Pop Japan

Filipinos usually take a bath in the morning, before leaving the house for school or work. Some of us also take a bath in the evening, but the day simply cannot start right if we are not able to take a bath in the morning.

 
However, during my trip last March 2017, I was not able to practice this habit, simply because I went to a country that takes a hot bath in the evening, Japan.

 
It was my first time in the country, and a good Japanese friend let me stay in her house in the whole duration of my trip.

Photo by Sheen Irerick Seeckts.

On my first night, after a long chat after dinner, my friend told me to take a shower. March was supposed to be spring already but during that time, the temperature was a freezing 5 degrees. And being a citizen of a country near the equator, I am absolutely not used to the climate, moreover taking a bath in a chilly winter evening.

 
But it then dawned at me. Based on manga, anime and dramas, the Japanese take a bath every evening. So I got my clothes and some personal toiletries and took a shower. After brushing my teeth, I went out in my usual pajamas and went to my designated room.

Photo by MichaelMaggs. Licensed under Creative Commons.

 
The next morning, as much as I wanted to take a bath again, it was really so cold. And besides, my friend did not take a bath before leaving the house so I did not too.

 
Everything went fine until my third night in the house.

 
"You are not using the ofuro, are you?" asked my friend. I simply gave her a nod with the thought, "Oh yeah, the ofuro." She told me to try it this time so I would be relaxed after all the walking we did on that day.

 
So after taking a shower, I removed the covers of the tub and the steam gave me a somewhat introduction on how hot the water could be. As a Filipino, my definition of a hot bath was actually something warm: not too cold and not too hot. However, when the Japanese say “hot bath,” they really mean it.

Photo by MichaelMaggs. Licensed under Creative Commons.

I tried dipping my hand in the water. My fingers barely touched the surface when my natural body reflex simply jolted it back. The water was almost boiling! So I thought, “How on earth could I ever bathe in almost boiling water without coming out as a boiled human?”

 
I tried it again. I really could not even let my finger in the water for more than 5 seconds. I tried pressing some buttons which I found near the tub. Nothing happened. I was already panicking when my friend came knocking on the door. I told her that the water was too hot for me.  She went on to get the shower and put some cold water in the tub. She told me to put more cold water if necessary. I read somewhere that it was a bad manner to do so, but it seemed like she really wanted me to try it.

 
The tub was now already overflowing with water, but it was still hot. I decided to give it a try.

Slowly, I tried putting in one body part at a time. I started by gradually dipping my foot, until eventually, my whole body was now submerged in the almost boiling water. It was not long after that my body now seemed to have adjusted to the temperature.

 
Surprisingly, I felt like I was in trance, simply floating in the middle of nowhere, in a deep, relaxed manner. I would have wanted to stay a bit longer when I remembered that my friend will take a bath once I was done.

 
And this, ladies and gentlemen is the Japanese ofuro.

Banner photo by BradBeattie. Licensed under Creative Commons.