Body Positivity in Japanese Onsens

I’m currently in Sendai visiting my boyfriends family. We went with some of our friends recently to a bath house Onsen near our house and I thought a lot about how amazing they are. While I was there I felt so confident even though I was naked in a bath with a bunch of strangers. A very strange experience but at the same time liberating and relaxing. 

One of the things I love about japan and wish we had in the states was public onsens or bath houses. In Japan it is very normal to go with your family from a young age to the bath house and enjoy the different hot baths. (Men and women are in separate areas) it’s a very relaxing experience and it’s amazing for your skin.

But that’s not why I love it. I love the fact it teaches body positivity at such a young age. In the bath women of all ages are enjoying it together, most of the time in small groups of friends and family or alone. But this idea really shows little girls and boys from a young age that everybody is beautiful and unique. No one judges each other while they’re in there. In fact unless you’re like me, a foreigner in a very rural area, then people might stare.

Personally I’ve never had a problem changing in front of other people in locker rooms or anything it I think having baths like this is a really good thing for kids to grow up with. What do you think?