But I do take a shower. Baths in Japan are quite different from what I was used to in the U.K. Instead of a place to wash, a Japanese bathtub is a place to relax.
Famous for its hot springs, Japan also has many public baths, and people here aren’t too embarrassed to strip off and jump in a bath with a complete stranger. At home, the whole family will share the same bath water, but before you cringe at the thought of getting in a bathtub filled with dirty used water and pubic hairs, bear in mind that people shower first, and then hop in the water to relax afterwards.
I always shower in the morning, so I don’t have the option of sharing the family bathwater. Mami, like most Japanese, takes a bath before bed and, like most Japanese, can’t understand why I wash in the morning. Actually, neither can I, but moving on…
As I pointed out in my post 10 things I miss from England, baths in the U.K are bigger than they are in Japan, and that’s another reason why I don’t take a bath. I’m six feet tall, and these baths are built for people with short legs.
Our shower on the other hand is great. Two days after moving into our house, I replaced the old shower head with a fancy ‘massage’ one. It has a button to stop and start the water, and if you twist the nozzle it goes crazy, blasting out water so hard it hurts! Aim it at your back and you’re in heaven. So who needs a bath when you’ve got “mighty massage showerhead thingies”?
If you like, you can find me on Twitter at @nick_ramsay. I'd love to hear from you!
This seems like a good time to tell one of my crap jokes:
Q: What do you call a fairy who doesn’t take a bath?
A: Stinkerbell!!!
Yeah that was crappy joke but here’s another….
What is Michael Jackson’s favorite color in Japan?
Aoooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!
lol, you have very interesting points in consideration for the taller generations of the world. {I being one of them too, and 6 feet *damns tallness*} But what about onsen? Did you go to one and use a public bath?