Some time ago I made mention of traditional European and Middle Eastern bathhouses, or hammams, as they are often known, and the pleasure one may derive from partaking in their ancient, albeit slightly modified beautifying rituals. Modified, I presume, to accommodate the advent of the industrial age and our more modest approach to communal bathing.

Aimed at relaxing and purifying the body, to feel the full effects of the hammam I visited in Rome last year, one was to observe the following steps: Lather your naked self with rich, olive oil soap; rinse with water, poured from a copper bucket; rest in a sauna; then submerge yourself in an ice-cold plunge bath. Continue this sequence again, and again, and again, till you’re pleasantly exhausted, by which time your toxins will have been sufficiently purged, cleansing you both inside and out.

Bitten by the bathhouse bug, so to speak, when in Japan recently I visited yet another hamman, otherwise known as an onsen. Dotted all over Japan, onsens are famed for their therapeutic waters and splendorous outdoor locations. Upon visiting the area of Hakone, not far from Tokyo, I was surprised to find that soaking in an onsen is considered a common act, not a luxury – an attitude reflected in the price (a mere AU$11.50), but by no means the quality of the experience.

After arguably the best meal of our trip (fresh crab, followed by chicken broth loaded with comforting soba noodles, followed by cherry blossom ice cream) we jumped into an awaiting courtesy bus and ventured to the local onsen. Aside from the fact it was pouring with rain and freezing cold that night, thus the thought of a warm bath was actually rather nice, not ever having gone to such a place at night, much less after gorging my gorges on a sumptuous meal, I was a little apprehensive.

Nevertheless, there we were, nursing bloated bellies for all to see – it is of course customary to be stark naked – and lolling about in 40 degree water--in the rain, no less. Beautiful as it was, hopping from one bath to the next was comedy given the sub-zero (or near enough) temperature. Yet it proved to be all the more beneficial, heightening the onsen’s detoxifying properties and facilitating a far deeper sense of relaxation. As such we nodded our heads all the way home and slept more soundly than ever. Bliss.

If you’re considering a trip to Japan, visiting an onsen is a must. Explore onsenjapan.net for more information. And if you care to stay in a ryokan, offering comfortable Japanese-style bedding, an extraordinary evening meal, and all with a view of the lake, book a room at The Lakeside Inn Charlotte. You won’t be sorry.