Seeing as my first onsen experience was on a ski trip with a bunch of boys, I realised I would have to face this on my own. Which, looking back now, may have been a good thing. I was able to work myself up to getting nude with strangers but I'm not sure I will be ever up for stripping down with family or my mates.
The boys had described the hotel onsen as a shower area next to a hot spring pool. I assumed this meant that I could sneak in, have a shower in a cubicle and disappear without facing any naked ladies. What they neglected to mention was that the shower area was actually a row of stools in front of mirrors with shower heads attached to flexible cords. And this shower area was directly next to the pools. There was no getting around it. This uptight, conservative Aussie was going to have to get down and get naked like the locals.
Dressed in my yukata (light summer kimono), towel in hand and gorgeous plastic green slippers on my feet I entered the change room. This was no high school locker room with girls hiding under towels, spraying cheap deodarant and twisting themselves back into their uniforms. This was all out nudity on a big scale.
Avoiding any eye contact, I placed my kimono and towel in a cubicle and made a dash for the internal door. Glancing around, trying not to catch an eyeful of anything furry or pink, I made my way to the closest stool and rinsed myself in soap from the huge pump pack on the shelf.
Once I was rinsed off, I checked nervously over each shoulder and made sure the path to the edge of the pool was clear. I snuck a look to my left and to my right, both stool occupants were busy washing their hair or inspecting their toenails, so I made a dash for it.
I slipped into the pool and felt the heat creep up my body. I instantly felt more relaxed. My personal bits were covered, I had the pool to myself and the heat was working wonders on my sore muscles. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all. I closed my eyes and eased lower into the pool.
After about 10 minutes of soaking, my skin lobster red and sweat beginning to drip from every pore, it was time to make an exit. The funny thing was, I had become so relaxed in the hot springs, I decided I didn't care about being nude anymore. These Japanese were onto something, this onsen experience felt good. I was a woman with a new attitude, I had the same bits as everyone else in the room, I didn't care anymore. So I climbed out and I strutted my way out of the bathing area and into the change rooms. I didn't even grab my towel and try and cover myself. I just went to my corner and got dressed like I was the only one in the room.
Good on ya Moi!
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