BATHING
BY TRADITION the bathing facilities and the toilet are in separate rooms in Japan.
They may be next to one another, but they are not in the same room, except in
Western-style houses and hotels where tradition surrenders to economy of space.
In private homes the bathing facilities are usually composed of two rooms, an ante-
room with a sink and a mirror where one changes clothes, and the room
where the actual bath is. In most situations one locks the door between
the anteroom and the outside corridor to make sure others know the bath is in use.
Except among family members, it is not proper for one person to use the sink
while someone else is using the bath, even if the rooms are separate.
In this anteroom one removes all of one's clothing and carefully folds and piles it
either on the counter or in the basket that may be provided for this purpose.
You leave the bath towel in the anteroom and take the washcloth (tenugui) with you
into the bath and close the door. The tub may be covered with boards or some kind of
rolling cover to keep the water hot, so first remove that and set it aside.
You will probably find a small scoop, a bowl, and a low stool. The scoop is for stirring
the water in the tub, which is hotter on the surface, and taking water from the tub for
washing. The bowl is for washing yourself.
Bathing is generally a three-part exercise. First rinse briefly and enter the tub to
warm up. Then get out, sit on the stool, scrub yourself using water in the bowl,
and rinse thoroughly. Finally relax in the tub again. All of the soaping and
shampooing takes place outside of the tub with water from the shower head
(if there is one), the spigot,or the tub itself. Do not take too much water out of
the tub because the person who follows you will not have enough.
It is important to remember that the tub water is communal
- everyone in the family uses the same hot water to relaxin.
Therefore, you should not scrub yourself in the tub or get dirt or soapsuds in it.
Also, do not empty the tub when you are finished.
When you complete your bath and rinse off, rinse off the stool, scoop, and bowl and
return them to where they were and cover the tub again.
After a first drying off with the washcloth,go back to the anteroom and dry off
completely with the other towel.
When you are through, fold both towels and leave them on the counter.
Bathing at a public bath(sento) is quite similar to the process described above,
but there are a few variations. For the uninitiated, it should be noted that this
"communal bath" has separate entrances and separate facilities for the two sexes.
The only"connection" is the proprietor's booth,which sits astride the partition
between the two sides of the changing room. You may purchase or borrow for
a fee everything for taking a bath at this booth, but usually customers bring in their
own bowl or bag the necessary shampoo,rinse,soap,towls,comb,and brush.
Find an empty locker,place your clothing inside,and remove the key.
From this large changing room you go into the large bathroom and
find a vacant stool and spigot. Wash off the stool,sit down,and rinse yourself off.
Once you are superficially clean,you can warm up in one of the tubs.
Although not everyone follows the rules,you should not take your washcloth into the tub,
but leave it on the edge of the bath or in your bowl.
Once you are warm,get out,scrub down,rinse off,then get back in for a longer soak.
When finished,place the stool back under the spigot, and return to the changing rooms.
The older generation may be a little less conscioiuis of nakedness than the younger
generation,but no one makes much to do about being seen underessed.
Many Japanese-style inns offer baths fed by natural hot springs (onsen) and
they are similar to public baths, except that in some the water has such a high natural
mineral content (sulphur,for example) that soap and shampoo will not lather and
may even be prohibited.Because of the mineral content it is recommended
to leave all jewelry behind in your room.