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Nar3: Japan

The baths
Posted on Thursday, September 25th, 2003 at 8:54am by Brett.
(Thursday, September 25th, 2003 at 9:54pm Japanese Standard Time)

The showers here are traditional Japanese showers...for the most part. If you are not aware, the Japanese traditionally take their showers together. First you wash yourself off while sitting on a little tiny bench thing, then you hop into a swimming-pool sized bath with lots of other people and "relax". This idea didn't go over very well with me. I did it the very first night...then I discovered the wonderful western style bathrooms, and now I do a little naked dance each night when I lock myself in the private shower because of the mere fact that no one can see me. It's quite nice...

There is, however, a big communal changing room. Now, I change in the private room because...because I'm American. But everyone else using the Japanese-style showers just changes out in the open. There are exactly 3 places to look in this room: the ceiling, the floor, and anywhere someone isn't busy being naked.

Tonight, I had finished my showering (and dancing, as it were) and was leaving the private showers. The private showers connect through the changing room, which in turn connects to the other baths. I saw someone that is in my Japanese language class--an American (but from the West coast)--coming out of the traditional baths room. From habit, I said something to him and the following conversation occured:

Me: "Hey Nate..."

Nate: (Terrified look that screamed 'Why are you talking to me?!?! I'm naked!!!')
"Oh...hey Brett."

Me: (Terrified look that screamed 'Why am I talking to you?!?! You're naked!!!') "How's it going?"

Nate: "Oh...not bad..." (STOP TALKING TO ME!!!!!)

Me: "Right then...I'll see your as..err..I'll see you in class....Monday...because...no...class...tomorrow...because...
...Friday...." *Turns and sprints out the door*

And this, kiddies, is why public baths are bad.