Japan inn in hot water for bathwater bacteria 3,700 times the limit

Was in an onsen that had algae growth in Kyushu this month-no ill effects though

They serve yakult in the lobby too

Had to cancel our visit to one last night because my partner is paranoid

Japan inn in hot water

They are in hot water because hot water they have in their onsen?

Sorry, but even once a week seems too long to wait to change out the water when you potentially have, literally hundreds of people using the same water. It's not like the water is hot enough to kill off any bacteria!

I'm wondering if these places have regular and frequent health inspections by government authorities.

Is this the start of another wave of revelations, like the labelling scandals of a few years back?

The onsen source here may have dried up or cooled down, making it preferable for them to keep reheating and recycling the same water.

If you want a non-recycled onsen, the expression is "kake-nagashi". It's usually marked, because onsen officianados like it.

I have never been able to achieve the required cognitive dissonance to permit myself to believe that sitting in the shared bollock-water of a dozen old blokes is either a) relaxing, or b) inherently good for the health.

If I want to get clean, I have a good hot shower. If I want to relax, I sit in a comfy chair and read a good book. Nobody needs to look at anyone's shrivelled knackers or sit in the seepage of sundry elders to relax, no matter what people did in the 1920's when most homes did not have plumbing and that was the only way to get clean while the world fell apart.

The inn admitted in January that it had only been changing its water on two non-business days a year, and that it had not properly been adding chlorine.

Considering how many patron this facility, I can honestly say that this is absolutely vile. They should be shut down for gross violation of health and safety regulations.

This is definitely not an isolated incident and I don't believe theirs started in 2019. Never trusted ANY of those places, anyhow, and always kept my mouth out of the water to begin with.

Good boost to the immune system!

But yet another incidence of falsification of data, which is starting to get very common in Japan Inc.

The owner of this facility should face a huge fine and ordered to close down the entire ryokan for three months to clean up this dirty place. I cannot imagine that the problem is only the hot water pool.

This must be the reason for the excess deaths then.

I love Japanese onsen and often go. How can I find it danger?

I have just now returned from my local "kake-nagashi" onsen, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. It is closed for 2 hours each day for cleaning, and the staff do a very thorough job. Last December, new pumps and piping, as well as temperature regulating equipment was installed.

I would be surprised if similar results would not appear frequently if the testing was done by surprise and systematically all over the country, most places do a very serious job at cleaning, but still many are obviously cutting corners.

This bacteria can be lethal, in particular in old seniors.

To do any harm, it still has to reach your lungs so only under aerosol particles form will it may have a reach.

Contact with your skin or drinking contaminated water will have no possible consequence on your health.

And such bacteria get killed within half an hour at 60°C and 2 minutes at 70°C.

Problem is they may form with time under local correct temperature conditions between 25 and 40 °C a biofilm which can be pockets of very high concentrations (unit is not linear against health , and called thus colony forming unit or CFU). Risk thus is accumulation and sudden release while using a shower.

Disgusting.

Chlorine should be used in onsen regularly to kill off any nasties in there - something this inn wasn't doing enough.

Another tip - always wash with hot water and soap thoroughly AFTER using the onsen. This should remove any bacteria residue etc.

Chlorine should be used in onsen regularly to kill off any nasties in there

people go to onsen because no chlorine.

That's gross. It has put me off my deep fried peanut butter baguette.

I've never liked onsens. Or oceans. Just big diluted toilets imo.

The inn apologized on its website for causing concerns

So they aren't sorry for the disgusting, filthy water - just for getting caught...

people go to onsen because no chlorine.

How do you think they kill off all the nasties then? (Unless you are choosing the less common kake-nagashi onsens that are drained and cleaned daily)?

Under the ordinance, the whole bathwater needs to be replaced at least once a week and the residual chlorine concentration needs to be 0.4 milligram or more per liter.

I've never liked onsens. Or oceans. Just big diluted toilets imo.

Just imagine what's in the rain.

One Simple Rule people should follow.

