{Inter} Cultural Japan

I have written about the importance of bathing and cleanliness in Japan in my review of Getting Wet.

What Japan Thinks has now translated a survey about bathing habits. From this survey, held by DIMSDRIVE, it appears that 85% of Japanese take a daily bath, and others also regularly clean themselves.

It is still surprising to see that 0.1% never baths - who could those (from the Japanese point of view) filthy monsters be?

Preferred bathing time in Japan is the evening (73.7%), despite the custom of young ladies to take an asashan, apparently the morning shower has not really caught on yet.

69% likes to have a long soak in the tub in winter, slightly less than half that also in summer.

55% of bathers reuse the bathwater for the washing machine or other cleaning cores, a good environmental practice.

More than a combined 65% of people look positively forward to bathing time, some even as the highlight of their day. For many it is a chance to do some quiet thinking or even read a book.

The one thing necessary for a good bath is a supply of bath salts, and after that, indeed, reading matter.

Now I understand why I have found special books in Japanese bookstores printed not on paper but a sort of plastic coated material, so that you don’t have to worry to ruin your book in the water!