Stuff Japanese People Like #6

SJPL: Bath (by Tokyo Five)

We asked another American blogger, Tokyo Five, living in Japan to write a post for us. Please read his blog as it is everything a blog should be informative, entertaining and insightful. It is a great window into Japan! We asked Tokyo Five to write a post for our “Stuff Japanese People Like” series. Enjoy! ~T&A~

I am “Tokyo Five” and I was asked by the owners of this blog if I would write a post on this blog as a guest-writer. I have never done this before. Until now, the only blog posts I have ever written are on my blog.

Anyways, I’m an American but I have been living in Japan since 1990. I have only visited America three times since I’ve moved here. I enjoyed those visits to America, but I have become more accustomed to Japan.
Visiting America made me miss many things in Japan including the food…and baths.

Maybe you think it’s strange that I would miss Japanese baths when I was in America. After all, America has baths too. But other countries’ baths are nothing like a Japanese bath!

I’m not the only one.
Many Japanese people miss a wonderful Japanese bath if they go overseas…and visitors to Japan almost always mention the baths here when they talk about what impressed them about Japan.

There are basically three types of bath in Japan.

First is the 「銭湯」 (Sentou). It means “Public Bath”.

銭湯 (Japanese public bath)

Years ago, most houses in Japan didn’t have a bathtub or shower. Everyone went to the neighborhood 銭湯 (public bath).
It was a nightly ritual*. Everyone in the neighborhood all went to the 銭湯 (public bath) every evening…so, it wasn’t only to simply get clean, in Japanese culture the 銭湯 (public bath) is a traditional スキンシップ (bonding) culture. By that I mean, the neighbors would socialize and become closer through the 銭湯 (public bath).

*(In Japan, almost everyone baths in the evening rather than in the morning.)

Now that everyone has a bathtub and shower in their house, the 銭湯 (public bath) isn’t used as often anymore and they’re becoming less and less common of a sight in Japan. It’s too bad.

If you’re in Japan, you should try a 銭湯 (public bath) at least once.

You can find them by their chimney. Also, many have the symbol 「ゆ」 (for 「湯」…which means “hot water”) somewhere on the building. And they usually have a laundromat in front.

If you use a Japanese 銭湯 (public bath), there’s a men’s bath and a women’s section.

The first step is to wash your body in the shower with soap and shampoo. In Japan, a bath tub is for relaxing after you’re clean, not for washing. So, after you’ve showered, you can get into the bath. It’s very relaxing.

Also, most 銭湯 (public bath) in Japan sell milk. It’s a Japanese tradition to drink milk after visiting a 銭湯 (public bath).

The next type of bath in Japan isn’t really a “bath”…it’s the 「温泉」 (Onsen…”Hot Springs”).

In parts of Japan, sometimes ニホンザル (Japanese Monkeys) can be seen in 温泉 (Hot Springs).

These are natural hot springs. Some are simple and others are set with a beautiful view of mountains or the ocean.
温泉 (Hot Springs) are popular in Japan…especially in the cold weather.

As with all bathing in Japan, the same etiquette of washing in the shower before enter the bath is observed at 温泉 (Hot Springs) in Japan.

The symbol used to indicate a 温泉 (Hot Springs) is:

It should be noted, in Japan tattoos are becoming more popular with young people…but they’re still not as common in Japan as they are in western countries. Tattoos are fairly common in big cities in Japan…but still quite rare in Japan’s countryside.

To many Japanese people, tattoos are associated with the Yazuka (Japanese mafia) and criminals. Therefore, as a rule, people with tattoos are forbidden from entering 温泉 (Hot Springs), 銭湯 (public baths), and swimming pools. If you have tattoos, even a small one, you may be allowed to use these facilities in Japan…but you may not.

Finally, the most commonly used bath in Japan is the 「お風呂」 (Ofuro…home bath / shower).

The reason people from Japan miss their 「お風呂」 (home bath / shower) if they visit overseas is because in America (and many other countries), the bath is set up “hotel style”. Those countries have only one room with the bathroom sink, toilet and tub all in the same room. And the shower is in the tub.
The shower has a flimsy shower curtain and it’s easy to spill water on the floor. Also, taking a bath is inconvenient because the tub needs to be filled for each person…and the water gets dirty and cold.

A Japanese 「お風呂」 (home bath / shower) is different.

In Japan, the toilet has it’s own room (with a small sink on the tank to wash your hands), and the bathroom sink is separate as well.

And the 「お風呂」 (home bath / shower) also is in it’s own room. There’s no need for a shower curtain…water can be sprayed freely anywhere in the room.

First you clean in the shower (you can either stand or sit on the shower stool). The shower head is on a hose so it’s easy to use.

The bath and shower are separate too, so the water in the bath can be used by each member of the family. The bath water stays warm with a special thermostat you use to set the water temperature and it stays clean because everyone washes before they use it. The bathtub is for relaxing.

If you use any of these baths in Japan…I think you’ll never want to go back to your country’s style!

Have you ever tried a Japanese public bath, hot spring or home bath? What do you think?

Please visit the Tokyo Five blog at: http://tokyo5.wordpress.com/

For more Stuff Japanese People Like Click the Links Below:

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SJPL #5 (Fake) Food Displays

SJPL #4 Medical Masks

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SJPL #2 Backing into Parking Spaces

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