If the tiles or the flooring of the bath you normally go to are BLACK or made of black tiles where you can't see the clarity of the water then get out or make a U turn and go to a bath were the tiles are white or made of light colors like light gray.

Often times bath houses baths are built using black tile for walls and flooring preventing everyone from seeing the water quality.

Jeff Lee: I don’t know but if the Gov have the same level and man power checking residence if they have NHK license. every onsen in Japan would be check twice daily lol.

Yubaru

Sorry, but even once a week seems too long to wait to change out the water when you potentially have, literally hundreds of people using the same water. It's not like the water is hot enough to kill off any bacteria!

Hence...

"Under the ordinance, the whole bathwater needs to be replaced at least once a week and the residual chlorine concentration needs to be 0.4 milligram or more per liter."

""only been changing its hot spring bathwater twice yearly,""

This is really gross, I can't even imagine what's is the filters looks like, they would be a ball of slime and completely clogged up assuming that there were filters installed which I doubt very much because the water would not even flow.

Derek Grebe. You're a writer. Thanks for the laughs!

Bathing in a public cess pool has it's risks. I did it once, never, ever again.

Let me remind those westerners of bathing habits of the pass the English homes built prior tothe late 70,s only had baths no shower. These baths you use on regular once a week based. Meaning they only bathed once a week and you had a family of 5 that last person would take that bath in the same water of the other four. I assume this happened in other cold climates also. In Australia this bathing practice was nightly being a warmer climate. I have read most opinions and these western bathing practices were not mentioned so I assume most came from affluent homes. Most also miss the main reason of a onsen nor how to utilise then onsen in a correct manner. First and most noticeable practice is use of a modesty towel. Second once finished in the onsen you heading out there is always a time tub being constantly replenish with fresh onsen water to wash of the bath water your where just relaxing. Now this story adobe state 3000 time the normal level and no reported illness from visitors prove they all know how to utilise the onsen correctly. So I also assume if you live in Japan this knowledge is a given. But no mention of Onsen practice and not knowing the advantages of a onsen. Those of you who are partner up know that their partner are capable of be a Karen some not offen some very offen so to the onsen these people escape to. No women Just males, boys, men, and geriatric men , No Women. Which is my main reason if my visit to to the local onsen. So if you utilise a onsen correct you have on fear unless if you are a drinker of bath water you will be very safe. But like always these comment proves that most have never visited or resided in Japan which is the cleanest nation in the world.

they only bathed once a week and you had a family of 5 that last person would take that bath in the same water of the other four.

I grew up in the north of England in a decidedly non-affluent house built in the 1950's, so as you note, no shower just a bathtub. Yes, we bathed once a week. At least. When I was little I would share a bath with my younger brother, but the bath water was never used by anyone else. Grown-ups and my elder brother ran their own baths and had to wipe the tub down afterwards ready for the next person.

The first time I heard of the whole family using the same bathwater was when I came to Japan.

Cleo I hate to tell you that was considered an affluence house hold for your house to used the electric three time more and refill the bath three compared to your friend who had coin driven electrical supply. Like I said many time I from poverty and was very hard life like I stated above. If we could of course we would refill the bath after each family member. And seeing there is no comment prior to the above I assume you have never used a onsen or live here because we all known how clean Japanese are or do you go around wearing blinkers?

My first home, like all others in the area, had no bathrooms or inside toilets. My mother washed me in the kitchen sink. Once a week a metal bath in front of the fire.

Thankfully, we like all others were moved to new housing with bathrooms and a separate inside toilet. We had a shower in the bath from the early 1960s. Bathing was once a week, usually Sundays. Other times it was a rub down at the sink.

The first place in Tokyo had no bathroom and used the local sento. What a hassle.

Love Onsens but post prostate cancer I can no longer use them.

In our Japanese home, my spouse and I do not share the same bath water.

