What are the alternatives for being naked in nature in Asia?

I have just joined a gay social networking and news media site for men in Asian called Fridae.com - one of their tribes (discussion groups) is the Nudist and Naturalist Networks. It is free to join Fridae and create a profile with a vault (gallery of naked pics), but you'll need to be a premium member to really take advantage of everything the site offers. See my profile at:

http://www.fridae.com/user/sunbuns (You'll need to join it to be able to see my or other guys' profiles).

Where can a person get naked outdoors here in Asia. Generally, people answer that question simply and emphatically: You can't! However, there are actually several options - blatant dickflashing or exhibitionism - notwithstanding.
Here is what I added to the several responses concerning this discussion question on Fridae.com:  

Where in Asian can a guy go to a nudist beach?
 In Japan, there are only two places where guys (mostly gay men) go as a nude beach (one in Chiba, and the other is a deserted spot on Shonan Beach). Neither are well known by the general public partly because they are so hard to find, and far from Tokyo. Also, it's not like Black's Beach or ones in other Westernized countries, people get naked very discreetly even on a supposedly nude beach. They generally wear swimwear when walking around or when in the water, but remove their clothes while lying in the sun.

The next best thing to a nude beach then is a hot springs resort or a public bathing spa, the latter of which there are over 50 in Tokyo. In these, men and women have separate bathing areas. 

Often, there is a small outside areas (enclosed by a fence for privacy) where the naked men can soak in a pool of mineral waters or lounge naked or draped in a towel. Inside, there are various types of baths, but the men are usually totally naked when walking to and from each pool and when they sit on stools at individual showers for washing body and hair. Many of them have wet and dry saunas. So, despite their being little interest in nude beaches, Japanese are often fond of such warm mineral baths, and even travel to stay in the many areas of the country where there are nice resort hotels grouped around these hot springs, such as Hakone.

However, you don't have to go far from any metropolitan area to enjoy the same atmosphere of men enjoying being naked. Formerly, there were the old-fashioned public baths or 'sento' in every neighorhood, which have just about disappeared these days, being replaced by large, more modern and luxurious: bathing resort (or 'onsen' - hot springs bath or spa). The water has a higher content of minerals, particularly sodium (salt) and it's either brought in or created, but in sometimes comes naturally from the ground as Japan is a set of volcanic islands, also prone to earthquakes, as everyone knows.

Well... for those in Malaysia or Singapore, and other places where there are not naked places, you can do what I often do: Make your own nude beach by just getting naked where the general public cannot see (easily).


About my own free-based, public nude sunbathing...
I love being naked outdoors and often do so when there is a patch of land or a bushy area along side a river or a section of recreational land. If men are already sunbathing someplace, then just find a more hidden place in the same area and take it a step further: remove all your clothes and cover your privates. When no one is around, you can remove the covering.

In my trips to Thai, Singapore and Malaysia, I can recall a few places where this might happen, such as Sentosa Island, or a bit further afield - take a ferry or boat to one of the Indonesian islands not far from Singapore. There are surely some deserted beaches as well along Malaysia's southern coast, perhaps on Tioman Island (as there are plenty of foreigners), and also in East Malaysia (Sarawak), I was able to get naked inside the Bako National Park both inland and at any of many deserted beaches. Guides on individually hired boats can take you to a certain point, and pick you up later.
Here are four other photos from times I got naked in public or went hiking naked where nudity is not supposed to be allowed:

1) at a public park just outside Prague, 2) Naked in public park & campground on the Big Island 3) Naked while camping at a private resort at Russian River, CA. 4) Swimming and sunning myself nude at Tama River in the suburbs of Tokyo, Japan.

I realize that an important element may be missing when you simply go out and get naked alone. One of the most fun things about nude beaches is not only about being seen in the nude. It's also the chance to see others (especially men) in all their naked glory. You can't always do both at the same time. There must be places and events where men in various Asian countries are naked or dressing / undressing so take advantages of those spots even if you can't be naked yourself at the same time.

