Mixed bathing in japan:

Long ago in Japan the houses didn't have a bathroom. But there where many public bath every where. The traditional Japanese Inn or " Ryokan"didn't have bathroom either in the guest room and even now some don't have yet. Japanese people do not like do be alone in small bathrooms. Japanese people like to relax in big bathroom even with stranger. This is the japanese bathing style

In the past there was no separation between man and women in the bathroom and even today the familly takes the bath together.

So, for the japanese people it is ordinary matter to take a nude bath, without worrying about gender.

At the end of the nineteens century when Japan open to the West, the pressure from the prudish europeens and americans forced japanese people to change their way of life and most of the onsen became separated bathing.

Custom of mixed bathing kept up to now:

Though it decreased, the habit of mixed bathing is still kept.There is also a japanese association to promote the culture of mixed bathing. This association defends the mixed bathing as a legacy to be defended for the benefit of the futur generations.

Definition of mixed bathing in Japan:

It is more than just man and women who are bathing together!It is a social event where people meet from both gender, of all age, all social positions, in an complete spirit of freedom, with no cloth in public place hot spring to share a bath.

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