[Event Report] KIDS' Solo Hot Spring Debut

Hoshino Community Base holds lectures, workshops and events with the theme of "Enriching life in Karuizawa." This time, we will report on the "KIDS Solo Hot Spring Debut" event that was held as part of the program.

In October 2024, Nagano Prefecture's public bath ordinance was revised, lowering the age at which mixed bathing is permitted to "up to 10 years old." At the age of 6, boys could no longer bathe in the women's bath with their mothers, and girls could no longer bathe in the men's bath. Therefore, Hoshino Onsen Tombo no Yu held the KIDS Solo Hot Spring Debut again this year as an event to support elementary school students so that they can bathe alone.

The event was divided into two parts: a 30-minute lecture and a hot spring experience in the second half. In the first half, the children received an explanation about bath etiquette, interspersed with quizzes. The children answered the quizzes enthusiastically, and sometimes listened to the explanation with serious expressions. They learned points that are different from bathing at home, such as not running or talking loudly, and tying up long hair before bathing.

The second half of the day was finally the hot spring experience. The children looked a little nervous at first as it was their first time to enter a hot spring without their parents, but they remembered what they had learned in the classroom and carefully and happily experienced the hot spring.

When the children returned after bathing, they were heard exclaiming in excited voices, "One more person could go in!" and "I want to come and take a bath in the hot spring again!"

At the end of the event, the children were awarded a "Solo Onsen Debut Certificate." Parents also commented, "We're grateful that we were able to learn things that we normally can't teach," and "The children had a fun time learning about manners and gained confidence."

Tombo no Yu hopes to continue planning events that allow children to become familiar with hot springs.

*Future event schedules and other information will be posted on the official Karuizawa Hoshino Area website.