Solaniwa Onsen, Osaka Bay Tower – A friend told me about Japan hot springs a few years back, and I was shocked to hear about the Japan onsen etiquette that every guest has to follow. I was hesitant before, but after relaxing at a hot spring in Japan for the first time 5 years ago, I knew that going to a hot spring in Japan is a must for everyone.
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Onsen etiquette
If you have tried other bathhouses or spas in the Philippines, you’d still be surprised about how different the culture is in Japanese bathhouses. Below are some of the onsen rules and regulations that every visitor should follow.
- Clothes are not allowed
- Shower before going in
- Be courteous of other people when showering
- No washing in the tub
- No eating and drinking (especially alcoholic beverages)
- Avoid staring at other people
- Put your hair up
- No towels in the tub
- No bringing of glass in bathhouses
So, now that you have learned about the onsen etiquette, know them by heart before you purchase that onsen ticket!
Solaniwa Onsen Tickets Price
Solaniwa Onsen entrance fees differ depending on which day you’ll go. You can pay half the price when you plan to have a morning bath, which is from 6 AM to 9 AM. And there is an additional late-night fee from 1 AM onwards. Children below 4 can go in for free.
We were concerned at first about the Solaniwa Onsen age limit, as we were traveling with a toddler. Thankfully, the onsen theme park accommodates young children inside the spa bathhouse.
Besides going to the bathhouses, there are many things to do in Osaka onsen like Solaniwa. You can use the bedrock sauna, but you must pay an additional fee. The staff will give you different clothing to wear instead of the yukata. The clothing will become your ticket to enter the bedrock sauna station.
Booking at Klook
Should you decide to book Solaniwa Onsen, Klook has some offers for you!
Save 100 PHP (1.76 USD) when you book at Klook! And if this is your first time using the Klook app, you can have an additional 5% discount. Just input the voucher code “BetterOnApp” before you checkout.
Solaniwa Onsen Amenities
At 11 a.m., we arrived at the Osaka Bay Tower, which is where the Solaniwa Osaka Onsen is located. There weren’t many people because the onsen starts operating from 11 AM until 11 PM. Before you can enter, you will see lockers on your right.
Choose one where you can put your shoes on and get your key. On the side, there is also a space where you can safely keep your strollers locked. Then we proceeded to queue so we could start soon.
Wait for your turn in line until the staff calls you to the counter. On the side, you can get one toothbrush, shaver, and tabi socks, which you can use while inside the onsen. The staff showed us large laminated instructions on how to use the onsen facility.
After registering at the counter, the staff will tell you to choose your preferred yukata or kimono. Solaniwa Onsen has different sizes for men, women, and even kids. We chose our favorites, got changed, and then checked the area for fun things to do in Osaka onsen we were at.
Before we started our day at the Solaniwa Spa Osaka, we had a photo shoot in the hallway with colorful lanterns. Many locals were seated there to relax and take photos. Some go there as a couple, but you may also see groups of friends spending the day at the Osaka onsen.
Garden and Foot Baths
We rode the elevator and got off at 4/F to check the garden and foot baths first. You’ll find an outdoor garden where you can soak your feet in the warm foot baths while enjoying the greeneries.
There is also a dry bench where you can kill time when you’re done in the foot baths. Walking past the benches, you will reach the Thousand Torii Arches and you can have photos taken with the famous Torii gates without going far from the city!
We went back indoors to check what Solaniwa Onsen food we’d find, only to see most restaurants closed. One serves BBQ and hotpot dishes and beverages like coffee, iced teas, and beer.
On the side, there are lighted lanterns that give such a delightful sight!
You can even get lanterns and light them up so you can update your social media profile picture. And obviously, my toddler was thrilled to play with the lanterns that light up. When we were done, we went down to check the other facilities.
Solaniwa Onsen Food and Restaurants
We went to the 2/F and walked past the lantern hall to get to the restaurant area. There’s a wide range of Japanese restaurants to choose from. You can have savory meals when you dine at Nawanoren Restaurant, then have your desserts at Komachi Chaya.
Noodle lovers would surely love to try Benten-Men – however, it’s currently closed until further notice. There’s another restaurant called Tenga Chaya, which is located on the 5/F, that serves ice cream, parfaits, drinks, and hot snacks.
Sonaliwa Onsen Games and Festival Day
Have you been to a Japanese temple festival? I haven’t been to one but I’m quite familiar with it thanks to the Japanese anime series that I used to watch. Just like how we Filipinos celebrate “fiestas,” the Japanese also have fun during their festival day.
Japanese festivals, or matsuri, happen yearly to celebrate a seasonal or historical event. During festivals, there are games you can play. And you don’t have to wait for Festival Day to be able to play those games!
At Solaniwa Onsen, you can win prizes when you play shooting, goldfish scooping, ring toss, ninja darts, and takoyaki-ball toss. Moreover, you can also play table tennis and enjoy arcade games on the 2/F, along the restaurant area.
Solaniwa Onsen Public Bath
Of course, the main reason we went to Solaniwa Onsen was to have a relaxing day at the public baths. However, since clothes are not allowed inside baths, so are smartphones and cameras. So, I couldn’t show you what inside the public bath looks like.
The male and female public baths are separated, and children aged 7 and up (or 120 cm and taller) should enter the right bath house gender. And since my son was still a toddler, he went with me and the people didn’t care about him at all.
Based on my first Japan onsen experience, the people around you don’t care about one another. The people only care about enjoying their bath house day so don’t worry too much about how you look naked.
It might be a little awkward at first, but you’ll soon realize that being conscious about the people around you will just be too energy-wasting. In the end, you’ll find yourself enjoying dipping into tubs one after the other.
At Solaniwa Onsen, what I liked the most was their sauna. I can stay in the sauna for more than 5 minutes just sitting and staring at the TV show which I don’t understand. It was a very relaxing 5 minutes for me.
After sweating it out, I would pour cold water on top of my head to cool off. Then, I would transfer to another sauna, cool off, then go to the hot baths, then cool off again. It took me more than 1 hour doing that routine.
Body and Beauty Treatment
If you are not satisfied with the public baths and foot baths, you can have body and beauty treatments without having to go out of Solaniwa Onsen Osaka. You can have a facial treatment and you can even have personalized skincare to get the best results.
Have you heard about oxygen capsules? It’s that one capsule that helps improve metabolism and blood flow and prevents aging. You can inquire about them and have a reservation before you can experience these treatments.
There’s also a cosmetic shop so you can buy beauty products, health food, and other stuff that beautify you. We missed checking this area because we have a toddler to feed. However, do check the whole place out when you visit Solaniwa Onsen.
Solaniwa Onsen Review Conclusion
Japan hot springs should be on your bucket list because it’s one of a kind experience you wouldn’t find in other places. While we have some spas in Manila with similar rules, I wouldn’t dare because people here have different views.
If you are traveling to Japan soon, you must be looking for the best things to do. Osaka offers you more than Universal Studios or the Umeda Sky Building. Why not include in your “what to do in Osaka, Japan list” a trip to one of the biggest onsen in Osaka?
Are we going back to onsens in the future? Surely! The hot baths help relieve stress in our bodies. Not only that but the natural water the Japanese use in their tubs has health benefits for us.
The next time you try out a hot spring in Japan, I’d love to hear about them! Share your experience in the comments section below!
