Ofuro

According to Wikipedia, ofuro is a type of bathtub commonly used in Japan. Ofuro are part of a Japanese ritual of bathing. They are not used for washing but for relaxing. Washing is carried out separately outside the ofuro. The water is usually approximately 39 to 40 degrees Celsius.

Ella's comment on my previous post inspired me to write about this Japanese ritual that i still find hard to do in JAPAN.
In Japan only? in JAPANESE HOUSES for precise. I can enjoy hot tub bath in my own house, or hotels, but not in Japanese houses. No matter in whose housewas. If I stayed in my parents in law's house, my mother in law always reminded me EVERYNIGHT to get into ofuro. That also Iki-chan MUST be put into ofuro. She said that Iki's a Japanese and that he must get used to this habit (meanwhile I put Iki into ofuro more for "cold temperature" reason). Sometimes to make her satisfied I said "yes" but just took a "long" hot shower instead (well, she wouldn't know if I really get into ofuro or not, right? :p)

Why?

In Japan, everybody in a house gets into the ofuro everynight, using the same water. Yes...same water. They install kind of device that can keep the temperature as wished (usually around 40-41 degree Celcius) so that everyone can use the water in warm condition. But still, THE SAME WATER. Before getting into the tub, one must take shower first, to clean their body perfectly so that the ofuro will remind clean when they get into it. SAME WATER?! :p

Yeah, right. SAME WATER matters here for me. I don't have to explain it here, but I guess you can guess what I mean. I can't share same water for bath. Well, definitely OK sharing it with mu husband and son, but not with other people. It about something private.

Honestly I feel like becoming dirty again after getting into ofuro hehehhe. Well...SAME WATER!!
One example, once when I was inside ofuro and looked into the water around me, accidentally I captured 'hair' right in front of my nose. I jumped out in a second!

But I guess next month I can't get rid of ofuro. It's winter and would be very cold there (T_T).

I think I'll just take another shower to clean my body again after getting out of ofuro :P.