Top 3 Fields in Which the Japanese Have Achieved Perfection (Notes from Under the Tatami Mats–12 … My Adventures in Japan)

“A chance to relax, cleanse, and invigorate yourself.”

Just tell us when and where. Precisely.

Regarding Japanese delivery services – Every spring, my friends and I took a week-long cycling tour through distant parts of the country. At the end of the trip, instead of taking our gear / bags on the plane and lugging them home, we’d send them back by the Takkyubin courier service, from the inn where we happened to be staying on that final eve.    

The manager of the inn would ask for our home address and take our fee, then ask us what date and time we wanted it delivered. We’d reply … “On Thursday, 4 May, at around 11:30 a.m.” 

Our luggage went one way (to the courier and beyond) and we went another way (to the airport).  Later that eve, we would arrive back home. 

Without fail, the next day, Thursday, 4 May, at about 11:28 a.m., the doorbell would ring. Our cycling gear had arrived – on time.   _{(Image source)}

Just relax. Extremely, blissfully, and idyllically.

But it is in the art of bathing that they have reached the absolute zenith. While nowadays many Japanese just take a daily shower, the Japanese bath is still the ultimate in relaxation, and most people will take a long, relaxing bath every now and then. I knew several businessmen who would take an extra-long lunch hour every day – in the public bath house around the corner from their office.

Whether at a hot spring (onsen), at a neighborhood public bath house (sento) or a long soak in the bathtub at home (a basic o-furo), a bath is a chance to relax, cleanse, and invigorate yourself.

You first shower or wash yourself, then soak in the hot tub, cool off in the cold-water tub, sweat it out in a steam sauna or dry sauna, and take a liquid beating in the jet-bath jacuzzi.    

Repeat as desired, for over an hour. (The ideal duration is 2 hours … or more. My personal record is 5 hours. Five glorious hours.)

You’ll end up feeling like a new person. Refreshed, relaxed, revitalized, and thoroughly clean. _{(Image source)}

   Introduction to – “Notes from Under the Tatami Mats”  _{(right-click on title)}

Top 3 Fields in Which There is Definitely Room for Improvement

Top 4 Persistent Illusions about the 25-Year-Long Recession

Top 5 Expropriated Islands that Should Be Returned to the Original

... and more

Links to my Other Series …

      Introduction – "Intro to Vocab-ability"   _{(right-click on title)}
      Guide – "Guide to Entries"   _{(right-click on title)}
      Index– "Index" to all Chapters and Sections   _{(right-click on title)}

      Lou Reed – "Anthology of Memorable Lyrics, Part 1"   _{(right-click on title)}
      Lou Reed – "Anthology of Memorable Lyrics, Part 2"   _{(right-click on title)}

_{Images sourced from Google Images, unless otherwise indicated or unless my own.}