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Getting Wet: Adventures in the Japanese Bath Hardcover – August 18, 2006

by Eric Talmadge (Author)

6 customer reviews

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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.

Getting Wet: Adventures in the Japanese Bath

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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.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Insightful, thoughtful and often hilarious" -Publishers Weekly

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

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Product details

Hardcover: 255 pages
Publisher: Kodansha International (August 18, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 4770030207
ISBN-13: 978-4770030207
Product Dimensions: 9 x 0.9 x 6.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,361,718 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #657 in Books > Travel > Asia > Japan > General
- #1386 in Books > Travel > Asia > General
- #2294 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Customs & Traditions

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Customer Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars

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Top Customer Reviews

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Bydaveon January 2, 2013

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Enjoy reading this book! Makes me wish that I had taken more that one trip to an Onsen when I was in Japan. And makes me look forward to my next trip.
Hifhly recommend!

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i like it!

ByMichalon July 24, 2013

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

I really like that book, its light and funny. Its something that I wanted, nothing more, nothing less. thank you

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Great Book, Lousy Title

ByJ. Treiberon May 29, 2014

Format: Hardcover

Like Mr. Talmadge, I am an American who has been in Japan for a while and also really enjoy the bath culture here. As such, I can verify that his stories and descriptions -- beautifully written by the way -- nail it perfectly. He definitely knows Japan and knows baths, and his brief forays into the science of bathing make the book that much more fun. This book deserves its five stars, and also deserves a broad readership for those interested in this sort of daily Japanese culture that is often so ephemeral. On the other hand, the title is so misplaced it's hard to know what to say. Everytime I looked at the cover I would think of the 1980s SNL sketch for Schmidt's Gay Beer, and based on a quick search in Amazon it's pretty clear that these days the term "getting wet" is not associated with the sublime Japanese bathing tradtion. Mr. Talmadge, please, for everyone's sake, have your publisher rerelease this otherwise fantastic book under a different and more relevant title!

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A pleasurable soak!

ByAdam Claxtonon December 27, 2011

Format: 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.

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Well written

ByCésar Chávezon May 23, 2013

Format: Hardcover

Aside from a couple of F bombs, this book reads like something an AP reporter would write... so on the upside the writing is high quality and professional, but on the downside (if you prefer an edgy, raw, writing style) descriptions (even of Soapland) have a sanitized, family newspaper feel; the writing style is also detached... you won't for example, read a single sentence about the author's relationships or partners he may have gotten wet with....

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very informative and amusing

ByM. F. H.on April 1, 2007

Format: 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...

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Getting Wet: Adventures in the Japanese Bath Hardcover – August 18, 2006

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