Okutsu Onsen Foot-Treading Laundry Demonstration (September)

About this event

Held at Okutsu Onsen in Kagamino Town, Okayama Prefecture, the "Okutsu Onsen Foot-Treading Laundry Demonstration (September)" is an event where you can experience a traditional custom unique to Okutsu Onsen. Held at the foot-treading laundry area at the foot of Okutsu Bridge, it conveys the remnants of the past when people washed clothes in the river's hot springs while watching out for bears and wolves. The demonstrator dressed in a charming costume featuring an older-sister headscarf (neesan-kaburi) and a red waistcloth skillfully washes laundry using her toes; this sight is also called the "Laundry Dance" and is cherished as an iconic scene of Okutsu Onsen. This demonstration resumed in May 2026 after the foot-treading laundry area, which was damaged by torrential rains in August 2023, was restored. With the restoration work, a new footbath was newly constructed, attracting attention as a new spot in Okutsu Onsen where visitors can be soothed by the babbling stream of the Yoshii River. You can see traditional laundry methods up close and experience the culture of Okutsu passed down from ancient times. Accompanied by the murmur of the river and feeling the warmth of the hot spring, the nostalgic laundry scene makes you feel the slow passage of time. Please enjoy this unique demonstration along with your stay at Okutsu Onsen.

Venue

Okutsu Onsen Footbath

Okutsukawanishi, Kagamino-cho, Tomata-gun, Okayama 708-0504