Goyuin Seals
One subject that I don’t really go into is Onsen or hot springs. Having tattoos is pretty much a ‘No Go’ at these places. Over the years, some have made an exception due to tourists and being more open that matter.
I have personally avoided onsens because of that stigmatism with tattoos, but I do have limited experience as well. When I went to a Nissan Leopard meeting in Fujinomiya area, we stayed at a Ryokan (traditional Japanese hotel) and they had a public bath and Onsen.. but my friends said I couldn’t go because of my tattoos.
The other time was in Hakone, where I was at another Nissan Leopard meeting, sponsored by Carshop Friend and Mr. Kanazawa rented the whole hotel for the weekend. With it being a more intimate group setting, it was okay to go into the onsen since it was only friends.
Other than that, I have never really tried to go into the Onsen experience. That won’t change unless more of these onsens are open to tattoos on foreigners (and it is slowly getting there). But I avoid that stress by just not including them in my trips.
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I was researching for my July trip with the Hokuriku Arch Pass (going through Nagano and a bit of Niigata) and found a link to Goyuin – Onsen seals!! I was literally blown away to see this.
I love Goshuin (temples and shrines), Gojoin (castles) and was going to try and get some Tetsuin (for small railway trains companies), then came across these.. I was kinda interesting. While I don’t think I will get them, as the Onsens are pretty spread out and these are DEEP into areas I don’t have access to, I think just having pictures is cool to document.
That 1st link was to the Nyuto Onsenkyo Cooperative Association Member Ryokan
It is a list of 7 Ryokan are located in Akita prefecture and include :
- Tsurunoyu
- Taenoyu
- Ganiba
- Ogama
- Magoroku
- Kuroyu
- Kyukamura
I decided to looking the term a bit more and came up on this website, https://goyuin.net
It looks like this website kind of gives more information of Goyuin Meguri or onsen tour. Currently, there are only 2 tours going on, but they have great pictures of the goyuin.
Gunma Goyuin
Here are a few onsen in Gunma
Naminami Kaido /Setouchi area
Here is one of the current meguri, happening as of this post.
The website actually has really close looks at each.
Here is one that was in Ise Peninsula
Gifu Meguri
