How often do you have a bath ?

**Maciamo** · Dec 26, 2006, 03:02

The Japanese are real bath lovers. I have rarely seen people so enthused about such a normal thing as having a bath, and even less make it a regular conversation topic or have TV programmes about it (onsen and sento included). Having a bath is almost a social activity in Japan, as family members take bath togethers, and a lot of people still go to public baths. Onsen (bath with volcanic water rich in mineral) are also usually a group activity.

Personally I almost only have showers. I was recommended to have more hot baths in Japan because it was cold inside the house (even with the heater) and I got blood circulation problems in the hands and feet because of that. Maybe that is why the Japanese find it so important...

Anyway, let's have a poll and see how much you like baths yourselves.

**Goldiegirl** · Dec 26, 2006, 03:46

I love really hot baths. I use English bath salts in the water, they make the water feel nice and the air smell so good. I do take a shower every morning though. That and a cup of coffee gets my day started.

I don't think I would enjoy a public bath of any kind. To me bathing or relaxing in the tub is a personal and private ritual. It's how I was raised.

**Pachipro** · Dec 26, 2006, 04:22

Even though I live in the US for now, I took a hot steaming bath in Japan every single day during the winter and cooler months and do so when I visit. It was the perfect end to the day with a cold beer afterwards. In the summertime a cool shower is most sufficient with a hot bath thrown in once in a while.

Nowadays, when I visit the in-laws in Japan, the custom is to have a hot bath before dinner. However, since the mother-in-law is busy with getting dinner ready she doesn't bathe until dinner is finished and the dishes washed.

To me, there is nothing more relaxing than a steaming hot bath, especially in the wintertime. In the US I just shower daily as the bath cools too quickly and there is no internal heating element as in Japanese baths. However, while quick and convenient, showers just don't do it for me. Sometimes it feels as if I cannot get warm enough in the wintertime. But I shower daily nonetheless here in the US.

I jumped the gun and should've selected "I almost always take showers" as that is what I do at present.

**sabro** · Dec 26, 2006, 05:15

I shower daily, but not by choice. I prefer a good shower followed by a long hot soak. I am just too tall to take a bath in a conventional tub.

In my last house, I built a bathroom around a large spa tub specifically so I could soak three or four times a week. Four years ago, we moved into our new house, which is a bit larger and nicer, but doesn't have a large enough tub to soak in!

**Uncle Frank** · Dec 26, 2006, 05:26

if I come into some extra money someday, I'll have one of those Japanese soaking tubs with the gas burner to heat it.My tub was put in when the house was built in 1948 and it looks it. Just standing in it for a shower grosses me out. I need a hot shower in the morning to wake me up and get me going; hate to start my day without one.

Uncle Frank

**Index** · Dec 26, 2006, 07:30

Once in a blue moon-I get bored of sitting around just soaking. I did go through a phase when I lived in Japan of visiting my local sento almost every night although the main reason was that in winter the outside shower at my place was just too painful to use. I amused myself at the sento by alternating the extra hot bath with cold showers-definitely invigorating.

A spa bath in the right company and a bottle of champagne is something else though...

**miki78** · Dec 26, 2006, 18:44

Hmm i take 2-3 baths a week and shower everyday ^^

I don't think i would like public baths though

**xerxes99** · Dec 26, 2006, 23:09

I shower every day, but I have become such an onsen addict since I came to japan. I love them.

**Revenant** · Dec 27, 2006, 01:08

I might go to an onsen once a year just cause it's a cheap way to get clean after two days camping, but otherwise, I'm quite content with my daily showers (or sometimes two in the summertime).

**misa.j** · Dec 27, 2006, 01:30

Maybe it's just me, but bathing used to make me colder afterwords especially if the water was on the hot side. I could feel the heat escaping from my body more quickly than from just taking a shower at normal temperature...
That's why I always took a bath right before I went to bed in the winter time.

I only take showers at home now, but when I stayed at a hotel with a jaccuzi, I jumped in. I liked those bubbles and liked to swim in it. I can't seem to just sit still in the hot water for a long time.

**Kyoko_desu** · Dec 27, 2006, 03:48

Oh I just loooove hot bath and I take it every day. And the bathroom is a good place to practice singing, lalalala~~~♪

**kirei_na_me** · Dec 27, 2006, 07:31

I only take baths unless I'm in a big hurry.

**The-Beautiful-Roses** · Dec 27, 2006, 10:52

I take a shower every day, and sometimes like three baths after that. I dunno, I like really hot water.. but then when I get out, I can feel my pulse and its just so weird but relaxing. Everyone says I take the hour shower. Tee hee. Water is mah luffa luffa!!

**Maciamo** · Dec 27, 2006, 16:53

Usually women like baths more than men. It reminds me of an episode of 'Friends' :

Originally Posted by Friends

CHANDLER: Y'know what? We're not sad, we're not sad, we're just not 21 anymore. Y'know? I'm 29 years old, damnit! And I want to sit in a comfortable chair, and watch television and go to bed at a reasonable hour!

JOEY and ROSS: Yeah!

JOEY: Yeah! And I like to hang out in a quiet place where I can talk to my friends.

CHANDLER and

ROSS: Yeah!

ROSS: And so what if I like to go home, throw on some Kenny G, and take a bath!

JOEY: We're 29, we're not women.

**Flashjeff** · Dec 27, 2006, 17:52

Well, on weekdays and Saturdays, it's showers exclusively, but on Sunday nights, I'll indulge in a bath just before bed.

**Ma Cherie** · Dec 28, 2006, 03:52

I take showers more than I do baths. I only take baths when I want to relax.

**laurilovesyou** · Dec 31, 2006, 23:43

Our tub is too little to take a nice soaking in. So showers everyday for me! I am looking foward to my trip to japan in april to taking a nice onsen somewhere!

**Kinsao** · Jan 2, 2007, 23:33

I don't actually have a shower, so I don't have any choice other than to take baths.

Before then, I would always choose a shower. just because it is quicker. But on the other hand, the fact that I have to have a bath now is good for me, because it's the only free time I get when I can read.

(I can't just sit and soak - I get bored.)

Now that I've had to take baths for a few years, if I was to get a shower now, I'd probably alternate bath and shower depending if I was in a hurry or not.

**SuperStarEurope** · Jan 3, 2007, 05:14

Interesting title and poll.....3-4 times.........

**BrennaCeDria** · Jan 3, 2007, 08:00

A shower every morning, and either a second shower or a bath at night. Very occasionally, normally on weekends, I'll take a bath in the morning, even if I have to get to work that morning. I have to get up really early or there has to already be breakfast at work for that to happen, though.

**sabro** · Jan 3, 2007, 10:21

I gotta get a soaking tub...

**M.K** · Jan 6, 2007, 20:41

I've seen a ritzy-woman who takes her dogs in a bath every morning.
thought it's unhealthy though.

**sabro** · Jan 6, 2007, 22:07

Wet dog smell mmmmmm.

Don't most people prefer lilacs or something less dog-like?

**ludoNL** · Jan 6, 2007, 22:48

Since I don't have a bath, I take a shower every day.

**Nana007** · Jan 6, 2007, 23:56

I used to be a Bath person, until I went to school. The Dorms only had showers, so It was for like a year, that I took no baths, and it has kind of turned me into a shower person.

Although In Japan I took a Bath everynight. And a shower in the morning.