About pigs and manners 👹🍣🎎 Wonderful Japan
From the time when the first Europeans colonized and took possession of the American mainland, it is said that many of the Native Americans were surprised and probably shocked by the lack of personal hygiene and cleanliness that prevailed among the pale newcomers.
The European conquerors also brought with them a number of diseases that the Native Americans had nothing to fight against and which often killed them before they even got to see one of the strangers from far countries.
I only mention this as a side note, but it is also recorded that the Native Americans were quite thorough when it came to cleanliness and therefore washed themselves regularly, which could not be said of the Europeans of that time, who must have literally stunk to high heaven. These days us European have finally encounter showering and bathing as well, and cleanliness has mostly become a virtue.
There is also a centuries-old bathing tradition in Japan and the people here are extremely proud of their hot springs, known as onsen, which are not only used for cleansing but also for relaxation and are an integral part of the life of a normal Japanese person.
There are a few rules for using an onsen, the most important of which is the ban on tattoos.
In Japan, tattoos are still associated with members of the yakuza, the Japanese mafia, who they want to keep out of these establishments. But much more important is probably the request to wash before bathing, which any logical person will agree with. Especially as these are communal facilities, people are reluctant to bath in the dirt of other guests, so they wash themselves thoroughly before entering the water. This is exactly how it is done at home, where each family member washes themselves in front of the bath tub before slowly sliding into the hot water, where they can soak for a while. The water in the bath tub is also used for the whole family and is therefore kept as clean as possible.
However, over the course of my visits to several onsen here in Japan, I have seen quite a few visitors who don't take customs and rules very seriously. Of course, rules are always there to be stretched and, if necessary, broken, but in some cases their purpose and usefulness is obvious and cannot be denied.
At least you would think so, although as I said, even with all those notes and signs asking you to clean yourself before entering the onsen, there are always a few weirdos who try to avoid that completely. Instead of washing themselves first, they sluggishly sneak straight to the pool with the hot water, where they then immerse themselves, apparently hoping to get rid of their dirt without further ado.
Well, even on my very first visit to a Japanese onsen, I didn't find it difficult to comply with this simple and easily understandable gesture of decency. But for some people, even this seems too complicated and they prefer to share their own dirt with the world around them.
When I later tell people about my experiences, I am often met with disbelief and surprise. What, here in Japan? Impossible!
But the more I pay attention, the more often I notice people who refuse to wash themselves, even after finishing their bath. Leaving the pool where everyone was sitting and than putting on your own clothes without rinsing yourself is quite something I cannot get. Fortunately their antisocial behavior is not the rule. And before anyone starts scolding the younger generation, it's mostly older members of the male species. Unfortunately, I can't share my own experiences with the female sector yet, so I'll probably have to start an undercover mission soon.
I reported on my experiences with washing my hands a few years ago, and unfortunately these experiences have been confirmed time and time again. The men in this country are only too happy to leave the toilet without even glancing at the sinks. They are probably too happy to grab a tasty bite with their own fingers right afterwards and shove it gleefully into their mouths.
For this very reason, I'm actually quite happy that shaking hands has not yet caught on here in the Far East and that people prefer to bow their heads all day long. I can live quite well with a nod of the head as a greeting, and based on the above, I am quite willing to do without wet hugs and brotherly kisses. And despise it all, I will surely enter an onsen again at the next given chance. With a wash before and after...
