Hokkawa onsen

Hokkawa view at the sunset

I will show a few onsen i went and where the people who goes there respects still the way i suppose japanese people were soaking in the past before western influence;

Hokkawa onsen is one of this places, it is a public bath, in front of the sea away from the major tourist trafic, This is one of the onsen where couple and even group of ladies come, even if some times the number of menis very high;

The sunraise at 6:30 or the sunset is a fantastic experience, soaking in the warm water looking the see and dreaming about the States on the other side of the ocean.

Let me tell you what an Obaa san, who came from Osaka with her husband and overnight in a local ryokan, talled me while soaking together with friends from Tokyo:

This hot tub right on the ocean, sharing the water, view and wave sounds with total strangers i a real pleasure. I think it's natural and actually healthy to be able to get naked for the sake of a good soak and not be all embarased in front of strangers. Men and women mixed ... no one cares at this point

Sukayu : A new challenge for the mixed bathing

Sukayu Onsen : A new challenge for the tradition of mixed bathing :
A campain has started by agroup of concerned citizens to stop the stares of men at one of Japan's most famous Onsen resort that still practices mixed bathing.
The Konyoku wo Mamoru Kai (protect Mixed Bathing Association) has seen an increase of mento the Sukayu Onsen resort in Aomori. With the increase of men, they have also sen an increase of women complaining that men are leering at them.
The Sukayu Onsen has been visited for almost 320 years, and features a huge bath of 260 square meters. sukayu has signs for both men and women's bathing areas, but features no walls to obstruct the view when entering the bath.
Mentality evolution:In the past, before the Meiji era and the opening of the country to western influence, all bath were mixed. Kids from both gender were educated to share bath. Seeing the oposite sex naked was the rule. Under the presure of mostly the british and americans the bath became step by step separate by gender. Today there are a few places where mixed bathing it still the rule.But the gender ratio is often not very balanced, (two for ten) what makes the ladies unconfortable to share the pleasure of the bath.
Let me know your opinion on the subject and what you suggest to keep one of the greatest benefit of the tradional japanese culture