However, you may get a chance to see both nature and men doing things in nature and completely naturally that you didn't expect to see, such as guys having sex or masturbating because they think they are alone, like in this photo from a voyeur site above. Or scenes like the ones below - where everyday Asian guys just enjoy finally being able to get completely naked in public.

A Young gay asian guy from the Philippines takes a walk every saturday afternoon, but not because he is in love with nature, but because he loves to be naked outdoors. Sneaking out of his house on Saturday, he heads into the forest. As soon as he is out of sight of his home his clothes start to come off. Walking down the path the leaves and branches brush against his thighs, causing him to get very horny. The silky feeling of the brush against his skin causes his cock to get hard. It's not long before his cock is ready to explode in a massive cum shot. Come inside and see our gallery collection of Jaycee (Jecee) on his naked nature walks.

Hostel Hotness: Experiencing CMNM flashing in hotels and hostels

Hostel Hotness 

(from discussions on DN, DF & JUB)

Elegantism (member id) started off the discussion on hostel hotness like this:

Traveling through Europe,  I stayed in hostels sometimes]8 guys to a room so I always thoughts something hot would go down.

I remember this one time in Italy where the room was tiny and there were 6 guys in it. all ended up sleeping naked on top of the sheets sweating and boning all night long.

Any more exciting stories?
------------------------------------------

Follow up: beachpuppy
I was staying in a hostel in Verona, Italy, in a beautiful converted villa. Some of the showers were communal, shower heads from a common pillar. When you took showers, it meant you were standing around the same pillar, sort of face to face. Got hooked up there taking showers together...

Follow up: nakedparis
It happened to me in Budapest; the hostel was an university residence and showers were in a big room; there were little walls between showers but no curtains, so it was easy to peer the guys in the fron shower's line or drying after the shower.
In Stockholm too, I found two hostels with showers not very private; there were curtains, but the undressing room was common, so before and after the shower, we could peer each other.
-----------------------------------------

My response:

It's great to find others who are equally attracted to CMNM (clothed male / naked male) experiences at hostels. Sex is sometimes overrated and that's not just sour grapes because I can and do get a lot of it. But I find the male bonding / friendship/ buddy camaraderie / 'skinship' aspect of relationships with other men (not just sex) can be so much more easily experienced in an environment like a hostel and I find myself craving such experiences because I feel so isolated from knowing men fully. Sure I can fuck around with guys, but it find it hard to make friends or just be buddies with guys without sex at the same time releasing our typically mutual inhibitions toward deeper male friendships.

I have had some great times and also some highly homoerotic stays at several hostels... particularly at one hostel (presently unnamed) - which I have described here on a previous thread posting (now disappeared). I've written about these hostels and sought and given advice about traveling using hostels and the male bonding / male nudity that can happen here and on my blogs. 

nakedparis (above) has a great idea but I think we need another site/venue to share these since DN is so limited and the posts eventually scroll up and disappear. Also, there is the issue of privacy - when we start actually naming places and giving out address, then it may get back to the hostel owners (indirectly) that their establishments is targeted by gays/bi-guys seeking sex in their hostels. Some of the hottest places to stay are not always to gay-friendly or diversity oriented.

In the meantime, I want to hear more from elegantism about his experiences...
Hey, don't any of you guys blog? One cool idea is to create a Group Blog (using Blogger and Flickr) with multiple account holders (blog members). It's easy to set up (I can do that) and then you can either post entries by going to the Blogger (there can be many blog members or you can blog an entry by sending an email (even with an attached photo).

What do you say? Anybody want to try that... the discussion can still go on here but a 'good / useful' entry could also easily be blogged too. It doesn't mean to have to share id or have common passwords either.

A few days later...... I added:

I created the CMNM blog and I can add you as a co-author.
Actually, you don't have to actually join blogger to do so - because even without being an (approved) blog author - it is now set up to allow posts to be sent by e-mail. That address is written in the first (trial) post at:

http://guysn2cmnm.blogspot.com/

The problem is how to handle explicit sexual photographs (I discuss in that post). Not having any solves that dilemma-- but there is still the matter of what constitutes 'sensual / sexy vs erotic or artistic nude vs blatant sexual behavior or obscenity as defined by the courts.

