Bathing & Yukata
How to Wear a Yukata
When putting on a Yukata, make sure to wrap the right side of the fabric around your body first, then overlap it with the left side. This is called “Migi-mae.”
A simple way to remember: your right hand should be able to slide easily into the front of the Yukata (like a pocket). Wrapping the left side first is reserved for funerals in Japanese culture and is considered very unlucky for the living.
Tie the belt (Obi) around your waist. Don’t worry about complicated knots—a simple bow tie at the front is fine. After tying, you can slide the knot to the side or back for a cleaner look and easier movement.
How to Tie the Obi (Belt)
Tying the belt for a Ryokan Yukata is much simpler than a formal Kimono. The most common way is to align the ends in front of your stomach and tie them into a basic “bow knot” (the same way you tie shoelaces).
To stay comfortable, try to leave enough space to fit one or two fingers between the belt and your body.
If the knot is exactly in the center, it can look a bit childish or get in your way. A simple trick for a more stylish look is to slide the knot slightly to the left or right, or even all the way to your back. This creates a much cleaner and more mature silhouette.
Where to Wear Your Yukata
The areas where you can wear a Yukata vary greatly depending on whether you are staying at a traditional Ryokan or a modern hotel.
At a Ryokan (traditional Japanese inn), you can generally wear your Yukata anywhere inside the building, including the lobby and dining areas. In many hot spring towns, it is also perfectly acceptable to walk outside in the streets in your Yukata.
However, at modern city hotels, Yukatas are considered “pajamas.” Therefore, wearing them to the lobby or restaurants is often seen as a breach of etiquette. Most hotels restrict Yukata use to “inside the room only” or “between the room and the public bath.” Please check the room’s information guide to be sure.
Using the Shower Curtain
When taking a shower in a “unit bath” (where the toilet and bathtub are in the same room), common in many Japanese hotels, please ensure the bottom of the shower curtain is placed “inside” the bathtub.
If the curtain is left outside the tub while showering, water will run down the curtain and flood the bathroom floor.
Most unit bath floors do not have a drain, making the floor slippery and difficult to dry. In serious cases, a flooded floor can cause water to leak into the rooms on the floor below, which may lead to significant damage charges. Please be careful to keep the water inside the tub.
Automatic Bath Filling Function
Many Japanese hotels feature a convenient system that automatically fills the bathtub to a set temperature and level. Simply press the “自動” (Auto) button on the wall panel to start; the system will play a melody or a voice message when the bath is ready.
This function prevents the bathtub from overflowing, giving you peace of mind. However, before you start, please ensure that the bathtub drain plug is firmly closed.
If you need to stop the water mid-way, simply press the “自動” button again or press the “消” (Off) button. If your room has a manual faucet, be very careful not to leave the water running and forget about it.
Using Soap and Shampoo
In Japanese bathing culture, it is basic etiquette to rinse your body before entering the bathtub.
Please use soap and shampoo only outside the bathtub. Make sure to rinse off all soap bubbles with the shower before stepping into the tub to soak.
If “Bath salts” or “Bath bombs” are provided in your room, you are free to use them and enjoy a relaxing soak. However, if you wish to use your own bath products brought from home, it is a good idea to check with the front desk first, as some ingredients can damage the bathtub material.
Used Bath Towels
After using your towels, it is common practice to hang them on the towel rack or over the edge of the bathtub.
Please avoid leaving wet towels on tatami mats, beds, or wooden furniture. The moisture can cause mold or damage the furniture surfaces.
If you are staying for multiple nights and do not need a fresh towel (to support sustainability), hanging them up often signals that you will reuse them. Conversely, many hotels treat towels left on the floor as a request for replacement. Please check the signs in the bathroom for the specific house rules.