A private open-air bath: what to know before you ask
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Japan has thousands of public bathing facilities, and most of them are shared. The communal bath has its own pleasures, but it also has its own rules, its own hours and other people. A private open-air bath on your own deck is a different proposition.
What we mean by onsen, and what we do not
In Japan the word onsen has a legal meaning. A bath can be called a hot spring only if the water meets the conditions of the Hot Spring Act, and the facility is expected to show an analysis. We do not state on this site that any bath at Smart Pine Harbor is a natural hot spring. For each room we say in our reply whether the water is hot-spring water or heated tap water, and we use the word accordingly.
The timber deck
The four Open-air Bath Suites are planned with a private deck in hinoki cypress, a wood chosen for its resistance to moisture and its faint smell. The decks face west, so the bath catches the afternoon light and, in clear weather, the sunset. They are screened on three sides by a low timber fence and the edge of the pine forest. From the bath you see sky and water; neighbouring rooms cannot see you, and you cannot see them.
Practical notes
The bath is meant to be available whenever you want it, since there is no shared facility with opening hours. Pine View and Cliff Edge rooms have indoor soaking tubs instead. If a private open-air bath matters to you, say so in your enquiry and we will tell you what is possible.
A few ground rules are common to every hot bath. Rinse before you get in. Do not bathe after drinking alcohol or if you feel unwell. Keep the water temperature at a level you are comfortable with and get out if you feel dizzy. Children should never be left alone in a bath. People with heart conditions, high blood pressure or pregnancy should ask their doctor before using hot baths, and nothing in this note is medical advice.
When to use it is a personal choice. Some people go in before dinner, others late at night, and a few at dawn, which we understand completely.
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