Japanese with anime voice: episode40
Hello, I’m Sachi.
April 26th, today is 良い風呂 (Yoi furo)’s day! So let’s all take a bath today! In Western culture, it seems that people soak themselves in the bathtub to cleanse their bodies. I guess that’s why they created something called a bubble bath.
In Japan, until the early Edo period (1603-1868), steam baths were the norm, in which steam from the hot water was used to steam the body and remove dirt. It is believed that it is because of such historical trends that the custom of washing the body and then bathing became common as it is today. Does this mean that before the Edo period, people did not have the custom of taking a bath as we do now? If so, when did we start the custom of taking a bath? Nowadays, Japanese people have the image of taking a bath every day.
Speaking of taking a bath, people often say that onsen are good for your health. Did you know that it is not only hot springs, but bathing itself has a positive effect on your health? Actually, there are various 作用 (sayou) that are very beneficial to the body in the bath. 作用 (sayou) means to exert power over something else and to influence it, and also means its function. If I were to mention the name of the action, it would become a technical term, so I will refrain from doing so. If it were only the name of the action, even I would not understand the meaning.
So, what does it do? When you take a warm bath, it warms up your body and improves blood circulation. This helps to soothe muscles, joints, and nerves, and relieves back pain and stiff shoulders. The parasympathetic nervous system also works better, so you feel more relaxed. And the pores of the skin are opened, allowing dirt and sebum on the skin to be washed away. Also, bathing has the effect of reducing swelling because the body is subjected to moderate water pressure. In other words, you can feel refreshed, lose weight, and have beautiful skin. If you are currently on a diet, I think you will make even more progress with your diet if you try to take a bath every day! So, although it may be hot, I recommend taking a bath even in summer! Even though it is hot outside, if you are inside a building and the air conditioner is working hard, your body will cool down. Cooling your body is not good for your health because it reduces blood circulation. Bathing is a great way to alleviate this problem.
By the way, be careful not to use water that is too hot, because, on the contrary, it can cause skin dryness and a sudden rise in blood pressure. I think 39 degrees in summer and 41 degrees in winter is good. In winter, it is better to warm the body first by taking a shower or pouring hot water over it before entering. It is also a good idea to keep the water at a lower temperature at first, and adjust the temperature of the water when the body becomes accustomed to the heat of the water after taking a bath.
Also, taking a long hot bath just because it is good for your health is not very good. Ten minutes is about the right amount of time. As with anything, too much of anything is not good.
Onsen have different effects, but if you make it a habit to take a bath first, you will be able to maintain a healthier body.
Although you may have an image of Japanese people as bath lovers because they take baths, this does not necessarily mean that all Japanese people like to take baths. Some people do not like taking a bath. In fact, my dad doesn’t like taking a bath. In fact, I don’t like taking a bath either. Well, I don’t hate it. The reason is that it is a hassle. A bath is not just about getting in and getting out. You have to wash your head and body, as well as yourself, and after you get out, you have to wash the bathwater off and wash the bathtub. You also have to throw away the hair that falls out. And drying your hair is also a hassle. I have a lot of hair, so it takes a long time to dry. Anyway, I hate the whole process of taking a bath because it takes too much time.
But, still, I don’t want to be a bother, but I do want to take a bath every day. It’s a contradiction, isn’t it? I feel like taking a bath is the end of the day, and I want to clean my body before going to bed. I also want to lose weight. But still, taking a bath when I am drunk is really torture for me. Even though I am sleepy, I still have to take a bath, wash my head and body, warm my body, rinse off the hot water, clean up, dry my hair, and go to bed. If I can’t stand the sleepiness, I sleep outside the bathtub. Sleeping in the bathtub is dangerous, right? So, I lie down outside the bathtub, naked, and go to sleep. It is the only way to avoid temporary sleepiness. I think my partner was upset once when he saw me like that. I don’t think he thought I was sleeping in the bathroom like that. But I was asleep.
