The Japanese bathtub might be one of their greatest creations yet. Traditionally, the Japanese have been a very clean people, bathing every day even early in the 1600s. There were large communal baths and hot springs so everyone could keep clean. But wouldn’t so many people in the water make it dirty? You ask. And here is the brilliance of the Japanese—they wash themselves before entering the water—they luxuriate in the water’s heat from enjoyment alone! The same practice continues in the Japanese household. You undress, shower yourself off, and then enter the steaming tub where you soak until you feel refreshed and renewed. You can set how warm you want your water to be and the tub will regulate the temperature, reheating water and adding it to the tub. It is glorious.
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| The main setup of most Japanese bath places--yes, it is as cramped as it looks. Sorry for the blurryish picture! |
I prefer 41 degrees Celsius.
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| Look at how deep the tub is! |
Plush the shower next to it allows and
expects water to slosh down from the side of the tub when you enter. Sure, the
same bathwater is used for the entire household, but it’s really not that bad
because everyone is scrubbed down prior to entering (stop making that face,
Mom!).
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| Before you get in, you shower. |
I love Japanese bathtubs and will miss
them sorely (no pun intended!) when I return to the US.
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