have any of them in this apartment building. Shoji are used as exterior doors.
Glass works better. You’ll see shoji at your temple. Now it’s time to bathe.”

“I had a shower this morning,” I say, forgetting how long my flight took.

“Everyone must have a bath before going to bed,” Randy says. “There are
never exceptions. Yoshimi has finished having hers. Come on Morley-san, you’re
about to have your first bath. Furo ni hairu!”

So what’s the big deal? I wonder.

“First, I’ll explain the john.” He points into the toilet room. “You don’t sit
on the toilet, called a ‘benjo’, you stand on it, then squat. It’s much more sanitary
than sitting on a seat and your trunk is upright with your guts all in a nice straight
line. So it works better too.”

“Well, I guess so.”

“Now for the bath. The bath is called ‘furo’ or usually ‘ofuro’. In Japan,
when reverence wants to be shown, the prefix ‘o’ is used. Tea is ‘ocha’. The
water in a Japanese bath is extremely hot, so you’ll understand the need for
reverence once you’re in. At first you’ll think you’re being cooked, but don’t
worry, you won’t be harmed. First you wash yourself thoroughly with soap and
water from the hose over here. Then, when you’re clean, you step up here and
lower yourself into the water. After you’ve been soaking for a while, the water
won’t seem so hot anymore. Then it’s time to get out. After you’re done, you may
want to douse yourself with cold water from the hose. Then, Morley-san, you will
feel all the day’s cares have gone, the summer night air will no longer seem hot and
humid and you’ll sleep like a baby. In winter when it’s cold, it’s even better.
Yoshimi has set out this towel for you to use. See you when you’re done.”

Randy closes the door and leaves me to explore the ofuro. I take off my
clothes and shower myself. Then, as instructed, I step up onto the ledge. Faint
steam rises from the surface. I plunge in a foot.

“Yeow!!”

My foot instantly comes out all by itself, throbbing and red. Are they crazy?
No one could get into this and live. The water must be close to boiling. There’d
be steam clouds rising if the air wasn’t already so hot in here. But there is no
choice. Yoshimi won’t let me stay here if I’m not clean. I know that Japanese are
always suspicious of dirty ‘gaijin’. I try one big toe. I pull it out. I try again and

page:

15

Japanby Morley Evans

November 21, 2000