Haginoyu

As many have written, this place gets very busy. It's the busiest onsen/sento I've ever been to, with the usual diversity of ages, shapes, and sizes. It was amazing to witness, and it's all respectful. It was 95% Japanese when I visited late on a Saturday afternoon. Kudos to the venue for having an English-friendly vending machine, though there's still 101 stuff you'll need to know (instructions for newbies below). I particularly liked that many of the baths were neither too hold nor too cold, and the chilled water to drink. I'd definitely go back again.

Westerners / First Timers:

1. Once you've found the building (there's a little bit of English on the outside but rely on the photos), go up to 2F and take off your shoes before the wooden floor. Lock only your shoes in a locker and keep the key.

2. Continue into the entrance and there's 2 vending machines on the left. There's a big "Touch" button. Touch it! Then on the next screen there's an English button towards the bottom. Touch it too!

3. You'll then get the screen I've shared in the photo - I would suggest you choose the 1st or 3rd option on the 3rd row, which are sento & towels, or sento, sauna & towels respectively. 3 towels for Y100 is a no brainer. If you get stuck go to the reception desk and see if someone speaks English.

4. After you've entered your cash and made the selections, click the green button on the bottom right and look for a ticket near the top left of the screen. Hand this to the reception desk, who will hand you THREE towels if you selected them... THREE towels you say? YES! The blue one is for while showering, the yellow one is the "modesty" towel for while walking around, and the brown one is for drying off at the end.

5. Go up to level 3 (men) or level 4 (women). Grab a locker, strip off (yes, it's naked time), put all your stuff, the shoe key & the brown towel in there. Secure the locker and strap the key around your arm somewhere (it also has your sauna proof if needed). Take the blue & yellow towel with you. If you want to drink some water or to use the toilet, now is the time.

6. First you need to clean. Really, really clean. You'll see banks of stools & shower heads (you'll also see a traditional shower, don't use that). Grab a stool, rinse it with water, and sit on it. Yes, you're sitting low. You could stand too, but most sit. Use the provided supplies to slowly and carefully clean everywhere. Take your time. Use the blue towel if you want. Then rinse off. Thoroughly. Rinse off the stool. It's sento time!

7. Explore the indoor & outdoor baths. Yes you're surrounded by naked people. Yes, you're probably not used to it. The Japanese are, from a young age. Keep an eye on what others do - for example, never let the yellow towel touch the water, and rinse off seats before & after usage. There's thermostats on the different baths - some are hot (40+C), some are cold (~20C), some are warm (30sC). You don't need to rinse between baths. Enjoy yourself for as long as need be. Chill out, relax, settle in. You shouldn't stare at anyone, or expect to be stared at.

8. Eventually shower (recommended), go back to the locker room (try not to drip on the floor), open your locker and use the brown towel to dry off. You know the drill from here. There should be a bin for the towels.

9. Head back to 2F and optionally have a drink or some food. Let your body temperature readjust. Finally, leave & use the shoe key to get your shoes, put them on off the wooden floor, and return to the real world. You did it!