At an Onsen or Sento

Where you are

You're about to enter an onsen (hot spring) or sento (public bathhouse).

Do this now

• 1Wash and rinse thoroughly before entering the bath.
• 2Keep your towel out of the bathwater.
• 3Check the facility's tattoo policy before you go, if you have visible tattoos.
• 4Follow any posted instructions specific to that venue.

Why

Most of this is set by the individual facility, not by law — policies can differ a lot between venues.

What kind of rule is this?