Capybaras take hot baths at Japanese zoos to stay warm and comfortable through winters that are much colder than their native South American wetlands. Wild capybaras don’t use hot springs. The tradition started in 1982 at Izu Shaboten Zoo, when staff noticed their capybaras huddling in warm cleaning water, and it has since spread to zoos across Japan.
It’s a story about animal care that happened to produce some of the cutest photos on the internet. Here’s how it began and why it works.
How the capybara onsen started #
In 1982, a staff member at Izu Shaboten Zoo in Shizuoka, Japan, was cleaning the capybara enclosure with hot water. The capybaras gathered in a small, warm puddle, soaking their feet and backsides and looking very pleased about it. Staff took the hint and began giving them warm baths as part of their winter care.
That made Izu Shaboten the first zoo to offer capybaras an open-air bath. The zoo has since registered “capybara open-air bath” and “capybara yuzu bath” as trademarks in Japan, a sign of how closely the idea is tied to it.
Why capybaras like warm water #
They come from warm places #
Capybaras are native to the tropical and subtropical wetlands and grasslands of South America. In a Japanese winter, outdoor temperatures drop far below anything they’d face at home. A warm bath gives them an easy way to heat up.
They’re built for water #
Capybaras are semi-aquatic. Their eyes, ears and nostrils sit on top of the head, so they can float with almost their whole body submerged. They have slightly webbed feet, they can stay underwater for up to five minutes, and they even mate in water. For an animal that already spends so much time in water, a warm pool is a very natural place to rest.
It’s a social activity #
Capybaras live in groups and like to rest close together. A shared bath lets the whole group soak side by side, which is part of why the scenes look so peaceful.
Wild water vs zoo onsen #
| Wild capybaras | Zoo capybaras in winter | |
|---|---|---|
| Water | Rivers, lakes and marshes | Warm baths prepared by keepers |
| Main purpose | Escaping predators, cooling off, feeding on water plants | Staying warm and relaxed in cold weather |
| Season | Year-round | Mostly winter |
| Extras | Mud, and birds perched on their backs | Yuzu floated in around the winter solstice |
In the wild, water is a safety tool. When a capybara barks an alarm, the whole group often rushes into the water to escape. In a zoo, where there are no jaguars, the water becomes pure comfort.
The yuzu bath tradition #
Around the winter solstice, Japanese families traditionally bathe with yuzu, a fragrant citrus fruit. The custom goes back to at least the early 18th century and is said to ward off colds, soothe rough skin, warm the body and relax the mind.
Izu Shaboten brought the custom to its capybaras, floating yuzu in their winter bath. The result is the image most people know: sleepy capybaras in steaming water, surrounded by floating fruit, sometimes with one balanced on a head. We explain that part in why capybaras have oranges on their heads.
How the onsen spread #
Other zoos followed Izu Shaboten’s lead. In 2015, five Japanese zoos formed a capybara open-air bath partnership: Izu Shaboten Zoo, Saitama Children’s Zoo, Nasu Animal Kingdom, Nagasaki Bio Park and Ishikawa Zoo. They run joint events, including a summer watermelon-eating race and a winter long-bath contest to see whose capybaras soak the longest.
Photos and videos from these baths became a big part of why capybaras turned into an internet favorite. We cover the bigger picture in why capybaras are so popular.
Hot-spring capybaras on your phone #
The onsen capybara has become a character type of its own in games.
- Chill Capy, a virtual pet from the studio behind this blog, is set entirely in a hot spring. You can send your capybara for a ten-minute soak that lifts his mood, and he wears a yuzu on his head. Our list of virtual pet capybara games compares it with other pet games.
- Capybara Crossing has a Hot Spring Capy you can buy for 350 coins earned in runs. Its perk fits the theme: the eagle that punishes standing still waits 20% longer before it swoops. The rest of the game is anything but relaxing, as you hop across roads, rivers and railways.
Frequently asked questions #
Do wild capybaras take hot baths? #
No. Hot springs aren’t part of their natural habitat, and their home range is warm all year. Wild capybaras use rivers, lakes and marshes to cool off and escape predators; warm baths are a zoo tradition for colder climates.
When did the capybara hot bath tradition start? #
In 1982 at Izu Shaboten Zoo in Shizuoka, Japan, after staff saw capybaras huddling in warm water left from cleaning the enclosure.
Why do zoos put yuzu in capybara baths? #
It follows the Japanese custom of bathing with yuzu on the winter solstice, which is believed to ward off colds and soothe skin. For the zoos it’s also a seasonal event that visitors love.
Where can I see capybaras in hot baths? #
Izu Shaboten Zoo is the original, and other Japanese zoos such as Saitama Children’s Zoo, Nasu Animal Kingdom, Nagasaki Bio Park and Ishikawa Zoo also hold capybara baths. They run mainly in winter, so check each zoo’s schedule before visiting.