Public baths anyone?

[raydude]

So, hmmmm, I found out that I may have to use the public bath at the place I'm staying in Kashima. Anyone ever been to one of those? If so, can you give me the rundown on what thats like, what's appropriate or what one does to get clean?

[Invictus]

Strip down in the changing room, go over to the shower/rinsing area, clean yourself quite thoroughly, then go to the communal tub and have a soak. If you're particularly modest, bring an extra towel to cover your naughty bits. No soap in the communal tub! This is one of the two absolute taboos in Japan (the other being shoes on tatami).

In my humble opinon, public baths are over-hyped. Once one overcomes the intial reticence, it's really quite a boring and uneventful experience. Makes a great story for the folks back home, though. ;)

If you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to answer.

[raydude]

I think I've seen a pic once, so I'm basing my questions off of that:

in the shower/rinsing area, it looked like you sit on stools and put a bucket of water over your head to wash off. Is that correct? Also, is it personal shower/rinsing? I mean, I'm not expected to clean someone's back as polite ettiquitte right? Finally, is it co-ed baths?

[stsparky]

No, you're on your own. Children may scrub backs in commercials, but don't offer. Men and women are split from each usually unless it's an natural hot spring ... bring a towel to hide your naughty bits!

No soap or shampoo in the soaking tub. That means rinse rinse rinse, and rinse rinse rinse. If you have tattoos - cover them with another extra towel.

Be polite, ignore natural emissions like gas from others. You'll be isolated in the tub most likely regardless for being a gaijin.

At indoor baths - sometimes you and your SO can share a private tub - but the same rules apply.

- Sparky

[Shii]

What is the purpose of a public bath?

[stsparky]

What is the purpose of a public bath?

Well - traditional apartments were for sleeping and eating with no bathing facilities. Hence the sento.

[Invictus]

in the shower/rinsing area, it looked like you sit on stools and put a bucket of water over your head to wash off. Is that correct?

Yes, though more modern facilities usually substitute shower hoses instead of buckets of water.

Also, is it personal shower/rinsing? I mean, I'm not expected to clean someone's back as polite ettiquitte right?

Not at all (fortunately).

Finally, is it co-ed baths?

Not usually in this day and age. It will, however, depend on the individual bath house.

[raydude]

From what my teacher is telling me, the Shinbuden at Kashima only has public baths. So as stsparky says, its my only option for bathing. Either that or be stinky at the dojo.

[NERD]

Have fun. Anime screwed me over with the whole men sneaking into the women part of the bath/spring. In real life, you are likely to be surrounded by old people and be horrified of their naked body- or perhaps, if you are lucky, you will see the amazing display of a dragon/Buddha rippling on the back of a yakuza.

[ESPayne]

Some places will not let you in if you have a tattoo.

[Kuroshi]

If you're Yakuza, I don't think they'll complain too much.

[ESPayne]

If you're Yakuza, I don't think they'll complain too much.

Uh no, that is EXACTLY why some places don't allow people with tattoos in.

[hapacheese]

It's very rare to see yakuza at public baths. Unless you go to yakuza-heavy areas (Roppongi, Shinjuku, etc).

Nothing is more relaxing than an outdoor Japanese bath when it's snowing. Depending on the company, a bottle of cold sake is also very nice :)

If you ever get the chance, taking a dip in a Japanese bath with a close lady friend is very, very nice. Very.

[Frankey-eh]

Have fun. Anime screwed me over with the whole men sneaking into the women part of the bath/spring. In real life, you are likely to be surrounded by old people and be horrified of their naked body.

Haha yes. When I went to hotsprings, I was the only one under the age of thirty. And then I realized, ever since I was little, I've always been the only young ones in a bath full of old grandma's. I guess hotsprings aren't that fashionable among teenage girls. Even for me... I got tired of it after the first day.

[nice gaijin]

It's the cleanest I've ever felt. Be sure to bring your own towel and hand-towel, or you'll have to pay way too much for one there. the process goes: undress in the locker room, clean yourself very thoroughly at the row of removable shower heads and small stools (which will probably look like little upside-down garbage cans with holes in them), then an optional salt scrub in the wet sauna (very relaxing) and then soak in the various baths. Good onsen will have a variety of baths, I'd suggest giving them all a shot, but be careful about the denkiburo, electric bath; it's shocking (pardon the pun, but it really caught my friend off-guard). Afterwards you rinse yourself off (kind of like after swimming in a public pool) and return to the locker where you dry yourself off and dress. If you're worried about doing things properly, go with a native friend and just follow their lead.

[Pierrot le Fou]

I'm going to try to do an honest-to-god step-by-step for folks who have no idea. You can do a google search, and advice may differ from mine, and there are different styles even within Japan, but this has gotten me by without getting yelled at ever.


