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How long and how often do Japanese women bathe? Survey investigates

Oona McGee Nov 1, 2017
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Responses suggest many women don’t have time to bathe every day anymore.

In Japan, people traditionally end every day with a soak in the tub. This emphasis on bathing, as opposed to showering, is one that comes from the old tradition of sento, or bath houses, which were commonly used by people back when households weren’t equipped with bathing facilities.

Today, people still maintain the same ritual of washing and scrubbing before entering the bath, which is filled up with hot water and shared by family members throughout the evening. If you’ve ever had the chance to soak in a Japanese tub at home, you’ll know just how amazing these contraptions can be, with built-in heating elements that keep the bath at a constant temperature, control panels in and outside of the bathroom for operating the level and temperature of the water, including the time you want it filled, and, if you’re lucky, a small television screen.

▼ Discover the wonders of the Japanese bath in this video below.

With this much enjoyment to be had in the bathroom, it’s natural to be curious about how long the average person stays in there, so the Japan Health and Research Institute and the Onsen Medical Science Research Centre recently asked 500 women between the ages of 20 and 49 to reveal their bathing habits. Out of all the women surveyed, 96.8 percent said they bathe at night, in keeping with traditional bathing rituals, however, many of them revealed some surprises when it comes to other details about what they do in the bathroom. Let’s take a look at the results below!

How long do you spend in the bath?

1. 10-20 minutes (43.2 percent)
2. 20-30 minutes (28 percent)
3. 5-10 minutes (13 percent)
4. 30-60 minutes (12.4 percent)
5. Less than 5 minutes (2.2 percent)
6. More than 60 minutes (1 percent)

The majority of respondents said they typically spend 10-20 minutes in the bath, with a slightly longer time of 20-30 minutes being the next most popular option. Further down the list we have two extremes of a hop-in-hop-out situation and a more extensive soak that lasts for longer than an hour. Looking at the results overall, though, it’s apparent that the majority of women aren’t bathing for that long, and the reasons for that are revealed in the responses to the next question.

How do you usually spend your time in the bath?

1. I make do with just a shower (45.7 percent)
2. I soak in the bath for a short time (33.5 percent)
3. I take my time in the bath (20.1 percent)
4. Other (0.6 percent)

Surprisingly, almost half of the respondents said they don’t even get into the bath, choosing to make do with a quick shower instead. With more and more women now in the workforce, busy schedules appear to be getting in the way of traditional daily bath-time rituals, and for those living on their own, it’s sometimes easier to do away with the fuss of having to clean the bath every day after you use it, which is common practice in Japan. This all brings us to the next question: how often do women bathe, if they bathe at all?

How frequently do you bathe in a week?

1. Every day (36.6 percent)
2. Less than once a week (24.4 percent)
3. Once a week (8.5 percent)
4. Three times a week (8.5 percent)
5. Four times a week (7.3 percent)
6. Five times a week (6.1 percent)
7. Twice a week (4.9 percent)
8. Six times a week (3.7 percent)

With just over 46 percent of respondents falling in the three-times-a-week-or-less category, it’s clear to see that more and more women aren’t bathing every day. Only 36.6 percent of women surveyed are actually sticking to the traditional daily bathing ritual while 24.4 percent bathe less than once a week, which are interesting stats for sociologists and bath manufacturers alike.

According to the results, traditional bath-time culture appears to be changing rapidly in Japan. Still, while women might not be bathing as often at home, that’s not to say they don’t enjoy a good soak, which is probably why getaways to hot spring destinations like these are always in high demand.

Source: Livedoor News via Otakomu
Featured image: Pakutaso
Insert images: Pakutaso (1, 2)