Capybara onsen competition in Japan
Japanese onsens are so comfortable that even capybaras love to soak in them – there is even an annual competition held in Japan where capybaras compete for the longest soak timing.
Image credit: @capybaraoutdoorbath
Winner of the competition from Izu Shaboten zoo
Image credit: @capybaraoutdoorbath
The capybara onsen competition, held annually, sees capybaras from five different zoos nationwide compete for the longest time spent soaking in a hot spring.
Image credit: @izushabotenpark
The winner of the competition this year was Poru from Izu Shaboten Zoo, who clocked a whopping 1 hour 58 minutes and 38 seconds.
Though nearly two hours spent soaking in an onsen may seem like a world-breaking record, Poru’s timing did not even come close to the all-time record. That honour belongs to Umi from Nasu Animal Kingdom, with a timing of 4 hours 56 minutes and 36 seconds.
Image credit: Izu Shaboten Zoo
Poru came in second in 2021, and she finally managed to bring victory to Izu Shaboten Zoo for the first time in seven years in 2022.
For those who wish to watch Poru’s two-hour long victory, you can view it here:
Video credit: 伊豆シャボテン動物公園公式チャンネル
The other capybara competitors
Image credit: 株式会社長崎新聞社
Coming in second place at 40 minutes and 15 seconds was Aoba from Nagasaki Bio Park.
Image credit: 東京新聞 TOKYO Web
In third place, we have Kobu from Nasu Animal Kingdom, with a record of 37 minutes.
Image credit: @saitamazoo_tw
In fourth place, we have Selina from Saitama Children’s Animal Nature Park, with a relatively short soak time of 8 minutes and 58 seconds.
Image credit: 中日新聞Web
Lastly, we have Theta from Ishikawa Zoo coming in fifth place with a timing of 7 minutes and 22 seconds.
How capybaras came to soak in onsens
In the past, capybaras were unable to take baths during the winter as the water was too cold. As a result, they had to wait for spring to come before they could take baths again.
Image credit: Izu Shaboten Zoo
According to Izu Shaboten Zoo, a keeper was cleaning an exhibition in the winter of 1982 when he found the capybaras gathering in a small pool of hot water. Since capybaras refuse to bathe in the cold water during winter, the keeper thought that they would agree to take a bath in hot water instead.
Image credit: 株式会社伊豆シャボテン公園
From then on, onsen baths have been an integral part of the capybaras’ lives in Japan.
Japanese capybara onsen competition
Are capybaras better at self-care than humans? An onsen soak sure sounds good, but there is no way that humans can soak in it for two hours without becoming all wrinkly. That said, it’s amusing to think that capybaras, of all animals, are the undisputed champions of self-care.
Also check out:
- Jigokudani monkey park – where macaque soak in onsens
- Hakone onsen theme park: yokai haunting pool
- Ashinomaki Onsen Ookawaso – Demon Slayer “infinity castle”
- 9 Japanese bathhouses to visit in Tokyo
- Japan Monkey Centre gives out “miracle” gorilla poop oranges
Cover image adapted from: @izushabotenpark