It won't be an issue-- of course -- if nobody ever posts or even reads it.
Look at it first and then tell me what you think about 'managing' the off-site blog..... Guys Into CMNM

------------------------
So now it is off and running more to follow later.....
Kelly

Experiencing CMNM flashing: Ideas for hotels and hostels 

These next series of posts might be interesting to someone who wants to be see naked by other guys - particularly by str8 or clothed men when you are in 'nude' situations. I don't consider this blatant or in-your-face exhibitionism - for me, it is a sort of sensous and partly innocent accident flashing or being seen naked (or purpose) where nudity might be expected. I find it even hotter and more

sexually stimulating when the guys doing the looking are either supposedly straight or are themselves clothed. It's great when they take notice or when you can tell that they kind of like the experience (or the freedom and license) to get naked them. Many don't need to get permission and quite a few don't care or even notice, but you know never what will happen or how they might react - there are surprising results sometimes - and far from bad ones.

A few weeks ago a posted question came from somebody on another board:

I am staying in a budget hotel next week with shower and toilet in the hallway. Stayed there before and tried the basic stuff. Like walking to the shower and up and down the corridors in underwear, and even nude, but was, as far as I know, never seen.

Does anyone have any creative ideas to show off or to risk being seen in this situation? Perhaps I can post some pics of your fantasy..

Here is how I responded to the guy's request for suggestions:

I had a conference in Honolulu and had planned to stay in a shared hotel room with a str8 buddy. As it turns out, my friend is not going to make it (his wife is coming along), so I made a reservation for a large (10 bed) dorm room in one of these hotels. It sounds like I might had more luck to choose the small dorm room (just 4 beds) since it might be more conducive to a break-out jo sessions. I know I'll be horny as hell and probably not get a wink of sleep - just hearing out guys breathing / turning over / adjust clothes / and the normal sounds of sleeping turns me on like crazy. I don't know what I'll do if one of them is audibly (or visibly) beating off. Still, I'd love to hear more.

I'll be at a hostel next week Feb 15-18. It's more like budget hotel with shared rooms 4 to 8 people in either co-ed or female only room. However, it's actually rare to have a coed dorm room be that. single women at a hostel rarely stay in a dorm so they are most all male -- but some regular hotels and inns have larger rooms where guests/strangers who don't know each other share at least a WC/shower but also the bedroom (and lounge/ en suite facilities (kitchen / bathroom etc).

Here are my suggestions for the hotel you've chosen:  

( I think you only have a shared bath/toilet . But it really all depends on the actual place and how lucky (popular LOL) you are with the other guests).
Whether it's a true hostel situation or just a hotel that's cheaply built; changes how you can set up a flash - we're obviously talking about innocent exposure (and kind of CMNM - not a full-on shove hard cock in their face). If you can do that kind, you probably would NOT be asking for advice.

So it depends on the rooms (size and number of beds shared if at all) the layout of rooms and hallways, number of floors, how big (or small) the bath /toilet (in Europe (and Japan) it's always separate but not in North America. Other important things are who are the guests - backpackers - young, free-minded and playful or staid conservative hard-line tourist or locals who are just too stingy to stay at more expensive hotels (no offense --- I've stayed at many a budget hotel myself - there are many reasons to do so - than just saving money - friendliness, personal attention and a chance to talk to local owners (who are more likely to own and run it themselves).

1) leave the door unlocked - even if you are NOT 'surprised' once when somebody embarrassingly open it while you're nude..for example they open the door and then close it quickly after getting a glimpse of you - (even though you did see or don't acknowledge having seen them)  at least , he will know that there is a good possibility of it happening again (you've established a 'predictable' pattern ) so he might just deliberating sneak open the door the next time for a better look or just swing it back wide to give somebody else a chance to see.  

2) stay at least 3 nights -if you can.. Notice other's habits/timing for taking showering (or needing the bathroom) -- then make sure you're there before during or after - in some states of undress.     

