Photo by Ken LeeSince this blog is continuing to get a decent amount of traffic and I haven’t found a replacement correspondent, I decided to start a series of non-food-related posts on getting by in Japan. I’ll be trying to cover a range of topics that might be handy to gaijin (foreigners) who might not know the ins and outs of Japanese culture and would rather not make complete fools of themselves. I’ll be starting with ofuro, Japanese communal baths, since even as someone well-schooled in a lot of cultural areas, I wasn’t all that familiar with the specifics of ofuro myself. Most of what follows applies to onsen etiquette as well. If you have any suggestions or requests for future topics, feel free to leave them in the comments!
The word ofuro literally just means “bath,” but it’s used a shorthand for “public baths,” which is what I’m talking about here.
The How-To
If you’re staying in a hotel, guest house, or temple, they will almost certainly have yukata (light kimono or robes) and slippers for you. Unless it’s an upscale or determinedly Western-style hotel, it’s perfectly acceptable to put on just these to head to the ofuro — in fact, it’s the thing to do. If you’re given both a yukata and a heavier robe, which was the case when I stayed at a temple up in the mountains where the walk to the baths was a little chilly, tie your obi (sash) around the outside of both. The only other thing you might want to bring to the baths is a comb or brush, if you’ll want to straighten up your hair afterwards. Many places have hairdriers in the bath area for you to use.
When you reach the ofuro, the first room you enter will generally have baskets or cubbies for your robes; there will also probably be towels here if they weren’t provided in your room. (This is also usually where the sink and mirror will be for straightening up afterwards.) Strip down to your birthday suit, leave your towel with your yukata, and head on in to the next room, which will either be just the showers or both the showers and the actual tub(s). And when I say “showers,” what I generally mean is a low faucet or shower head with a bucket and, usually, some shampoo and conditioner. There are a million different types of shower faucets and some can be a little confusing to use, but if you have trouble, just ask someone. You can say, “Sumimasen ga, dou tsukaimasu ka?” which means, “Excuse me, but how do I use this?” Clean up thoroughly before you hop into the bath.
Be warned that ofuro are generally much hotter than even Western hot tubs — so you’ll probably want to test the water first. Many people will run a washcloth or small towel under cool water to put around their necks or on top of their heads while they soak. When you’re done, you can rinse off in the showers again if you want to cool down, but it’s not necessary. Head out to where your towel and robe are, dry off, and head back!
Cultural Considerations
Ofuro and onsen (public hot spring baths) are common and popular in Japan, so don’t worry about getting naked in front of strangers — they’re used to it. People are often very friendly; both my boyfriend and I have had the experience of being chatted up by someone else in the bath. I’ve heard rumors of some cases where gaijin were stared at a bit as a curiosity, but never encountered it myself or even heard about any incidents from any of my American friends who have traveled in Japan. One thing to be aware of, though, is that you may not be allowed in a public bath if you have tattoos. Hygiene issues aside, tattoos in Japan are still restricted largely to members of the yakuza, so they’re looked on rather unfavorably on the whole. You may get more leeway as a gaijin, but if you have conspicuous tattoos you should still be prepared for being eyeballed and possibly turned away. Bath houses — that is, purpose-built ofuro not in hotels and temples — will generally, but not always, make their tattoo policies clear.
The method of getting clean before getting into the bath is the same in Japanese homes, just as it was in the U.S. when hot water was more of a precious commodity, and just as it still is in many parts of Europe. The idea is that you can do your soaking in clean water, plus other members of the household can it after you so as not to waste it. Tubs in a Japanese apartments and homes are generally much shorter but much deeper than Western tubs, meaning you don’t lie down but can be submerged up to your neck.
It’s a great way to unwind after a long day, especially if you’re a tourist who’s been walking around a lot, so don’t shy away!
