Over the past few months I have become accustomed to going to public baths, or sento, and/or hot springs, or onsen, about twice a week.
The sento’s indoor facilities include multiple skin-scorching baths with water spouts to massage the limbs and saunas. The experience includes the removal of all clothes in a locker room, crouching under a low showerhead to wash the body with soap and then submerging.
It is an ancient Jewish custom to purify by complete submersion in a body of water at least the size of a large outdoor hot tub. Today, it is a daily ritual for many to submerge in a well-heated mikvah before the morning prayers.
My most interesting mikvah experiences have come with Rabbi Binyomin. He tries to go almost every day and knows some of the most fascinating sento in Tokyo. One time he took me to a festival-themed sento. Once we entered, we were given festival robes and belts of nice traditional fabric and design. Then we took off our clothes, put on the robes and walked into a large room with food and game stands, large bright displays and hundreds of people walking around in nothing but the robes. From there we went into the locker room, undressed and entered a large bathing area with indoor/outdoor, clear and salt water baths and saunas. We spent some time and left. I was told that that Japanese will take there families there for a day trip. I imagine such a place can only be found in Japan.
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Also, Japan has much underground volcanic activity. Such brings many hot springs, or onsen, to the surface. The Japanese have a particular affinity for bathing in them and have built indoor and outdoor facilities throughout Japan. (Wild monkeys also enjoy them and are often spotted bathing in the mountain pools.)
A personal high onsen experience came at a recent trip to Shikine Island. There, salty steaming waters arose from the beachfront. I read that its pools are believed to have healing effects on the skin and have been documented as having one of the best 100 views in Japan. I entered, stomached the heat and the salty sting on my flesh wounds, submerged and refreshed.
Binyomin describes the experience as being “born again.” The lifestyle in Japan occasionally wears down the body and/or spirit, and the mikveh has personally been a great resource of sustenance and renewal. May it continue to be so.
The sento’s indoor facilities include multiple skin-scorching baths with water spouts to massage the limbs and saunas. The experience includes the removal of all clothes in a locker room, crouching under a low showerhead to wash the body with soap and then submerging.It is an ancient Jewish custom to purify by complete submersion in a body of water at least the size of a large outdoor hot tub. Today, it is a daily ritual for many to submerge in a well-heated mikvah before the morning prayers.
My most interesting mikvah experiences have come with Rabbi Binyomin. He tries to go almost every day and knows some of the most fascinating sento in Tokyo. One time he took me to a festival-themed sento. Once we entered, we were given festival robes and belts of nice traditional fabric and design. Then we took off our clothes, put on the robes and walked into a large room with food and game stands, large bright displays and hundreds of people walking around in nothing but the robes. From there we went into the locker room, undressed and entered a large bathing area with indoor/outdoor, clear and salt water baths and saunas. We spent some time and left. I was told that that Japanese will take there families there for a day trip. I imagine such a place can only be found in Japan.
Also, Japan has much underground volcanic activity. Such brings many hot springs, or onsen, to the surface. The Japanese have a particular affinity for bathing in them and have built indoor and outdoor facilities throughout Japan. (Wild monkeys also enjoy them and are often spotted bathing in the mountain pools.)A personal high onsen experience came at a recent trip to Shikine Island. There, salty steaming waters arose from the beachfront. I read that its pools are believed to have healing effects on the skin and have been documented as having one of the best 100 views in Japan. I entered, stomached the heat and the salty sting on my flesh wounds, submerged and refreshed.
Binyomin describes the experience as being “born again.” The lifestyle in Japan occasionally wears down the body and/or spirit, and the mikveh has personally been a great resource of sustenance and renewal. May it continue to be so.
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Mark! America!
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