The alarm clock rings. It's still dark outside. 5:30 AM. But the drowsiness quickly fades away. Why? Because it's time for a morning bath.

Walking through the inn's corridor, other guests are still asleep. The morning is enveloped in silence. Entering the large bath, as expected, there's no one else. It's like having a private bath.

Heading to the open-air bath, the eastern sky begins to glow a faint orange. As you immerse yourself in the hot spring, you feel the start of the day with your entire body. This is the charm of the morning bath.

The Japanese Tradition of Morning Baths

Japanese people love morning baths.

When staying at a hot spring inn, many people wake up early to enjoy the bath. Before the 6 AM breakfast, they set aside 30 minutes to an hour for bathing. This practice is observed throughout Japan.

Why is the morning bath so popular? It's because Japanese people have experienced the unique effects and allure of morning baths.

A morning bath is not just a bath. It's a ritual celebrating the start of the day, a way to reset the body and mind, and an energy boost for the new day.

The Luxury of Having a Private Hot Spring

The greatest allure of a morning bath is having the hot spring all to yourself.

At night, the hot spring is bustling with many guests. The open-air bath and rest areas are crowded. While this social aspect of the hot spring can be enjoyable, it lacks privacy.

However, at 5:30 or 6 AM, there are hardly any people. In my experience, there's an 80% chance of having it all to yourself. The luxury of using a large bath alone is the essence of a morning bath.

You can sit wherever you like without worrying about others. You can stretch your legs in the bath without bothering anyone. You can have the best spot in the open-air bath all to yourself. This freedom allows for deep relaxation.

Bathing While Watching the Sunrise

The most beautiful moment of a morning bath is the sunrise.

In an east-facing open-air bath, you can witness the moment the sun rises. The orange sky gradually turns blue. You can watch this change in light while soaking in the hot spring.

Bathing in the morning sun is also good for your health. It resets your internal clock and promotes serotonin secretion. To start the day pleasantly, the morning sun is essential.

Hot springs and the morning sun. This combination is the best wake-up call. The warmth of the hot spring awakens the body, and the morning sun awakens the mind. It's an ideal way to start the day in harmony with nature.

The Pleasure of Breathing in Fresh Air

The early morning air is exceptionally clear.

It's a time when human activities haven't started yet. There's no car exhaust or factory smoke. The air is in its clearest state.

In the open-air bath, take a deep breath of this air. Fresh oxygen fills your lungs. You can feel every cell in your body rejoicing.

With improved circulation from the warmth of the hot spring, deep breathing creates an incredible sense of refreshment. Just breathing can make you feel high. Morning baths offer this kind of secondary pleasure.

Birds Singing as Background Music

In the early morning hot spring, you can hear birds singing.

Since human activities haven't started yet, only the sounds of nature resonate. Various types of birds announce the arrival of morning. This natural BGM makes the atmosphere of the morning bath special.

Living in urban areas, opportunities to hear birds are rare. However, in mountain hot spring areas, you can hear surprisingly diverse bird calls. This richness makes you feel truly immersed in nature.

While soaking in the hot spring, close your eyes and listen to the birds. It's a meditative time. Your thoughts quiet down, and your senses sharpen. Morning baths provide healing through sound as well.

Appetite Boost Before Breakfast

Morning baths have practical benefits too, like boosting your appetite.

Bathing improves circulation and stimulates internal organs, increasing hunger. By taking a morning bath before breakfast, your appetite increases, making breakfast more enjoyable.

Breakfast at a hot spring inn is typically Japanese. Grilled fish, hot spring eggs, natto, miso soup, rice. Simple but carefully prepared dishes are served. After a morning bath, this breakfast tastes incredibly delicious.

Even if you don't feel hungry in the morning, a morning bath can make you eat. Knowing this effect might be why Japanese people make morning baths a habit.

Charging Energy for the Day

A morning bath is an act of charging energy for the day.

Bathing activates the body. Circulation improves, muscles relax, and fatigue is relieved. Starting the day in this state naturally enhances performance.

A morning bath is a more powerful stimulant than coffee. It provides sustained vitality, not temporary excitement like caffeine. It's a natural way to gain energy for the day.

The Luxury of a Second Hot Spring

When staying at a hot spring inn, you can bathe once at night and again in the morning. Two baths.

The night bath is for relieving the day's fatigue. You warm your body slowly, relax, and sleep well. This night bath is wonderful, but the morning bath has its own charm.

Bathing twice, at night and in the morning, doubles the effects of the hot spring. You can understand the characteristics of the spring more deeply. You notice that the same hot spring feels different at different times of the day.

This "enjoying twice" element enhances the satisfaction of a hot spring trip. Checking out without taking a morning bath is a waste. Morning baths are the essence of a hot spring trip.

Waking Up Early for a Morning Bath is Not a Burden

"Isn't it hard to wake up early?" you might think. But strangely, waking up early for a morning bath is not a burden.

Because there's something to look forward to. The moment you wake up, thinking "I can go for a morning bath," your body moves naturally. You wake up not out of obligation, but as a reward. This difference in mindset makes waking up early not painful.

Moreover, at a hot spring inn, you often sleep well at night. You soak in quality hot springs, eat delicious dinner, and sleep in a quiet environment. With these conditions, waking up early becomes natural.

Local Residents' Morning Bath Habit

Local residents in hot spring areas enjoy morning baths regularly.

Public baths and day-use hot spring facilities often open from 6 AM. Many people stop by the hot spring before work, bathe for about 30 minutes, and then head to their workplace. Surprisingly, many people have this habit.

Early morning hot springs bustling with local regulars. This scene is proof that hot spring culture is rooted in daily life. Not only tourists, but locals also love morning baths. This is the depth of Japanese hot spring culture.

Morning Baths: A Habit That Enhances Life Quality

Morning baths are not just a bath. They are a habit that starts the day in the best way and an act that enhances life quality.

Waking up early to bathe in a hot spring. Bathing in the morning sun, breathing fresh air, and listening to birds. This way of spending the morning in harmony with nature promotes physical and mental health.

The longevity of Japanese people might be due to the accumulation of such daily habits. Morning baths, balanced breakfasts, moderate exercise. All these contribute to health and longevity.

When you visit Japan, be sure to experience a morning bath. Stay at a hot spring inn, wake up a little early, and have the hot spring all to yourself. Bathe while basking in the morning sun and listening to birds. This experience will change your concept of morning.

Morning baths are Japan's proud morning ritual. Is there any other way to start the day so beautifully and pleasantly? Embrace the warmth of the hot spring and the morning light. I hope you experience this blissful time.