Visiting a traditional bathhouse is a must-do when travelling to Japan and South Korea for the first time. But what is a Jjimjilbang, what is an onsen and what is the difference between the two?
What is an Onsen?
Of the two, you are most likely to have heard of the word Onsen as Japanese culture is much more popular than it’s South Korean neighbour. An onsen typically refers to a Japanese hot spring and as a volcanic country, there are dozens of onsens throughout its islands and some are even used by the Japanese snow monkeys (macaques) found up in the mountains. The most traditional onsens are outdoors and most are separated by gender.
What is a Jjimjilbang?
In all likelihood, you will have booked your trip to South Korea and ordered your guidebook before coming across this word. A jjimjiibang is a typical Korean bathhouse complete with hot tubs, showers, saunas and massage tables. Unlike it’s Japanese equivalent, it has nothing to do with volcanoes or the natural environment. Instead, jjimjiibangs have lots of different rooms of varying temperatures and you can sleep in the bathhouse, enjoying the facilities all night long.
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What is the Bathing Etiquette in an Onsen or Jjimjiibang?
The bathing etiquette is quite similar with some notable differences. Firstly, in both a Japanese onsen and a Korean jjimjiibang, traditionally you are expected to be naked. Naked as the day you were born. Both are sex-segregated, but it can still feel incredibly strange to be baring all to total strangers and walking from room to room with everything on display.
As nakedness is a requirement, so is giving yourself a good scrub down before getting in the hot waters. Make sure that every inch of you is clean before entering the communal bathing areas, you shouldn’t even enter the bath with traces of soap on your body. Same goes with your hair, make sure it is clean and tied up above your head.
Both onsens and jjimjiibangs are social experiences and total silence isn’t necessary. You can have a quiet chat in both but ‘rowdiness’ isn’t tolerated. They are places of relaxation after all.
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So what are the main differences?
Essentially, both onsens and jjimjiibangs are places of relaxation, where locals go to socialise and most importantly, get clean. They are of huge cultural importance and have featured in communities for hundreds of years.
But a Japanese onsen is a bath in a volcanic hot spring. It’s an experience that can last a couple of hours at most and there are rarely the additional facilities available that you can find in a South Korean jjimjiibang.
A South Korean jjimjiibang is an all-dayer and all night-er. You can spend the day going from rooms of varying temperature, from steam to sauna, and back around again until your skin is as smooth as silk and your body and muscles soft and relaxed.
The main difference though is that in a South Korean bathhouse, to get the ultimate experience it is possible to spend the night. The bathhouse is open 24 hours a day so should you way up in the middle of the night, it’s possible to take a quick dip. The sleeping facilities tend to be quite basic ranging from communal sleeping rooms where there are thin plastic mattresses to sleeping pods, similar to capsule hotels found in Japan. There are also big common rooms where you can watch TV, have something to eat and share experiences.
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Where can you try it?
There are literally thousands of onsens around Japan, some better than others. Close to Mount Fuji, Hakone is the perfect place for a first-timer and it has been popular with Japanese locals for centuries. You can choose from a range of different types of onsen where the views, number of baths, authenticity and budget all vary. Make sure you do your homework in advance or ask your local Adventure Leader for some advice.
In South Korea, jjimjiibangs are such a huge part of the local culture that they are found far and wide. Some of the best and most established are in Seoul and spending the night in one is one of the best ways of ending a trip around the country before beginning the long journey home. To get the full experience though, make sure that you spend the night.
Both onsens and jjimjiibangs are available on both The Dragon Trip’s 13 day Budget Japan tour and the 12 day South Korea tour. You can even combine both trips together to form an epic 27 day adventure.
