Bath and Toilet Etiquette

A little "heads up" on etiquette concerning the bath and toilet.

Let`s start with the toilet. There will usually be a pair of slippers inside the toilet area. Please remove the house slippers you are wearing and change into the toilet slippers. When you leave the toilet , please change back into the house slippers and leave the toilet slippers in the toilet area.

Allow me to explain....It`s a fact of life, guys I`m sorry ,but I`m going to be blunt....guys spray when they take a leak! It`s a fact! Also, and this includes gals, when you flush the toilet with the top up, there is also a spray. This is FACT. So the toilet floor is NOT clean. You don`t want to wear room slippers into the toilet area getting, forgive me, urine and feces on the bottom of the slippers and then wear those same slippers all around the house. Wouldn`t you say that is ,to say the least, unsanitary! And GROSS!

Next is the bath.The sink and the bath are usually made so that they can be closed off for privacy at bath time.You remove your clothes in the sink area and go into the bath area and close the door. The bathtub will be full of hot water. The temperature of the bath will range from probably 38C to 44C, depending on the season and the preference of the family. All body washing should be done on the tile deck area. Most homes have a shower....use it to wash and rinse yourself. Please make sure that you have rinsed all the soap off before getting into the bathtub.If there is no shower,you will have to scoop the bath water with the little scooper thingie you can see in the picture.Think of it as a water ladle. NO SOAP IS USED IN THE BATHTUB! EVER! The bathtub is for relaxation . When you`re ready to get out ....PLEASE DON`T PULL THE BATHTUB PLUG! The same bath water is used by the whole family, another reason that no soap is used inside the bathtub.

That was a pretty big lesson!

I really hope that you are able to enjoy your bath experience....Japanese style.

Have a nice day!

Etiquette

Here are a few quick tips on the etiquette of entering and leaving your Japanese friends home.

Please remove your coat or jacket before entering the door. Just think about it. When you remove your coat the lint and dust fly off of it and by removing it before you come in, you don`t deposit that lint and dust in your host`s house.
Your host will probably have a pair of slippers ready for you on the step up area. Remove your shoes and change into the slippers. As you remove your shoes, please don`t stand in your stocking feet or barefoot on the deck area. This completely defeats the purpose of changing from your outside shoes into the slippers, which is not to track in dirt from the outside. If you stand on the deck after removing your shoes, you get your feet dirty and track that dirt into the house.
After changing into the slippers, you are now standing on the step up area. Squat down (Ladies,
let`s squat in a ladylike fashion, OK?) and place your shoes side by side with the toes facing outwards. Move them a little to the side leaving the center area open in case someone else comes in. The center area should always be free of shoes.

OK!

Now enjoy your visit.

When it`s time to leave, you change back into your own shoes, of course. Once you`ve got your shoes on, turn around and replace the slippers side by side with the toes facing inside the house and a little to the side ,again leaving the center area open. Wait to put on your coat until you`re outside.

You may not remember all of this, but using as much as you can will make you a welcome guest.

Have a nice day!!