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Of Bullets and Dodging

I have found a serious problem with Japan, a flaw that must be shown the light of day.

Everyday something new and interesting happens.

This is a profound issue, since it means every single time a day comes to an end, I have a new story to tell, and often insufficient time in which to do it.

Today, Wednesday the 10th of March, marked my 7th day in Tokyo, Japan. This day started much the same as yesterday, granted it was warmer than yesterday morning (it ended up snowing last night, quite heavily, but this is a story for another time). Also, the day did start slower, my host had few tasks to attend, and I was content to recuperate for a while. Eventually, however, we did venture out into Tokyo, 'we' in this case being Blair [my host], Christopher, his son, and myself.

We struck out west, along the street on which we lived, headed for a local bath house, similar though not technically the same as an onsen. For today only, using this bath house was free for residents of this area, so we went to check it out. However, as we guessed, it opened at 3pm, and as we were walking past at 2pm, this was unfortunate. We continued on towards a local coffee joint, but were doomed to fail in this endeavour also.

As we walked, we passed the entrance to a shrine or temple, which of these we weren't sure, so we entered to investigate. We ambled under the wooden entrance way, finding ourselves on a road, boarded by different housing complexes, on the right, a building made of units, 6 wide if I recall, and 2 high. On our left, a single house, squeezed in between the large gate through which we entered and a second building, who's purpose I could not deduce. Directly in front of us was a second, much larger gate, guarding the entrance to a respectably sized temple.

The gate had a mobile, wooden picket fence in front of it, along with several signs in Japanese characters, no doubt saying that the temple proper was currently inactive and closed to visitors. However, the road on which we walked curved to the right and went around this large gate, so we followed it, as we turned the bend it opened onto a car park, and on our left was the courtyard for this currently deserted temple. Our curiosity got the better of us and we went to investigate the courtyard.

The first structure housed a large bell, which Blair informed me would be rung, along with innumerable other bells throughout the city, on festival occasions such as new years. The second structure appeared new, and housed 3 different images carved from stone, the first was of a large lady, the second a small child and the 3rd an elderly man, which Blair guessed were gods. In between these two structures was a large stone monolith, around 2 metres tall, which I guessed was a grave marker, as I had seen many similar structures at a nearby site several days previous. At the time the structures were being cleaned by 3 elderly ladies, with much care and respect, whilst they burned incense.

Finally we turned to the large temple. On the left of the main steps were more stone edifices, similar to the grave marker we had just seen. We ascended the steps and came to 2 large sliding doors, which weren't locked. I didn't remark on this as I guessed what Blair would say, "This is Japan, why would they lock the doors?" We slid them open slightly and peered inside...

On the far left and right were blocks of fold out chairs, arranged looking towards each other, or more accurately the conglomeration of gold artefacts in the centre. In the centre was an indescribably large amount of gold artefacts, large and small, which were evidently used in the worship and standard operation of this temple. Again I thought to myself, 'and yet the door wasn't locked...' but then again, who would steal these valuable relics? This is Japan.

Time was now getting on, and Blair had a train to catch for some business, so Christopher and I walked him to Shinagawa station, and farewelled him there. On the way home we walked past an Indian restaurant, from which I was told you could pick up a free, English publication called Metropolis, which I did. Finally, Christopher and I returned home, as Christopher had a dental appointment.

And now the fun starts.

Since it was now around 4pm, I decided to head out to this small, local bath house by myself, to check it out. I knew where it was, and that I should bring a towel... but this was all the knowledge I had with me. Accordingly, with my towel, I set out. As I approached the building I noted that the doors were now open, both of them, one on the right, with a closed wooden section, then a second door on the left of this. Behind these openings were two more doors, each with a sign on them... in Japanese.

I was approaching from a direction that lead me to the left door, and so I approached it, slowly ascending 2 steps, my right foot hovered over the top stair, and then I realised the lockers on each side were no doubt for my shoes, the top stair and all the floor around it was made of wood, whilst the floor I entered on was tile. Quickly I removed my shoes and put them in a nearby locker. I then turned to the door... and hesitated.

