Onsen for Beginners. Or the case for taking a 3 hour bath with strangers.

Onsen are the Japanese public baths. They are everywhere. There are three in Tenryu. You're never too far away from stepping into a boiling hot tub with dozens of (Japanese) members of the same sex for a good old soak. Whether you believe it upon first hearing or not, that's a good thing.

Baths are a real Japanese tradition (or so I understand). There are the huge public baths that one can find in the cities, like Iida near me, all the way down to slightly less extravagant tubs for one. Traditionally they would be fueled by underground hot springs, but the only real requirement is hot water. Having said that, I have seen -- this weekend in fact -- rusty old metal drums set on cinder blocks that are used as baths as well. Just put a wood fire under the drum filled with water and, voila, you're cooking yourself alive just like a crab. Fantastic.

What often holds foreigners back when visting onsen, are the unspoken rules, occasionally difficult treatment, and overall awkwardness of being surrounded by naked Japanese while being naked yourself.

There are lots of rules at an onsen such as:

1) Don't make eye contact. In a society where eye-contact is frowned upon generally, do you really think it would be encouraged when the person you're staring at is naked?

2) Shower before, after, between, and whenever you can. You may be bathing, but that part is to relax. You get clean before you even step in to the tubs. You sit down at a little shower station and lather up well (make sure the Japanese see you do this so they don't think you're still dirty). You should do this before and after the tub, but you should also rinse between the various tubs. More on those later.

3) No Tattoos. It's a Yakuza (Japanese Mafia) thing. Basically, it's not allowed. I know people who have been turned away at the door for having a little bit of that Popeye tattoo on their shoulder visible from under their t-shirt sleeve. You can get away with it sometimes, but don't expect the red carpet treatment. Expect stares.

4) Don't drop the towel. You carry a small hand towel with you at all times. You use it to scrub down in the shower and wipe off your face in the tubs. But absolutely do not let it fall in the tub water. That's bad.

Sound like a lot of rules? Now try doing it naked while being meticulously scrutinized on your execution of all of them. Admittedly, I felt a little paralyzed my first visit. I was alone and completely clueless. When I touched the water, and the ripples of my entrance reached the Japanese men in the tub, they all became aware of the foreigner and got up to leave. But then I went again with some Japanese men after a hike. They showed me the ropes. Now I go at least once a week and its a breeze. The real pleasure is visiting different onsen to see the different tubs they have, and believe me, there are a variety.

I have done several noteworthy tubs thus far: Beautiful outdoor tubs made of rocks and with little waterfalls like miniature versions of a pool on "Cribs." These are gorgeous (if cold) in the snow, or when the appropriately placed Cherry Blossoms are in bloom; indoor tubs infused with Yuzu, a Japanese citrus fruit; natural pools that reek of sulfur or other minerals; and my new favorite, an electro-shock Onsen that shoots electricity at you from little holes in the seat. No joke. It's supposed to make your muscles relax but I had more fun using those "relaxed" muscles trying to fight the electricity as it made them convulse.

There are others too, like the one near the Monkey Onsen (not THE actual Monkey Onsen I love so much) where the monkeys DO occasionally come down to visit. The town where the Monkey Onsen is located is actually made up entirely of Onsen (It's a hotbed for the underground springs) and Ryokan (Traditional hotels) that occasionally house Onsen. Another Onsen there has apples floating in it. The possibilities are endless. When you visit, there are people just walking around the street in their yukatta (robes) between the various Onsen. And (if you're into that sort of thing) there are co-ed Onsen (men and women are usually in completely separate areas within the buildings) that you can visit to sit and relax with ALL of your friends in one place. From what I hear though, These tend to attract the same types as a nude beach in Europe. Lots of tourists and nearly all men.

The real benefit of the Onsen is that, once the pressure surrounding the rules is gone, it is a great excuse to take an overly long shower. After a long cold hike 3000 meters up, there's not much that can top an hour (or two? three?) at an Onsen. It's a great way to slow down and clear your head after that debacle of a lesson for the 2nd graders. Or, after speaking at half-speed English for a whole week, a great place to meet up with other foreigners and have a legitimate excuse to just talk for a couple hours.

So if you come to Japan, don't be afraid. Embrace the steam and awkwardness. Every day of my existence here is awkward, the locations doesn't really matter. And as for the nakedness, well... Don't be a prude. But also don't expect photos attached to this post.