3) Sometimes you can time it so well that you can be ready with all your stuff and clutching your towel loosely around your waste.. and then look disappointed if he makes in in before you. if he hesitate just say you won't be long or you're in a rush to an appointment so ask if you can jump inthe shower quickly ahead of him - while he shaves ...
4) If it's the reverse you get in first but see that he was wanting to shower/use the bath too (he's got his shower gear etc). You can suggest he go first IF you can get started with shaving -- then you can come in too and strip naked and shave until he gets finished with his shower. and comes out to dry.  

5) Use the shared bath/shower on another floor - then you have an excuse to be half-naked (skimpy towel that seems to be falling down by inself ) for a long distance... People want notice unless - for example, you ride up and down on the elevator naked to visit many floors. 

6) Pretend to go to a room (on the same or different floor where you KNOW there is not guest) - you can see the key has not been picked up - there are not footsteps at all from the room directly above yours.  

Then act like you're trying to get into visit that 'empty' room's guest - wearing only your underwear or skimpy towel -- you can knock of the door just as someone opens to come out or when the elevator opens -- knock and whisper a name but drop something -- bending over to pick it up you 'accidently' loose grip on the towel around your naked loins - IT'S OLD comedy routine but it works because most people are embarassed for you NOT because of you. If you clumsy -looking enough, sometimes people will even reach out to help you retrieve something - like the towel. and then you can turn to be red-faced with mocked shame...  The problem with this one is that you can't be sure the person who will view is male or female.

7) Another way to so pretend to be mistaken about a friend's room number. Most people won't open for a complete stranger but if you are insistent and seem to KNOW a real person who you know is 'inside' - most people will open the door to correct your error - out of kindness - If they don't or won't, and just yell through the door then nothing's been harmed.  

If they do open it without speaking to you first, you can just pretend to be expecting your 'friend' and start to come in through the door - but you'll be SO surprised that the person is NOT who you were expecting that you drop your shower/bath gear and then loose hold of the towel trying to catch the shampoo bottle. It's better if you actually do have your hands full or are holding something else because the 'normal 'reaction would be to turn or to try to cover your genitals. The guy (hopefully you'll get one 50%of the time) will either look up at your face (either before or after he looks right at your cock). If it's noticeable he's not completely disgusted or seems to find it amusing, then smile and apologize and explain that you thought Hans/George was in this room and you needed to give him an urgent message - all the while still not covering up and even almost or dropping something else (unbreakable) to that the guy (guest) has to get down and look up to see from a 'better' angle. Your cock should have swelled a bit now -- so he'll show even more appreciation in his eyes or make it clear that he wants you to leave.
Hey.. I came up with a lot of bold and perhaps successful ones -- I can't wait to try out some of them myself... 

Final suggestion, next time try a hostel - you're in a room all the time with men - so you can be as naked as much as you can get away with it-- the bath/shower is attached usually so you can freely go back and forth in the nude to your own ..  

Nowadays.. I'm sure that might be one reason that advertize these rooms as MIXED or COED - but - in truth - only a group of women would stay in a mixed group room - usually then the hotel clerk puts that group by itself. Also there are women only group rooms - so it's very like you'll only be put in a room with men.  

What I hate is when I am the ONLY person in the room. Sometimes if the hostel is not busy -they will put a lone 'wolf' - single older guys into one of the doubles/couples rooms (for the same price ) but sometimes I think it's just them taking a precaution - or out of respect for the noise that younger (under 26) supposedly make. Frankly I LIKE the noise they make - that's why I'm staying in the hostel (that and the opportunity to see and be seen naked). Still it is lucky to happen because most people are stranger than they are normal around strangers. LOL 

I'll let you know how my trip to one goes next week.

By the way, there are many chances to do get naked in public bath (baden ) and spas or hot springs. In Japan, there are onsen (hot springs resorts - where you can also get a day-pass just for the indoor and outdoors hot pools); there are even still pubic baths - sento - where you pay about $3-$4 to sit naked among or across from other men (sometimes young men and teens - but there are all ages), and wash and soap your body-- paying special attention to scrubbing your cock and balls. and then soak nude in the hot communal pool (after rinsing). It's a tradition that is rapidly dying out.  

