One of the reasons why we chose the Izu Peninsula to base our inaka home is because of its access to hot springs. We were thrilled to know that our home has a direct connection to the local hot springs network, so we could relax in onsen waters in our own home. Creating a full-on Japanese onsen vibe in our bathroom is one of our goals for the Izu home.
But wait! You don’t need actual hot spring waters or even a Japanese-style wet bath to bring the Japanese onsen vibe to your bathroom. Here are some things we’ve done, that you can also incorporate into your bathroom TODAY to bring the relaxing onsen vibe to your home.
This post starts with some onsen staples that you can bring into your own bathroom, especially if you already have a Japanese-style wet bath.
From there, it explores onsen-inspired elements that can be experienced through the five senses, helping you create a fully immersive, DIY Japanese onsen retreat in your home.
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Onsen Staples
When you visit a Japanese onsen, there are a few essentials that make the relaxing experience feel complete. Adding some of these staples to your bathroom can instantly bring in an authentic, Japanese onsen atmosphere.
Onsen bath salts
Mineral-rich onsen bath salts recreate the therapeutic feeling of soaking in Japan’s natural hot springs. Bath salts are very common in Japan and can be purchased in singles or in bulk packs, with each sachet filled with salts and minerals that mimic the mineral concentrations of different onsen destinations around Japan. Examples include Tabi No Yado and Bath Roman.
These make great souvenirs from Japan, and are the perfect way to bring Japanese onsen vibes into your home. If you don’t have access to onsen salts, you can easily replace these with fizzy bathbombs too.
Natural fiber baskets
Onsen and sento visitors will be familiar with the dressing room baskets that visitors put their clothes and other items in before entering the onsen.
Usually made out of woven natural fibers, these baskets keep your dressing area tidy, and feel straight out of a Japanese onsen as well.
You can also use a small natural fiber basket, or even a bamboo or wooden tray to hold your onsen-specific shampoos, which are next on my list of onsen staples!
Luxury shampoo, conditioner, and body wash sets
Stock your bath with the large pump bottles commonly found in onsen for a familiar touch.
Some examples that might be familiar to you from onsen ryokan include Kumanoyoshi Horse Oil shampoo and conditioner, and the popular &honey brand shampoo and conditioner.
These could be bottles that you only use during your special onsen relaxation days. You can also purchase refill bottles that look like the onsen-style pumps, to keep up the Japanese onsen image in your bathroom.
Hinoki wooden bath stool
A low wooden hinoki bath stool adds comfort to pre-bath washing and carries the calming scent of Japanese cypress. These stools are easier to include into your home bath routine if you have a wet bathroom, but they can also be used as a dressing room stool or decorative shelf as well.
You better believe we have these hikoni stools in our Izu home onsen!
Hinoki wooden bucket
Similar to the stool, the hinoki wooden bucket is best used in a wet bath to pour water on yourself while bathing, or before entering the onsen. The hinoki bucket adds both ritual and onsen vibes to your home bathing experience.
You can buy both the hinoki stool and bucket as a set here.
Post-bath yukata or bath robe
After your onsen, slip into a yukata (lightweight, cotton kimono) or a fluffy bathrobe to extend the relaxed, onsen-fresh feeling.
In onsen ryokan, guests are often provided with yukatas in their room, which are worn post-bath to make it easy to walk between the onsen, guest rooms, and dining rooms in comfort.
Post-bath vanity space
Keep luxury skincare like face lotion, toner, or milk lotions on hand, just like the communal vanities in onsen dressing rooms do. Examples include Sekkisei and Shiseido if you’re interested in Japanese skincare brands.
Many onsens also provide specialized lotions for dry spots like heels and elbows, adding an extra layer of care after a long soak.
Just like the shampoos, keep these lotions separate from your everyday lotions to preserve their special onsen status.
Post-bath milk or other treat
Take part in an onsen tradition by enjoying a glass of cold milk post-bath. It’s common for onsens to offer bottled milk or other dairy-based treats like Yakult (a Japanese pro-biotic drink) or ice pops for guests to enjoy post-bath.
Beer, in a large glass bottle for sharing or in a can from a vending machine, is also a popular post-onsen reward. Keep a separate post-onsen stash of these treats!
