How to use Japanese style bathrooms.

Japanese bath and toilet are in separate spaces.

Toilet

• Bring tissue and handkerchief since some public toilet (such as shrines and temples)  does not provide paper.  Toilet in the train station, shopping center, and restaurants are equipped with toilet paper but they usually do not provide paper towel to wipe your hand.  Most place has very good  dryers to dry your hands.
• When you are at Japanese home or at some establishment where toilet slippers are provided, be sure to change to toilet slippers upon entering to the toilet.
• Stand over the toilet stool facing the side with the hood.
• Then squat over it and place yourself close but not to the point of contact with the stool.
• Do not push buttons of high tech toilet (unless you know how to use them and want to try it).  You will find a lever on the tank as you see in the U.S. to flash the toilet.
• Be sure to change your shoes or house slippers when you go out of the toilet.

This is not the best video but it is good on to learn how to use it for a visual learner.

Youtube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJazvumHNyk

Bath

When sharing a bath with others at someone’s home or at Japanese Inn (public  bath)

·         Basic rules:  Do Not use soap in the bathtub. Please remember that the tub water is for multiple uses and not for one person only and will be used repeatedly, therefore, do not pull out the drain plug if you are using a bath at a private housing.

·         Place all of your clothing in the basket or shelf in the changing room (Remember to take a lock with you to the bath. The rock is attached to a wrist band).Nothing is to be worn inside the bathroom and only bring your small towel (provided in your room at the Japanese Inn) to wrap around your waist upon entering the bathroom and later wash yourself inside of the bathroom (Do not wash inside the bathtub). The bathroom floor is tiled and drainage is on the floor.

·         Cleanse your body with soap outside the bath tub.

·         After thoroughly washing off the soap, step into the bathtub.  (Often Japanese just scrub the body with hands, step into the tub to relax and warm up, and later wash themselves with soap outside the bathtub.)

·         When you immerse yourself in a tub of water that is a little on the hot side, you will be able to relax your strained nerves and muscles. When the water is too hot you can adjust it by running cold water into the tub but be sure not to overdo it so that the others do not need to make it warmer again.

·         Bath robes (Yukata, Kimono style cotton robe) are also provided in your room.  You can take the towels with you but do not take Yukata.  If you do, they will charge us/you later. 

·         Enjoy the experience.

This is NOT where we are going but just a nice sample image (PR) of a Onsen (hot spring).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IvSSnIeh3c

This is a good video about Onsen and how it is used in Japan (medicinal effect).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nr-w_MD6Awc