A cold beer after a visit to the bathhouse is a familiar sight in Japan. Before the bath, however, it's another matter.

Alcohol and hot baths both lower blood pressure and contribute to dehydration, so bathing after drinking is generally considered unsafe. If you've already had a few drinks, it's best to save the onsen or sauna for another day.

Instead, alcohol belongs to yuagari: the time spent relaxing after leaving the bath. Many sentō, super sentō and onsen have cafés or restaurants where people cool down before enjoying a meal and, for some, a local beer or sake.

Unlike milk or Pocari Sweat, there isn't one iconic post-bath alcoholic drink. Japan tends to celebrate what's local. In many hot spring towns, that means regional sake, while modern bathhouses increasingly stock locally brewed craft beers. Once you've cooled down and rehydrated, a drink that reflects the region can be a relaxing way to extend the feeling of yuagari.

Every bathhouse ritual tells a story.

Explore more of Japan's bathing culture, seasonal traditions and post-bath customs in the Yū Journal.