Getting Wet

Beyond the scope of typical travel books on Japan, Getting Wet is a personal exploration of bathing culture, drawing on trips and encounters everywhere from secluded hot springs villages (one has as its claim to fame baths that are high in radioactivity), to a public bathing "theme park" in the heart of Tokyo. It delves under the surface to cover aspects like the ways of bathing in ancient times and the dos and don'ts of going au natural in contemporary Japan. The religious rites. The science of bathing - what hot water does to you and your skin, and why. The truth behind the claims of healing powers. The huge industry that the hot springs resorts have become. The unavoidable progression from simple nudity to the business of sex. And some reflections on how the bathing culture has changed over the past century and where it may be going. Finally, the book offers sage advice, some guidelines, sample day trips and other practical matters for those who actually may be thinking of testing out the waters.