~~Onsen~~

The washing stations as well as the bath (there are apples in the bath which is not customary of onsen)

Famous Japanese macaque enjoying onsen

          The obsession with hygiene in Japan does not stop at slippers and a clean living space but it also is present in the bath culture of Japan. Traditional Japanese houses all have a bathroom which is where the bath is positioned along with a separate space for washing the body before soaking. Bathing is not only for cleaning but it also for soaking and letting oneself relax in the tub. Baths are not only existent in households but communal baths known as either a sento or an onsen (depending on the water source) are located everywhere throughout Japan. Even in a large city like Tokyo, you are able to find onsen which offer inexpensive communal bathing. It is not considered an embarrassment to be naked among strangers, infact, it is more embarrassing to be self-conscious of yourself while bathing in onsen.
           This large bathing culture is one of my favorite cultural practices of Japan. I appreciate Japanese people’s attempts at staying clean but also for making the bath a place to socialize and enjoy with other human beings. I find that this idea of “nakedness” and the idea of being embarrassed about one’s body a rather new concept that should be diminished. When it comes to bodily appearances, nothing makes an individual special for we all have limbs, genitals, fat, bones, etc. The embarrassment, especially with people of the same gender, is an obstacle that foreigners should attempt to step over if they are in the position to do so. I appreciate Japan’s love for staying clean, kirei (both beautiful and clean). The meaning of kirei has a new meaning for me and now since living in Japan for several months, I combine the two meanings of this word and strive to incorporate it into my own life.

The Japanese have continued with their traditional customs and they refuse to let the growing times exasperate their desire to bathe as a group in the hot springs. Japan’s ability to endure through changing times is another one of my favorite cultural mindsets that Japan possesses.