The Japanese have perfected the art of onsen, or hot spring baths, for centuries. Traditionally, men and women would bathe together in the same facility, but these days the baths are segregated by gender. Today, konyoku (mixed-gender onsen) are hard to find, with places like Tokyo having bans on such establishments.
Though public bathing originated in the sixth century, bathhouses became popular during the Edo period (1603–1868). At the time, homes did not have private baths, so each neighborhood had a public bath. Since then, this communal space has remained a cornerstone of bathing culture in Japan.
In Japan, families take baths together!
According to tradition, parents and children have to clean themselves with soap and rinse before taking a bath, either together, or one after the other. They thus enter the bathtub clean, and the water, which is free of bacteria at the start, is used by all participants.
In bathrooms in private Japanese homes and in public bathhouses, the bathing facilities are always constructed separately from the washing and toilet facilities. The furo in a private home has social aspects. Members of a large family usually bathe in strict order, with the older members bathing first.
Japan has a long tradition of communal bathing with onsen and sento. You can still find gender-mixed onsen even today.
While this is a matter of discretion, experts suggest waiting for the child to be 6 or 7 years old at least before letting them experience bath time on their own. Just as you do, remember the goal is to make them appreciate and exercise control over their own body and not shame nudity.
Mixed-bathing was banned in Tokyo around the turn of the 19th century and has remained so ever since. Still, there are a few found outside of the city in the central region of Kanto that make for a perfect day trip to Gunma or Tochigi.
To the Japanese, bathing is a process. You wash yourself before you get in the bath to cleanse your body of the day's dirt and grime. That's one of the main reasons why most Japanese people bathe at night, instead of in the morning.
According to Kantar Worldpanel, Brazil takes the cake when it comes to overall showering. The average Brazilian averages 14 showers per week, or around two showers a day. This is nearly double the rate of every other country in the survey. For the rest of the world, the average number of showers per week is five.
The Japanese have perfected the art of onsen, or hot spring baths, for centuries. Traditionally, men and women would bathe together in the same facility, but these days the baths are segregated by gender. Today, konyoku (mixed-gender onsen) are hard to find, with places like Tokyo having bans on such establishments.
Showering together can save water. People could scrub each others backs. If using handheld showerheads, they could help each other rinse off more efficiently. Sometimes people like to be naked in a hot place together for personal reasons best left to your imagination.
Traditionally, bathing is viewed to be a ritual of large cultural importance, although it has evolved into being less ritualistic and more of a common practice. Research by the Kantar World Panel, goes on to say that 85% of people shower per week in China and average 6 showers per week.
Water and cleanliness
Taking a bath is an important daily ritual in the Hindu faith. It's believed that bathing cleans the body but also the mind and soul. Bathing in the morning is thought to help remove all negative energy, and 4am is considered the most auspicious time.
Many Japanese people take a bath more or less every day. In some parts of the world, people may refer to showering as “taking a bath,” but not in Japan. In Japan, simply showering does not count.
Today, the baths are co-ed except for Wednesday mornings when they are women-only, and Sunday mornings, when they are reserved for men.
Republican bathhouses often had separate bathing facilities for women and men, but by the 1st century AD mixed bathing was common and is a practice frequently referred to in Martial and Juvenal, as well as in Pliny and Quintilian.
In general, I would say that by the age of 8 or 9 years-10 at the latest-most children have developed enough of a sense of personal boundaries and body space that they no longer want to shower with a parent or bathe with a sibling of the opposite sex.
While this is a matter of discretion, experts suggest waiting for the child to be 6 or 7 years old at least before letting them experience bath time on their own. Just as you do, remember the goal is to make them appreciate and exercise control over their own body and not shame nudity.
The good news is that according to the American Academy of Dermatology, kids between the ages of 6 and 11 do not require a daily bath or shower—in fact, bathing once or twice a week is fine. However, if your child is involved in sports or gets dirty, they may need a daily wash.
In Edo period public bathhouses, workers called "sansuke" would wash customers' backs. In charge of tending the fire that warmed the bathwater and adjusting the temperature, the bath attendants kept things running smoothly behind the scenes.
One peculiar thing about this tribe is that they do not take baths with water. This is mostly because of their harsh climatic conditions. The Himba people live in one of the most extreme environments on earth with the harsh desert climate and the unavailability of potable water.
When bathing Japanese-style, you are supposed to first rinse your body outside the bath tub with the shower or a washbowl. Afterwards, you enter the tub, which is used for soaking only. The bath water tends to be relatively hot, typically between 40 and 43 degrees.