The Westerners who visit Japan are keen on a new bathing tradition- bathing with strangers! Though it sounds awkward, men and women bathe separately for your information. Welcome to the Japanese Onsen and Sento.
Onsen is a Japanese term to denote a ‘hot spring resort’.There is two type of baths in Japan, Onsen and Sento. An Onsen has a natural hot spring water and Sento is usually a public bath using regular heated water, traditionally heated through burning wood. The health benefits vary with different types of baths. Onsen is commonly found at hotels and resorts outside the city of Tokyo but there are only about 45 Sento in Tokyo.
Though for an outsider, the facilities will look the same, the traditions and etiquettes are different.
See also:Before you knock the door, make sure that Rosi is not bathing.
Stephanie Crohin, who is the author of the book in Japanese about Sento, has been the official volunteer ambassador for the Tokyo Sento Association. Though the photography is strictly prohibited inside a Sento, Stephanie’s Instagram is replete with the pictures which reveal the traditionally painted murals and immaculate tile work in Sentos. She has visited over a 700 Sentos across Japan.
Stephanie tells that bathing publically, naked beore others is a way to shed complexes.She tells,”For some people, it is a big challenge to be naked in front of others, but genders are separate, and everybody just doesn’t look and doesn’t care”.
Stephanie also pointed towards the declining number of Sentos, from 2700 in Tokyo to 560 now.Across the country, there are 2500 Sentos.
The majority in the aging population led to the closure of many Sentos as the youth there have not managed to cultivate a public bathing habit plus their houses are bath attached.Some Sentos have tried to overcome this challenge by presenting exhibits and conducting concerts and providing English information, to the tourists.
Another innovative Sentos called”Super Sento” have started sprouting up recently offering additional facilities and entertainment, more like a modern spa.Oedo Onsen Monogatari is a hot bath theme park with a recreated Edo period townsacpe.
Routines at a Typical Japaneese bath
*keep your shoes in the locker outside.
*If you dont have your own soap or shampoo, pay the fees for that and get the things.Towels can also be brought from there.
*Go through the entrence for respective genders.Learn before hand the characters representing man and woman.
*In the Changing room, after getting undressed keep your clothes in a locker.
*You will get a big towel and a small towel from there.Keep the big towel in the locker and take the small towel with you to the bath.
*The bathroom has individual bathing stations.You may take a stool and a wash basin, if its not provided, from the stack.Remember that a basin is the traditional way to wash and rinse yourself.Handsprayers are also available.
*Wash thoroughly, slowly like you have seen in the Malayalam movie ‘Rajashilpi’, Bhanupriya’s bathing style.The water there is shared and keep in mind you are not there to play like in a wavepool in the Veega Land.Be clean first, dont splash water at your neighbour.
*Tie up the long hair and make sure it doesn’t dangle into the shared bath.
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