On November 2nd I participated in a bus trip called "Autumn in the Ravine," that was created by a group known as "Happy People in Akita." We drove to Kakunodate, an town known for it's old Samurai residences. Many of the Samurai families have turned their old homes into museums for visitors. Aside from the architecture, the changing leaves of Kakunodate's beautiful flora made for a scenic trip. After visiting the old homes of prominent Samurai clans, we walked to a restaurant for a traditional Japanese boxed lunch. Then we hiked through an incredible ravine to see the waterfalls at the end of the trail. Our trip ended at an onsen. For those unfamiliar with what that is, an onsen is kind of like a combination of a public bath and spa. Of course I was a bit nervous about my first onsen experience, but I have to admit that it was actually really wonderful. Here is how my experience went. I went into a women's locker room where I undressed completely and put all of my belongings into a basket, with the exception of my towel which I held in front of me, before eventually ditching it. Then I entered a larger room which housed several sit-down showering stations and the hot pools for soaking. Before entering the hot water (which is essentially the purpose of going to an onsen), everyone must shower. This means sitting on a little stool and only turning on the water when you need it for rinsing. The old lady sitting next to me helped turn on the shower head when I struggled to figure it out. By this point, I was resigned to the fact that I, along with everyone else, was completely naked. Westerners are often nervous about going to an onsen because everyone is naked, but the truth is that when everyone is naked, you get over it pretty fast. In fact, it can be a rather liberating experience to let go of a mindset that tends to be so critical and objectifying of human bodies. After showering, I enjoyed the onsen with my classmates both indoors and outdoors. Don't worry - no one but the people at the onsen can see you from the outside pool. I think it was my first time being naked outside. The small outside pool was mostly covered by a roof, but when I sat at the far edge, I could feel the cool rain lightly hitting my skin, creating a pleasant contrast with the onsen's hot water. The onsen we visited had separate areas for men and women, but I think that mixed onsen are just as common in Japan. True onsen are natural hot springs outdoors. Before I leave Japan, I hope to visit an onsen in the snow. My advice to those who visit Japan is to not wait to visit an onsen. You can experience and enjoy this part of Japanese culture, considering that your reservations about such an experience might not be relevant in a different cultural setting, or even translate to a different world view.