Hey Phil: Have you ever been to a Japanese public bath? I hear it's quite an experience.
Yes, and what an experience.
What do you mean?
Well, it's nothing like visiting a swimming pool in the States.
Well, what do you do when you go to a public bath?
First, you take off your shoes before you enter.
Okay.
Then, you pay an entrance fee to the man or woman at the front counter. [Um-huh]. Next, you get undressed in the dressing room. And I was very surprised ... and a little embarrassed to see that the woman who took my money was sitting on a platform where she had a clear view of the men's side of the dressing room. [Really?] This allows the workers to keep an eye on the patrons' belongings while they are in the bath.
Wow. And do you wear a bathing suit or something?
Oh no! You don't wear anything. Then you go into the main bathing area and wash your body while sitting on a small stool about 40 centimeters high.
On a stool!?
Yeah. It was really hard getting used to bathing in that position. Sometimes, even, people wash each other's backs.
Oh really. So, what do you do after that?
Well, after you've rinsed off all the soap, they usually have two or three large baths where you can soak for a while.
Do you actually share the bath with other people?
Yeah. Traditionally, the bath played an important role in the community. It gave neighbors an opportunity to socialize while bathing.
Huh. Interesting.
When you're all done bathing, people relax in the dressing room by watching TV, drinking tea or juice, or talking to friends. It's quite an experience.