Any ideas or experiences about a flashing at 8-person hostel room (it may be coed)? It's in Honolulu and I don't know the shower set-up -since shower stall or communal (I hope).
Kelly
_________________
The spirit is willing but the flash is week day and weekend!

Japanese onsen and bathhouses: healthy, wet and gay?

Wondering if any of you have had any experience on trying the Japanese Onsen or hot springs?

     

* Originally, some of this discussion was posted on a Dudesnude discussion forum in August 2010

by occa 10 Aug 2010, 21:52

Guys, wondering if any of you have had any experience on trying the Japanese Onsen or hot water spring? any tips or hints on what should you do in there? i could google it but I wanted to know and hear the first hand experience from all of you who had tried it. I heard that for uncut guys it is a no no if you keep your cock head covered with the foreskin...is it true?. Well, would love to hear from you as I will visit japan next month and might have the chance to try one of the onsen or bath houses. . First time experience for me to be naked around other men. Can't wait.

Follow up: Ernie
10 Aug 2010, 22:23

I lived in Japan for several years and it was a real treat to go to the Onsens/Sento. There's a lot of etiquette to observe but the main one is to wash before you get into any bath. It doesn't have to be a thorough washing as you usually have a good scrub/shampoo after you soak anyway...but you never get into a bath without a bit of a 'token' wash. The main thing is NO soap anywhere near a bath. 
I found the Japanese a little peculiar when it came to foreskin - it's considered infantile to publicly 'display' your foreskin so most men keep them skinned back - I didn't have to worry about that!

I had Japanese friends who didn't care either way so don't fret about it.
I got so used to seeing knobs on display that a couple of times when other 'foreigners' were bathing, I got quite shocked to see long floppy skins!
Hope you enjoy it, it's great getting naked with other men and throwing water everywhere.


Follow up: jax2nola
10 Aug 2010, 22:57
Remember that Japan is still very much a closed society, not terribly tolerant of outsiders. At the mainstream onsens, you might not notice it much. There is a great one at Odaiba, a touristy island in Tokyo Bay, called Oedo Onsen that is made up to look like a Japanese 1800s village with huge indoor and outdoor bathing areas. At the gay baths (24 Kaikan in Tokyo was one we went to), you might feel a little ostracized. Also know that if you have tattoos you might not be welcome at all, as the Japanese associate tattoos with the yakuza or mobsters. Have fun!

Follow up: spunkhole

10 Aug 2010, 23:59
people take a small towel into the communal bathing area with them (leave your big towel outside in the changing area). most guys hold this over their cocks when walking around, though not always so careful to hide everything. a token effort is enough to be polite. this little towel is used to wash yourself and to wipe most of the moisture off before you leave. dry off in the cooler changing area. the baths are usually hotter than westerners are used to, so it takes a while to cool down a bit.

the onsen are great (so many to choose from), especially in remote areas and in winter when there's snow on the ground. the same etiquette applies here as in city bathhouses, which are also good for a visit. many now have saunas installed too,which gives a better opportunity for very discreet cruising.

Reply by sunbuns99

What the difference between an onsen, a public bath, and a gay sauna or gay bathhouse?

Let me remind you that there are several types of 'baths' in Japan.

There are 3 main types. The first two are for everyone - either for relaxation or healing as is the case of onsen, or for cleasing of the body, which is what 'sento' (or public bath) is for. The third are saunas (or health spas) while many are straight and just for relaxation or health self-treatment - a lot of these later ones are for sex -- some are for gay men.

-1. onsen 'hot spring' baths . There are both natural ones and man-made ones.
The owners pride themselves on the mineral content and temperature of their natural hot springs - so the man-made ones try to imitate those qualities.
These 'onsen' are normally (and almost always now) divided into male and female dressing rooms and the baths themselves are separate, but until only about 15-20 years ago, it was still possible to find conjugal ones (where men and women got into the same bath - after changing in separate room). I use to go to one like that at Ikuho on Mt. Haruna in Gunma Prefecture. Ikuho is one of the oldest commercially operated hotsprings resorts in Japan.

