The Japanese Bathing Routine: What It Teaches About Body Care

In many Japanese homes, the evening bath is a ritual. It has a clear order, a slower pace and a different purpose from the quick morning shower many of us squeeze in before work. Even if you only have a shower, a few of its habits are worth borrowing.

The steps

1. Rinse. Sit on a small stool in the washing area and rinse off with warm water from a handheld shower or a basin.
2. Wash thoroughly. Lather from head to toe, scalp, neck and nape included, using your hands or a soft cloth.
3. Rinse completely. No soap goes into the tub. In many homes the household shares the same bath water, so it has to stay clean.
4. Soak. Ease into hot water, often up to the shoulders, and take your time.
5. Rest. Pat dry, moisturize and give yourself a few quiet minutes before bed.

Be gentle with your skin

Feeling clean comes from thorough washing, and scrubbing harder adds nothing. Dermatologists have described a form of skin darkening called friction melanosis in people who scrubbed with rough nylon towels or brushes for years. In one case report, a woman who had used nylon towels in the bath for about ten years developed darkened patches over the bony parts of her trunk and limbs. The lesson is simple: use your hands or a soft cloth and let the lather do the work.

What soaking may do

In a small randomized study, Goto and colleagues compared two weeks of 10-minute baths at 40°C (104°F) with two weeks of showers only, in 38 people. After the bathing weeks, participants scored better on fatigue, stress and pain, and on several measures of mood and general health.

A much larger Japanese study by Ukai and colleagues followed 30,076 adults aged 40 to 59 from 1990 to 2009. Those who took a tub bath almost every day had a lower risk of heart disease and stroke than those who bathed in a tub twice a week or less. That is an association, so it does not show that the bath itself was the cause.

Tochihara's review of Japanese-style bathing adds that it has been shown to improve sleep, especially by shortening the time it takes to fall asleep in winter.

Bathing safely

The same review is clear about the risks. An estimated 19,000 people in Japan die each year while bathing, mostly in winter and mostly people over 65. A cold dressing room raises blood pressure, and hot water then lowers it sharply, which can lead to fainting. Suzuki and colleagues found that bath-related deaths among people over 65 rose as air temperatures fell.

• Warm the bathroom before you undress. Tochihara recommends 20°C (68°F) or higher for the dressing room and bathroom, and a few degrees more for people over 65.
• Keep the water warm and soaks moderate. The study above used 10 minutes at 40°C, a sensible reference point.
• Stand up slowly when you get out.
• If you have heart or blood pressure concerns, ask your doctor what suits you.

Washing thoroughly and gently, rinsing completely and slowing down work in any shower.

How to borrow it if you only have a shower

• Make it an evening ritual and keep the pace slow.
• Wash with your hands or a soft cloth from scalp to feet, including the nape and behind the ears.
• Let the lather sit for a moment, then rinse completely.
• Warm the bathroom first in colder months.
• Finish with moisturizer while your skin is still slightly damp.

For a step-by-step version, see A Simple Shower Routine for Skin After 40. Persimmon soap has its roots in Japan too. Read What Is Persimmon Soap?

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