[Useful tips for sightseeing] How to take a bath during bath time

I think there are many people who travel to Japan and Osaka to enjoy Japanese culture. This time, for such people, I will give a lecture on the correct way to take a bath, which you will definitely encounter when traveling to Japan. You won’t be embarrassed if you read this. Some Japanese people can do it, and some people can’t. You can enjoy your bath with confidence!
By observing good manners, you can learn about Japanese culture as a culture, not just laws!

Differences in bath time circumstances between Japanese and foreigners

It turns out that there are big differences in bathing styles between Japanese people living in Japan and foreigners living in Japan. Approximately half of Japanese respondents say they take a bath every day, but only a little less than 30% of foreigners, even including those who say they often take a bath, indicate that Japan is a hot and humid country. It can be seen that differences in habits persist even under the same conditions .

About the origin of bath time in Japan

The origins of Japanese bathing date back to 538, when Buddhism was introduced to Japan.
It is said that it became popular when temples served hot water to the common people, and
the method of taking a bath consisted of storing water, which was precious at the time, warming the body with steam, scrubbing away the dirt with a washcloth, and finally rinsing with hot water. It is said to be the origin of things.

I investigated the bath time habits of Japanese people.

In order to learn more about the culture, I researched the current state of bath time in Japan, including data. This time, I would like to introduce an example of a Japanese person entering a public bath called a “sento” or “hot spring.”

About the current customs of local Japanese people when taking a bath

According to a survey of men and women aged 15 to 59 all over Japan regarding their bathing habits, it appears that Japanese people today do not usually take a bath, but instead take a shower.

<Survey results are quoted from here>
Smartphone web survey targeting LINE users
Survey target: Men and women aged 15 to 59 across Japan
Implementation period: September 18th to 20th, 2020
Number of valid responses: 5252 samples

How much time do Japanese people spend on bath time?

The same survey also found that the average bathing time was 11 to 20 minutes. ,

How often do Japanese people usually go to public baths?

What is the percentage of people who often use so-called “public baths” such as sento and super sento? According to the survey responses, it was found that approximately 30% of people across all age groups use it frequently. In terms of age, we found that people in their 30s and 40s tended to have higher rates than other age groups.
On the other hand, more than 30% of all age groups said they “never go to public baths,” indicating that not all Japanese people use public baths or super public baths.

Introducing the general bath input method and order

Here we will introduce the “bathing etiquette” issued by a certain public bathhouse in Kumamoto Prefecture, which is considered a bath expert.

<Bathing etiquette>
Let’s respect etiquette so that everyone can enjoy a comfortable bathing experience.

• Wash your body before taking a bath
• Tie up long hair with a rubber band
• towels outside the bathtub
• Put back what you used
• Wipe your body thoroughly before heading to the changing room
• don’t do laundry

Information on how to enter a public bath that even foreigners can understand (from Kumamoto public bath “Seyasu-to”)

About the flow of bathing

1. Get naked in the changing room.
2. I grabbed a small towel and went to the bathroom.
3. Wash your body before entering the bathtub. Please sit in the shower.
4. Relax in the bathtub
5. Please dry yourself with a small towel before entering the changing room.
6. At the changing room, dry your body with a bath towel and put on your clothes.

As long as you follow good manners, there is no right way to enjoy a bath; you should find your own way to enjoy it.

Summary of this time

• Japanese and foreigners have slightly different perceptions of “baths”
• As long as you follow the minimum etiquette, you can enjoy your bath in any way you want.
• Learn about Japanese culture and manners and enjoy the bath