So you can travel to certain locations that are famous for their 'onsen' or you can sometimes find one in a major hotel or resort (man-made) - even in big cities. For example, there is an 'onsen' in the ritzy chic shopping district of Azabu Juban (not far from Roppogi).

One interesting variation is the 'rotenburo' - or open-air hot springs bath. In some onsen resorts (and even the man-made ones - like Odaiba mentioned above), part of the hot springs bath is in the open air (outdoors) - while usually divided by gender, that is not always the case so you'll need a towel handy to keep covered for modesty in mixed baths.

Noboribetsu in Hokkaido is a famous example, but there are some in most onsen resort locations (such as Hakone, about an hour by express train southeast of Tokyo).



One of my favorites was the free public open-air outdoor hot spring bath right on the beach at Shirahama, Mie (about an hour south of Osaka). It's really fun to be able to sit in warm water right next to the cool ocean water - or to take turns soaking in each. (P.S. I have no idea if it is still operating).

2) 'Sento' are public baths. There used to be one in every neighborhood but as times have changed and indoor plumbing virtually universal in Japan (except some places in the countryside), public bath (or sento) are pretty much few and far between.

Those that are still operating successfully have usually upgraded their facilities and offer onsen-like features like a dry sauna, and open air bathing or have installed mineral baths, which actually piped in artificially-made hot mineral water.

Yet, there are a few of the old-fashioned ma & pa 'sento' (Japanese public baths) still around. In these, you pay when you come into the dressing room, where an older man or woman sits atop a high seat that overlooks both the male and female dressing rooms. Don't worry - he or she has seen it all a million times - meaning your nudity is not going to shock them - albeit you may be shocked to have to undress in front of a withered old woman or man. The 'sento' that do still operate are usually frequented by the old-fashioned types who just enjoy the naked camaraderie (or 'skinship') of a good soak in a large hot tub, but more likely by those who must live in cheap or communal apartments that do still exist even in Tokyo.

 They are young men (or women) with low paying jobs who probably couldn't finish high school, older day-laborers, or one of the few foreign blue-collar workers who lives cheaply in order to send part of his earnings back to his family in his native country.
I can't tell you how many times I have enjoyed watching one of these young hunky workers peal back his foreskin for a good cleaning or wash his butt hole. Somehow it always seemed that they were just preoccupied with their mundane chore to notice the wide-eyed onlooker sitting opposite them, partly hiding his growing erection behind the low mirrored partition that separated us.

3) The saunas or health spa ('herusu') are the third type. Of these, there are 3 basic types: A. a genuine sauna for straight people; B. a gay bath house; and C. a straight sex club where men can pay for sexual favors - usually a soapy hand job from a female 'attendant'.
I don't know much about the A or C, but I've been to the gay bath houses in Tokyo and Osaka several times. The major ones in Tokyo are the 24 Kaikan (there are several, but the one in Shinjuku is probably the best). I found Hokuokan in Osaka to be even bigger and better, but maybe it only because it was new for me (I rarely get to visit Osaka).

Info about the gay district in Tokyo on my own Travel with Sunbuns (blog)
sunbuns.blogspot.com/2007/06...kyo.html

Popular gay spots in Tokyo:
utopia-asia.com/tokymasa.htm

Info about Tokyo's 24 Kaikan (gay bathhouse):
www.juno.dti.ne.jp/~kazuo24...glish.htm

Info about Hokuokan gay bathhouse / sauna in Osaka:
www.gayscout.com/queerlife...-and-Sauna

That's enough info for now.  P.S. Can you find me in one of the photos above?

Kelly (sunbuns99)

 

Making a visit to Japan: Gay men's perspectives

This blog entry was created in response to the posting (just below) on a gay message board. I often get inspired to write a long article once I've taken on the task of responding to someone's request for information (Photo: In Wolverine's latest X-men movie, there are many scenes of a hot springs bath in Japan.)

13 Jan 2015, 06:44   I am planning a trip to Japan for 8 days. Thinking about  getting the  unlimited rail ticket to see more than just Tokyo. Has anyone  done it  before, or do you have some suggestions?
     
