Getting Wet: Adventures in the Japanese Bath [Hardcover]

Eric Talmadge (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 18, 2006

Eric Talmadge takes a joyful, first-person plunge into the depths of Japan's bathing culture-joining the millions of Japanese who not only bathe every day, but find it a must to travel the country on a search for the perfect bathing experience.
From bathing "theme parks" which come complete with tubs for your pets, to the luxurious dinners served in the rarified atmosphere of the most expensive hot springs resorts, to the calming effects of an odorous sea-water bath carved from an isolated coastline, the author draws on his travels to create a delightful, enlightening volume that goes beyond the scope of typical travel books on Japan.
Readers follow Talmadge on his skin-tingling (and sometime scalding) encounters as he reflects on the art of bathing in ancient times and the dos and don'ts of going au natural in contemporary Japan. The religious rites. The science of bathing-what hot water does to you and your skin, and why. The truth behind the claims of healing powers. The unavoidable progression from simple nudity to the business of sex. And some reflections on how the bathing culture has changed and where it may be going.
Finally, the book offers sage advice, some guidelines, sample day trips and other practical matters for those who actually may be thinking of testing out the waters.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Talmadge, the Tokyo news editor for the Associated Press and a resident of Japan for more than 20 years, expands upon the many articles he has written about Japan's obsession with bath houses and delivers an insightful, thoughtful and often hilarious "glimpse into what Japan's bathing scene is all about." He shows the many ways in which the bathhouse is "a place to be openly and unabashedly Japanese." His travels take him to a range of places in what becomes an idiosyncratic yet strikingly insightful tour of Japan: a village in the Izu Islands, a string of volcanoes southeast of Tokyo; neighborhood public bathhouses ranging from the average to a "super bath" called the Hot Water Fun House; the Oedo-Onsen Monogatari, a Disneyesque hot spring theme park built as a "lovingly sentimental, and unabashedly inaccurate" reconstruction of a feudal neighborhood; a secluded village featuring "one of the world's foremost radon hot springs resorts" that annually celebrates Madame Curie; and Yoshiwara, Tokyo's premier red light district featuring "Soapland" brothels offering head-to-toe baths done by just hand and tongue. In each of his adventures, Talmadge shows that, "[l]ike a tea ceremony or a session of Zen meditation, the Japanese bath is, at its best, a celebration of the beauty of the transcendent." 34 illus. (Nov.)
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Review

"Insightful, thoughtful and often hilarious" -Publishers Weekly

"This book is as enjoyable as, well, a Japanese bath." -Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Kodansha International; 1St Edition edition (August 18, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 4770030207
• ISBN-13: 978-4770030207
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #457,962 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very informative and amusing, April 1, 2007

By 

M. F. H. "mary fran" (Strabane,Pa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Getting Wet: Adventures in the Japanese Bath (Hardcover)

If you plan on going to Japan or have ever been their, this is the book for you. It explains the culture of the japan bath , which is very important to the japanese and will give you a better understanding of their lifestyle ..It also list many bathhouse including the one in tokyo , that is like disey world. a fun place to go...

4.0 out of 5 stars A pleasurable soak!, December 27, 2011

By 

Adam Claxton - See all my reviews

This review is from: Getting Wet: Adventures in the Japanese Bath (Hardcover)

What a pleasure it was to read this book! Eric Talmadge has produced a very entertaining and revealing memoir on the Japanese bathing obsession. With obvious passion and a little dry wit Eric (an American who resides permanently in Japan) travels the length and breadth of Japan testing the waters so to speak of the multitude of hot springs, mineral pools and public baths that exist in both the big cities and remote countryside. He provides fascinating insight into the bathing industry both past and present along with quirky tales from the less well known offerings of electroshock, radiation and the slightly seedy soapland experience. Viewing Japan through Western eyes (along with a Western sense of modesty!) Eric successfully conveys what the ritual of bathing means to the local population and its clear importance to the national psyche. This is clearly one of those books that will make you want to book a seat on the next available flight to share in the experience.