#7 The history and culture of japanese public bath
04:31 Share

Last Sunday, my friend and I went fishing in Tokyo Bay by boat. I didn't catch any fish, but my friend caught one. Since it rained heavy, we stopped fishing and went to a public bath. So, have you ever been to a public bath in Japan? There are about 480 public bath in Tokyo. However, there are fewer and fewer every year. Today, I would like to talk about the history and culture of public bath in Japan. The origin of Japanese public bath can be traced back to the 6th century. At that time, it was said in Buddhism, which spread in Japan, that washing dirt was an important task to serve the Buddha, so "baths" were set up in temples. At first, it was used as a room where monks could see their bodies and wash off dirt. After that, it became popular among the people, and the custom of opening the public bath for free began. This is the origin of the public bath. The culture of public baths was inherited in the Kamakura and Edo periods, and the first "bath room" was born in the Edo period. The public bath of the present day are filled with hot water, but the baths of the Edo period were steam baths without hot water. It was because it was easy to burn and it cost money. The public bath in the Edo period was popular as a place for people to rest and a place to exchange information. In addition, the public bath in the Edo period were mixed with men and women. In the Edo period, foreigners who came to Japan were surprised to say, "In Edo, Japanese men and Japanese women bathed together without clothes. The government also tried to prohibit mixed-gender public bathroom. However, because it cost money, male and female baths were separated by wooden boards to the extent that there was no strict distinction. The complete ban on mixed baths started in 1900. For Japanese people, hot springs and public bath are very important to their culture. If you come to Japan, you must also experience a Japanese public bath. At that time, you may find a Japanese public bath with a spectacular mural of Mount Fuji painted on the wall. It's really relaxing to soak in the hot spring while looking at the beautiful murals.