Similar to the tea ceremony, bathing in Japan is a deeply ingrained cultural practice. But how does one bathe in the Japanese style? What are the essential dos and don’ts? Our bathing experts…

Location
Funaoka Onsen
Meet outside the entrance of Funaoka Onsen. A male guide (about 180 cm tall) will be waiting for you there. Please note that he is not a staff member of Funaoka Onsen, but an independent tour guide. If you have any questions or need to contact us, please use the Viator message system.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(20 Ratings)
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Adamj2862
Jan 21, 2026
Awesome - Very nice experience. Atsuki was an excellent guide. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ludwig_s
Jan 2, 2026
Experience with local - It was a memorable experience and a great way to connect to a local. I enjoyed the experience ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review provided by Viator
Hatem_a
Dec 5, 2025
Very informative on an... - Very informative on an aspect of Japanese history and culture. This particular Onsen has an interesting history of how it came to be and how the founders competed with traditional geothermal Onsen. Important to know the it requires nude bathing but is segregated by gender, so may not be for everyone and couples will be separated.
Review provided by Viator
G5594ufpauln
Nov 27, 2025
Alay your Fears! Awesome Onsen Experience - The Family and I wanted an onsen experience but really had no clue where to begin so we booked this guided tour with Atsuki. We were about 30 minutes early and walked the neighborhood, filled mostly with residential dwellings. We met our guide, Atsuki, about 15 minutes before our start time. We were walked to a local cafe that it turns out was a converted onsen (technically a sento, but I’m not qualified to list the nuances!) and given a brief, but very informative history on bathing culture and bathing etiquette. We were also given (humorous) warnings about locals policing said etiquette. We were each given a bathing kit with two towels, shampoo and bath gel to use. Atsuki walked us in to Funaoka Onsen and we separated, males around the blue curtain and females around the red one. The overall experience was relaxed and light and Atsuki was a great communicator even given his limited English. Top notch and I would recommend this experience to anyone who is even remotely interested in giving it a try.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Saskia_d
Oct 30, 2025
Good explanation of... - Good explanation from enthusiastic guide about the onsen tradition in Japan. After the explanation paid a visit and took a bath in a relaxed way. Recommended!
Review provided by Viator
Seretha_c
Oct 26, 2025
Learning about the... - Learning about the history of onsens in Japan as well as the best practices for visitors was super helpful for my first visit especially since I was travelling alone. My guide gave me an overview of the history and let me know how well known Funaoka Onsen is. Such a great guide of the bath house experience in Kyoto.
Review provided by Viator
Annalenak855
Oct 21, 2025
Relaxing unique event - A relaxing evening at the onsen. Our guide was Atsuki. In a small former onsen that is now a café, we were taught the rules of etiquette. Atsuki also provided us with lots of additional information about onsen. Afterwards, we went to the bathhouse together. We didn't have to prepare anything ourselves. Atsuki took care of everything, providing towels, money for the hair dryer, etc. It was a very informative and relaxing experience. Everyone should visit an onsen at least once. Arigatou gozaimasu
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nikital328
Oct 13, 2025
Very sympathetic guide - Atsuki Nakagawa prepared us really very sweet for the bathhouse and had great background information. Thank you very much we had a very nice evening.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Drralf_s
Oct 9, 2025
Funaoka Onsen - This was a very relaxing experience of the Japanese bathing culture after all the shrine visits etc, thank you Atsuki!
Review provided by Viator
Yana_m
Jun 24, 2025
Wonderful Experience - What an amazing experience! I really appreciated receiving an explanation of the rituals and practices before entering. The bathing process was delightful. Atsuki was a wonderful and very helpful guide. Thank you!
Review provided by Viator
From $38
up to 4 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).