 
 13 Jan 2015, 15:13  The Japan Rail pass is an excellent value.  There are so many places worth seeing. At this time of year  (winter), the hot springs are great value.
 There are lots to choose from, but if you like an outdoor bath surrounded by  snow,  head north from Tokyo to the Tohoku area. I once went to a hot  spring  with a geyser just a couple of meters from the outdoor bath and  snow all  around. I think it was in Miyagi prefecture, but I can't  remember the  name of it right now.  If you hate the cold, head to Kyushu: Nagasaki and Kagoshima and Kunisaki peninsula. For culture and history, check out Kyoto and Nara, only a fairly short train ride apart, and not so far from Osaka and Kobe.

 
 A lot of the Japanese hot springs are in hotels, so  they're for the  hotel guests, but they often have day visitor rates for people not staying at the hotel who just want to use the hot springs.  Of course, there are some baths run by local  city or town  administrations. These don't usually have much of a rest  area, just a  space for changing.

 But there's a big variety in style and cost, so  look around. Ask a  information offices (at railway stations etc). Last  time I was in Japan back in autumn, there were a lot of flyers offering  inexpensive packages at  hot spring hotels. It's worth checking each  place out a bit before  committing yourself.

   I just tried searching for "japan hot spring guide" on amazon.com, and it looks as though they have some useful options.
     
23 Jan 2015, 10:01
    If you visit Nikko (Toshogun Shrine, Chuzenji Lake and falls), or  Hakone, a lake near the foot of Mt. Fuji,  both of which are just a  couple of hours by train from Tokyo, you can still have time to squeeze  in a quick visit to a hot springs.   Some of the onsen resorts  nationwide  have outdoor hot spring baths, called 'rotenburo,' which  gives you the thrill of being naked outside, relaxing in the hot water,  and getting to see nude Japanese men (most often draping the ubiquitous  long hand towel in front).

Actually, a few public baths still  operate in major cities (and smaller towns) where you can can get nearly  the same experience for under $5.  Take your own towel, and toiletries.  

 
Japanese love bathing in groups so much  that many hotels in urban areas have 'ofuro' which they call 'onsen'  (hot mineral springs) - although the water is usually piped in or the  minerals are added on

site.

   You can get the feel of what a traditional hot springs bath is like  without having to go so far afield. In a few cases, there are 'onsen' in  urban areas, and also at ski resorts or recreation areas where you  might be going to visit anyway.


Actually, a few public baths still  operate in major cities (and smaller towns) where you can can get nearly  the same experience for under $5.  Take your own towel, and toiletries.  

Finally, if you're interested in having or seeing gay sex. You  might consider visiting one of the all-male saunas in either Tokyo or  Osaka (there may be some in smaller cities as well). In Tokyo, 24-Kaikan  is the most famous, and the one is Shinjuku 3 (san)-chome is clean and  active. It's also a hotel so you could even stay the night  - although  there are shared bunk bed rooms which your $24 locker (12 hour stay)  will allow you to rest. There is a large Japanese style bath in most all  the sauna, but also showers stalls with glory holes.  The largest one  in Osaka is called Hokuokan, and could be said to be bigger than Tokyo's 24 Kaikan gay bathhouse.

  I have written about the baths, saunas, onsen (hot springs), and  collected what others have said here　before (because it disappears) on  one of my blogs. You can find links to those two gay saunas mentioned,  and more detailed information by going to blog:
 http://sunbuns.blogspot.com  

To find that entry and others about Japan in my blog, type 'key words'  in the top left-hand search box, such as, Tokyo, Japan, sauna, onsen,  etc   .
There are actually several different entries.  One explains about the gay scene in Tokyo.

The  photo here isn't mine, but represents how Japanese men, especially young and  frisky ones, like to play around in the onsen spa resorts. You can  often find groups of friends, college students, or company employees in  the onsen; they make the trip to build up group cohesion and camaraderie  - which can be a highly homoerotic situation (at least from a gay's man  perspective).

Enjoy your visit...

Kelly