Why do you have to wash before getting into the bath?
In Japanese homes, hot springs, and public baths, people wash their bodies and hair before entering the tub. The tub is for warming up and relaxing. At home, family members use the same bathwater in turn, so washing first is customary.
The tub is not a place to wash but to soak and warm up. When everyone washes before entering, the water stays clean and can be used by several people in turn.
Why — five layers
The bath is used not only by you but by other people as well. Washing before entering and keeping the water clean are therefore considered important.
Bathwater is shared rather than used by just one person. Family members use the same water in turn at home, and many people share it at hot springs and public baths. Washing first is therefore considered a courtesy that prevents discomfort for others.
For generations in Japan, several people have shared bathing facilities such as public baths. At home too, family members use the same bathwater in turn. This custom of sharing water led to the practice of washing before entering.
International view
In Europe and North America, it is also common to wash in the bathtub and then drain the water. In Japan, the washing area and the tub are separate: washing before getting into the tub is a defining feature of Japanese bathing culture.
But not always
At home, some people take only a shower and do not use the tub. At hot springs and public baths, after washing and before entering the bath, people may perform kakeyu by pouring bathwater over themselves to adjust their body to its temperature.
What to do
At shared bathing facilities such as hot springs and public baths, first wash at the shower area and then enter the tub. Do not put the small towel in the bathwater; place it on your head or leave it outside the tub.
Sources
- Common onsen/sento etiquette guidance; resident testimony
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