This is possibly the only assignment from HQ that you've actually been looking forward to. Onsens - natural hot spring baths - are a staple of Japanese culture, where wealth and class are stripped away and communities are brought together. They are popular across generations, and are the best way to unwind after a long hard day of diplomacy.
Back in the UK, the poor local weebs do not have access to such a quintessential Japanese pastime. It is your role to research the ways of the onsen and report back to your team on your experiences. It's difficult work, but someone has to do it.
To help with this research assignment, HQ has whittled down a list of possible onsen locations to check out:
One of the weebs Nev from HQ is particularly fond of Kusatsu
If you got a tattoo in New Zealand, you might need to research whether you're allowed in certain onsens
We need you to visit as many onsens as possible. Each trip will be rewarded handsomely with a 100₴ reward.
Endure the heat, outlast your fellow bathers, and prove your onsen stamina. The last one to leave the bath wins bragging rights — and possibly a mildly concerning level of dehydration.
Sneak an egg into the onsen and place it in the hottest baths. By the time you get out you should have your very own onsen egg!
When ceremonial yuzu fruits are released into the bath, it's a free-for-all. Your goal: discreetly collect three without splashing or drawing suspicion.
The Dogo Onsen is said to be the inspiration for the famous Spirited Away. Visiting the onsen will score you double points.
For these tasks, HQ understands the cameras are not permitted. Anecdotal evidence or corroborated stories are permitted. It is obligatory to take a photo outside the onsen at least.