Of comments and baths

This post is mainly a reply to Stephen’s comment that was left yesterday. I decided to make it a post, rather than just reply to the comment.

Heya Stephen (and everyone)~

I’m totally loving Japan! I need to be a bit more faithful, got a few more trips to post up sometime soon.

Japan can be expensive. Depends on what you are doing. Travelling on the shinkansen is pretty expensive, costing like AUD$300 for a one way ticket from where we are to Tokyo. Luckily I have a JR Pass, but it makes it expensive for my gf to travel with me. Prohibitively so in some cases. Food is relatively cheap, and quite a good selection. Lovingg the food here. Overall, it is priced about the same as back home (if you ignore the crappy exchange rate we have atm).

As for changing anything, not really. I’m staying with my girlfriend (who is japanese) and I’m really enjoying myself. The food is great, we’ve been quite a few beautiful places, and did I mention the food is good? It’s a great experience, and I still have 2 months left to travel and have fun!

I’ve used two types of baths in Japan (haven’t been to an onsen…yet). The first is the wooden bath I took a picture of, which is at home, and just has a tap and shower attachment. Having a shower before getting into the bath is a lot diff from at home, and a pretty good idea imho. The other is a normal plastic bath, but those ones have special controls to manage the water temperature!! And they have speaker attachments which you place in the kitchen (or whereever), and tell you when the water is ready etc. Pretty funky!

The wooden bath at home is made of hinoki wood which is really good for your health. Quoted from rhtubs.com:

Hinoki and its oil are known for their ability to kill bacteria, viruses and viral infections, and fungus, and are used as a general and nerve tonic and to fight off or cure infections. Two strong properties found in Hinoki have a relaxing and decongestant effect and are excellent for stuffy noses, sinus congestion, chest congestion, respiratory conditions, and breathing problems like asthma as well as relief of tension and stress.

It’s just a simple rectangular box. Nothing is angled or sloped, and the wood is about 3cm thick on the walls, and the top covering planks are around 2cm thick. I can only see some blackish stuff that might be sealant or something, and it is joined pretty tightly. Three sides are backed by tiles/concrete (the bath is in a corner-ish) and it uses the same planks to form the cover, which keeps the heat in. The bath has to be cleaned/dried/aired everyday, and I can see a few signs of some of the cover-boards starting to expand. So it would be a higher maintenance option, but it is gooooood. Oh is it good.

This is another picture of the bath at home, showing the covering planks, and well, the bath. The bath is a central part of Japanese culture, and one that I am enjoying a lot. There is nothing better than to relax for a while at the end of the day in a hot bath and let your worries soak away.

Well, it’s time now for me to take that bath (took the photo above moments ago), before the water goes too, so have fun everyone and thanks for commenting Stephen. I loveee comments!! =D