Like I have said by judging by most comments. They have no idea of how a onsen works nor did the person who written this item. First a onsen is continuously filled at one end from the spring water from deep in the ground at the other end the over flow empties into a drain or water course or a filtering system before being released back into the water course. It is not recycled like above comment. If they had visit a onsen one would know. Most comments are speculation only. The write say it only get change twice a year is speculation again. The onsen water are continuously change like I have mention. What the writer is referring to 2 a year deep clean and maintenance. Where the onsen is close down for a day or so. It is completely emptied and all baths deep steam clean the maintenance to tiles and plumbing. I will say again for those who have speculated the onsen water is continuously change to fresh water. For those who assume will that not effectively way to do it. Physic of hot and cooling water come into play when replenishing is working. Please do your research before speculating.

When I was a building engineer we had to pay attention to the rooftop cooling systems for air conditioning because of the legionella bacteria. Weekly tests were made.

There are onsens that do not have a natural flow of water. In those cases, the water is trucked in. In that onsen, the water can be recycled.

Sento for public washing which includes pools with plain heated water and should be regularly cleaned and the water replaced. Hot springs onsens have a constant flow of water. Onsens where the water is trucked in and should be like a sento with water changes.

The Daimaru Besso inn claims to be a hot spring onsen.

John-San

Also this has to be mentioned that onsen are the main contributors to low family domestic violence number compared to western societies.

I would strongly disagree with that blind statement. DV has been increasing over time. Many cases go unreported.

John-San

Like I have said by judging by most comments. They have no idea of how a onsen works nor did the person who written this item. First a onsen is continuously filled at one end from the spring water from deep in the ground at the other end the over flow empties into a drain or water course or a filtering system before being released back into the water course. It is not recycled like above comment.

You are describing one type of onsen.

What the writer is referring to 2 a year deep clean and maintenance. Where the onsen is close down for a day or so. It is completely emptied and all baths deep steam clean the maintenance to tiles and plumbing.

Nope. As per the article (originally written by Kyodo News, which one would assume has some experience with Japanese onsen, sento, ryokan, etc):

"Daimaru Besso's main bath is operated by circulating hot water. Under the ordinance, the whole bathwater needs to be replaced at least once a week and the residual chlorine concentration needs to be 0.4 milligram or more per liter."

We haven't gone to an onsen since before Covid. But, when we did, we usually reserved a private onsen or had one in our room or on the terrace.

In any case, whether it was private, in-room, or public, I always showered thoroughly before getting in, because of common courtesy. And, always showered after getting out, because of common sense.

It's also wise not to pour water over your head, not just because it may get in your mouth. But, it can easily get in your eyes, which is another way for disease to enter the body.

Garypen or strangerland have both the same ratio of going after people’s opinions then debating the subject matter. Very similar onsen behavior. I have heard stranger state the exact wording garypen is using about getting in your eyes I this strange when stranger stated it I remember a few years back. I thought the same then and the same today keep your eyes close likewise your nose and mouth

John-san, my Dad was a coal miner, my Mum worked in a factory and we lived in a council house. If that’s your idea of affluent, I shudder to think what kind of environment you grew up in!

We certainly did not use electricity to heat the bath water: the ‘lectric was on a meter and far too expensive to use for heating tubs full of water. Because of my dad’s job we got subsidized coal, and as long as we kept a fire in the grate most of the day the water in the tank was hot enough by evening to fill the tub, once. So we had our baths on separate days, for us kids it was Sunday, before the start of the school week on Monday. Whether we needed it or not.

I assume you have never used a onsen or live here

Your assumption could not be more wrong. I’ve lived most of my adult life here, raised a family here, and occasionally even visited an onsen. Not my favorite mode of recreation perhaps, but I do know how to use one.

cleo

炭鉱夫の娘から知的な女性へ

The back boiler of the fire heated the water.

I apologize Cleo I have little empathy I have to draw from and what’s is left is used primarily on our Grandchildren ( not your) but the ex wife and mine.

No one is asking for your empathy John-san, just pointing out that your experience of livin’ poor in pre-70s UK is not the only one. No need to apologize.

My parents had little formal education, but they were determined to see to it that their kids did.