February 11, 2002
So there I was, naked, surrounded by Japanese men

Janet and Filip's gym is very nice, with lots of equipment, no waiting and free gatorade (well, the Japanese equivalent). I'm able to get in a great workout, even if it took me a few trys to figure out the treadmill. It's definitely nicer than most American gyms, but pretty similar in most respects.
The ritual after working out, however, is unmatched by anything I've ever seen anywhere in the world. There is an entire floor at the basement level dedicated to men and women's locker rooms and shower factilities. First, you disrobe and enter the shower area, armed with only a towel smaller than many wash clothes I've used. After showering off, there are the many baths and steam rooms. In the center of the room are three large baths, of varying temperatures. Two are very warm and one is freezing cold. Amazingly enough, after soaking in a hot bath for a few minutes, the jolt of the cold water is quite invigorating.
In between baths, you can sit down at a scrubbing station and vigorously scrub away anything you may have missed in the initial shower. There are also two saunas--a wet and a dry one--for sweating out the toxins you've accumulated through the day.
Bear in mind that I was figuring all of this out with no guidance. Filip had started this whole process before I finished working out, not that I would want to follow him around the public bath. And unlike most public situations in Japan, such as in the train station or airport, it's not exactly accepted to just sit and stare at people to figure out what's supposed to be going on. So I meandered to and fro, making several rookie mistakes as I went along, trying my best to get as clean as possible. At the end of it all, I felt more relaxed than ever, convinced that these guys are on to something.

Posted by jimray at February 11, 2002 10:53 PM
Comments

no comment.

Posted by: Jess on February 13, 2002 01:47 AM

Jim, we did have something like this in America. They were called "Bath Houses" and we shut them down a long time ago to stop the rampant spread of disease that was taking place. Sinner.

Posted by: Darin on February 13, 2002 02:49 AM
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