Ask John: Why do Japanese Bathers Wear a Towel on Their Heads?

Question:
What is the purpose of the folded towel on a person’s head in a hot spring? It seems like it is only the women who have the folded towels on their heads. I have noticed this from Sailor Moon, Fruits Basket and Outlaw Star in all their hot spring episodes.

Answer:
Quite simply, bathers in Japanese onsen (hot spring baths) place towels on their heads because it’s a convenient place to put them. Upon entering an onsen establishment, the towel is used as a washcloth to thoroughly scrub the body clean before entering the communal bathing water of the hot spring. Since the prospective bather is expected to take her (or his) towel along, the towel may be placed on the ground around the spring, or balanced on the head. Some bathers choose to wet the towel with cold water, as the cold towel is supposed to make the very hot bathing water more bearable, although the effect of a cold, wet towel on the head making hot water feel less hot is probably more psychological than physiological. Both male and female bathers may rest their towel on their heads. The only taboo is that the towel should never touch or be submerged in the spring water.