Sunday, September 20, 2009

Japanese Baths - Part 1

One of the first things we noticed were these delightfully deep tubs in the TLF. They are common to Japan. I'd read up on the country and was expecting deep tubs in off base homes, but was pleasantly surprised to find a deep tub in TLF.

In the homes we've seen, the bathrooms are divided into at least two rooms. There is a room with a toilet and sink.....then there is the shower room.

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It's hard to see in this photo...but the entire room is tiled with shower board. There is a drain in the floor outside of the tub. The shower hose is for you to take a shower in the room, BEFORE you get into the tub. In homes without shower hoses, there is a small scoop/bucket dipper for the same purpose. Only when you are CLEAN and all soap has been removed do you enter the tub. I think the hook IN the tub is a concession for "American Style" homes. There is also a mirror in our tub?????

From our reading we've learned that the tubs are usually filled with very HOT water. The tubs come with a cover to keep the water warm between baths. In homes with big enough tubs several members of a family will soak at the same time. The purpose for a bath here is to relax, to calm down, to get warm, to be refreshed...showers are to get clean.

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I was thrilled to find that our tub is deep (though a bit short for the taller folks among us) and has a cover.



Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

12 comments:

Kim said...

The location of the shower hook is probably because you are foreigners. I have a hook, but it is over the shower place. The mirror is to shave in front of - ours broke years ago! SMILE! You will LOVE your bath! Just a note - Jun gets hyper after a bath, so we don't do hers after dinner, but before. She will play in there for quite a long time with me or Ryu. Yep - family bathing with either gender is common up into the first few years of elementary school.

Anonymous said...

Oh looky! A dry place to put books while bathing! 8-)

Anonymous said...

Sis:

A tub built just for YOU! :):):)

What is the table like thing for? LAPTOPS! :):):) I know better, really! :):)

Love the idea of a completely waterproof bathroom/shower room

love/prayers

mom T.

Unknown said...

I LOVE and MISS Japanese baths. Mine was old- and it had a gas heater I had to turn on. If I forgot, the bath water LITERALLY BOILED! (Sounded like a car with a bad muffler!)
But some of my very best Japanese study time came in the bath! You might try it! :)

Anna said...

What a neat idea about bath time. I would love a tub like that.

Darshia said...

Sounds as soothing as a hot tub. I like the drain in the floor beside the tub. Would have come in handy when mine were littler and enjoyed pitching water out of the tub. {g}

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

Hmmmm....hadn't considered all the possibilities for the tub cover....I could put books there. LOL

Kim - there are two hooks - one where American showers would have them and one outside the tub.

Debbie said...

De'Etta, I am a huge tubby fan and often trade in my shower in the fall/winter, but a nightly soaking. Those tubs look wonderful.

Wild Homeschool Family said...

Very nice! Must admit I too immediately thought "somewhere to put a book" how cool!

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

YEP - the tub is my favorite house feature at this moment. LOL

Cynthia said...

I actually have the same view about showers/baths..... and since I rarely have time to relax I rarely take a bath instead opting for a quick shower. Interesting that they shower before the bath.

Dana said...

Very interesting. Take a shower before you soak. I actually like the idea. :)