Before you go
Bring a small hand-towel sized towel to cover your naughty-bits, and a washcloth. Also bring a shower tote (or something similar -- a basket for toiletries) with shampoo, conditioner, body soap, razor and shaving cream if you want, and any other bathtime items you usually use.
Entering the Establishment
Usually there will be a little window in which you pay for your entrance to the public bath. It's usually a few hundred yen, another 50 yen if you need a small bar of soap, and 100 yen to rent a towel. Once you pay your cash, you're set to go into the...
Changing Room
There will be TWO ENTRANCES. Men go to the one marked 男 and women go to the one marked 女. Don't make a mistake. In the changing room, there are generally lockers. Remove your clothes, take out the basket with the toiletries, and your washcloth and towel, and use the bathroom if needed. Remove the key from your locker and attach it to your toiletries basket before entering...
The Bath Area
There will be rows (a row if it's small) of short stools with a shower, a water bucket, and a faucet in front of a mirror. Make sure you have all your stuff you need, put it on the ledge or next to your stool, and get ready to shower. The process for showering is dependant on if you're going to shave and whatnot (most people shave after the bath from what I've seen, but I s'pose you could do it first). Let's go over...
Washing yourself
First adjust the temperature on the nozzle. 40C is 104F, for reference. 1.8F = 1C beyond that. I usually put the water temperature around 37-38 for the shower and whatnot, but that may be too hot for you. Find a happy medium and fill the washbasin. Either by dumping the washbasin's water over you, or using the shower, get yourself wet. Lather yourself up with body soap and shampoo for the hair (don't forget toes, back, ass, or the bottoms of your feet). Fill the basin up again, and rinse off EVERY speck of soap on your body. Double-triple check if need be. Better safe than sorry. Conditioner up if you'd like, rinse out your washcloth, put it in your toiletries basket, and enter...
The Bath
There will be many different types of baths. If your towel is clean (read: You didn't use it to lather up, using the washcloth to do that instead) you can theoretically put it in the water. I generally don't, preferring to let myself hang all out and soak in the bath. You can use a clean washbasin from the sink area to take water out of a bath and pour it on you if you'd like, or just hop on in. You can journey to the Sauna if you like, hop into the Denki-ofuro (OUCH!) if you like electric shocks, and hop into the cold water bath after the sauna to cool down. Spend as much time as you can tolerate. You should technically keep your heart above the water-line for health reasons, but many don't.
Once you are Done
Most people wash off again, to get the salts and minerals from the bath off of them, and then take their stuff back to the locker to change back into real clothes. You can also weigh yourself, and other nonsense if you'd like, before leaving the bath.

Things to be aware of:
- People are going to stare at your naughty bits. Some may stare a lot. It happens. Cope.
- Some people may not follow any of the above bath etiquette, hopping in before bathing, or otherwise doing something not-so-kosher by my steps. It happens. Cope.
- Sometimes Yakuza may be in the bath. They aren't there to cause trouble. Assuming there are other people around, don't worry at all, just avoid them and be polite if you need to go by them or whatnot.
- Sometimes women may come in the male bath to clean up. This is normal. Hide your naughty bits if you're shy. Many people just don't give a shit.
- In co-ed baths, do not stare at the women. It's not polite. Other people may. They're usually old men.
- Some people may want to talk to you. Have a conversation. Bathing is communal. It's social time. Just because you're naked doesn't mean the cat's got your tongue.
- Beer tastes f'ing INCREDIBLE afterwards. I recommend drinking at least one. If you like beer. If not, don't go to Japan ;)

Have fun. It's mortifying the first few times to be publicly nude. You get used to it, stop worrying about it, and it ain't 'boring' so much as relaxing. I like bit baths and soaking as long as I want, and the nudity gets old, and you become a regular customer somewhere, and people stop viewing you as anything but just another guy in the bath.

[Kaji]

Rika: Funny you should mention that. While I was in Japan I got into a conversation with one of my Japanese language instructors (born 1964, so a couple years younger than my mother) about the subject of hot springs and the like, and it seems that basically starting with that generation people just started taking less of an interest in it in general. Personally, I'm inclined to think that it has to do with the faster pace at which people in fully westernized Japanese society tend to live their lives. Why spend time doing nothing when you can be out working? Personally, I'm the sort who'd sooner relax than work doubletime for a standard week's pay, but that's not always the case over there. It's kind of like trying to find people who practice the traditional Japanese arts these days, you're lucky to find someone who's under the age of 45. Just the sad truth of the way the culture has been degrading over the past 60-150 years...

[Rogue_7]

I was in the middle of darkest Nagano Pref. and saw several Yakuza in a bath. Those tattoos are amazing. And I actually got over the mortification of being stark nekkid really quickly. I mean when everybody is bare, it just doesnt matter.