Make your home bathroom a Japanese onsen - through the five senses
Sight
Aim to bring in plenty of natural materials and calming lighting into your home onsen retreat. Examples include wood, bamboo, hemp, natural fibers, and stone. Think wooden stools (like the hinoki stool mentioned above) and back scrubbers or stone trays and soap dispensers.
For lighting, you could switch on a special warm-toned bulb just for onsen nights, or use paper lantern-style lamps to create soft and tranquil glows.
Other soothing touches, while not always found in a traditional onsen ryokan, can still evoke a similar atmosphere: candles, plants, images of mountains and nature, and other greenery. Even a small Japanese-style garden or a bed of moss nearby can feel perfectly at home.
Sound
Some people prefer complete silence to capture the calm of a Japanese onsen. In our Izu home, we love the gentle sound of running water, even if it’s just a trickle, to keep the atmosphere alive. You can recreate this with a small tabletop fountain or even through a speaker playing water sounds.
In our Izu home dressing area, we keep a speaker running with traditional ryokan-style music, so the feeling of being in an onsen retreat continues beyond the bath. For me, onsen ryokan music = koto music, a stringed Japanese instrument played by plucking the strings.
You can also play nature sounds like crickets chirping on a summer night, or gentle rain falling in the forest. These sounds can help you experience kisetsukan, a sense of the seasons, bringing the outdoors closer to you and deepening relaxation, even if you are soaking in your own home onsen.
Below are two playlists that I love to listen to, when building my own home onsen vibes.
Smell
Two of my favorite smells that I immediately associate with onsen are Japanese cypress wood (hinoki) and the refreshing scent of citrus like Japanese yuzu. If you’ve already added a hinoki stool or bucket to your home onsen, try adding whole yuzu or other citrus to your bath. It’s a simple touch that can recreate a classic onsen experience and add a bright citrusy smell too.
Beyond natural wood and fruits, you can add relaxing aromas from essential oils, Japanese bath salts, incense, or candles. Each of these can help transform your bathroom into a calming onsen retreat, letting you experiment with different scents depending on the season or your mood.
Hibi is an example of a wonderful Japanese incense brand, which incense are lit like a match and provide 10 minutes of a comforting scent. It’s the perfect amount of time to unwind after a home onsen soak, or have meditative moments post-bath.
Taste
Taste plays an important role in rounding out the onsen ritual, and post-bath refreshments are a beloved tradition across Japanese onsens. To capture the same feeling at home, prepare a few drinks or treats to enjoy after your soak. You can even keep a mini-fridge near your bathroom for convenience.
In Japan it’s traditional to enjoy an ice-cold bottle of milk, fruit milk, or even a Yakult probiotic drink after a long onsen soak. Chilled green tea, roasted barley tea (mugicha) or genmaicha are equally refreshing.
It’s also common to find flavored ice pops or ice cream at onsen, perfect for cooling down. And if you drink alcohol, nothing beats cracking a cold beer after emerging from the warm bath.
Touch
Last and definitely not least is touch, a sense central to the onsen experience. For the onsen bath itself, let the heat and water do their work by immersing yourself deeply in hot water at around 40–42°C, just like in a real onsen.
Keep a small hand towel (oshibori) close by for comfort during your soak. For a more traditional cleansing ritual, add exfoliation with a light washcloth, body scrub, or pumice stone.
After the onsen, use soft, fluffy cotton or linen towels, and change into a lightweight yukata.
Outside of the bath you can have tatami or straw mats, or even wooden platforms to recreate the Japanese changing room textures. If that’s difficult to incorporate, go for cozy bath mats to add warmth and comfort as you step out of the bath.
In Summary
Creating an onsen atmosphere at home doesn’t mean recreating every detail of a traditional Japanese onsen. It’s about capturing the feeling of slowing down, engaging the senses, and letting your bathing rituals feel special.
Whether it’s through natural materials, soothing sounds, relaxing scents, or a refreshing post-bath drink, even small touches can turn your home bathroom into an onsen retreat. By incorporating these elements little by little, you can enjoy the calm and renewal of a Japanese onsen, no matter where you are.