I slowly reached for the sliding door, then heard something that literally made my heart leap, a lady's voice. Ever so slowly realisation dawned on me, this bath house was split in two, with one half for females, and one for males. However, with dread, I realised that the voice could've come from either side, such was the building's construction. Great, here I stood, in a small local bath house, on a back street in the middle of Tokyo, Japan, possibly in front of the entrance to the female side of a traditional bath house.

I deliberated, then quickly and with much haste, retrieved my shoes from the locker, and made my way to the other inner entrance (stepping once on the tiled floor with just my socks, a social faux pas in Japan, please don't tell anyone). Here I hesitated again, I realised I could still here some female voices, equally as clearly. As I inserted my shoes in a second locker, I decided that if I was to peek into one side, the right was the correct side in which to peek, since Japan was, and still is in many ways, a male dominated society, the men's would be on the right... right?

Or is that a European thing?

Slowly I slid the door open... and with much relief, I saw through a second set of doors inside the building, several naked men. With a sigh I stepped inside, and turned to my left... right inside the threshold was an elevated booth, in which sat an elderly Japanese man. This booth was the only part of the building which could see both sides of the centre partition, not bothersome to me as a man, but if I was a girl... "Konnichiwa [good afternoon]," I said, to which he responded with a low and fast stream of Japanese. "Sumimasen [sorry]?" was my only response. He leaned closer, "doko ni sunde imasu ka [where are you from]?" "Minato-ku, takanawa," "Dozo [go ahead]".

For those who had wondered how this bath house was different to an onsen: it was much, much smaller, otherwise the two are similar. The first room I had entered contained more lockers, large lockers, in which I undressed completely, and placed all my clothes. The next room was visible through a wall of clear glass doors, in which showers and taps lined each side. Inside the threshold were two types of buckets, small yellow ones facing 'up' and slightly larger blue ones, also stacked and inverted. There were also 3 naked Japanese men, who all turned to me, and then went back to their business.

Fortunately I had been in an actual onsen, so I knew what the deal was here, the large bucket was for sitting on in front of the low showers, and the small yellow bucket was for filling with water and tipping over yourself, to rinse off the soap. The soap. The soap that usually was provided... in this case, was not. Woops. For those of you to whom this is foreign, let me explain. A person intending to use the large Jacuzzi sized (but lower) pools inside, each of varying temperatures, first must clean themselves at these showers and taps.

The goal of this cleaning is to remove all outside impurity. One is meant to exfoliate one's entire body, wash your hair, shave and in some cases, to brush your teeth. Only after this were you permitted to enter the communal baths. It is considered the height of rudeness to contaminate this water in any way, after all, it would be shared over the course of an entire day with many people, then cleaned.

Unfortunately, I had only brought a large towel with which to dry myself, and nothing else. Slowly I collected my buckets and then sat on the left, the side with no Japanese men cleaning themselves on it. I started to wash as best I could, and as I did, a new patron to this establishment entered, and seated himself at the station next to mine, not a half a foot away. Great.

I probably spent the next 10 minutes just cleaning myself, as I did want to experience how hot each of the two pools here were, ideally without being rude. Japan is an unusual place, in that even if I climbed straight into the pools without washing at all, those present might not even say anything, even though it would offend them greatly. Accordingly, I did my best to make a concerted effort to clean, and then quickly entered the first pool. It was literally scalding. After 3 or so minutes in here, I then entered the second pool, which was cooler. The thermometer read a mere 44 degrees, and so I enjoyed this for a longer period.

Finally, I extricated myself, went back to my station, poured from the tap a bucket of freezing water, tipped it on myself, and then took my buckets and prepared to leave. After putting them back on the pile, I realised my towel was in my locker, and I wasn't sure if it was acceptable to walk across the wood floor and retrieve it and dry myself there. Seeing no other option, this is what I did, regrettably I never did see a local leaving the pools area, so I don't know whether I did the right thing or not. I thanked the doorkeeper on the way out, and walked home.
If you go to Japan, do not be afraid to experiment, to see the things that most visitors would overlook, these less common things are the things you will enjoy and remember well.

But please, learn from my mistakes.

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1 comments:

  1. So Benny a good thing to know before venturing into an onsen unaccompanied would be, to be able to recognise the Japanese symbols for male & female. Pleased when you peaked through the door the view was as you had hoped for!

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