The waters of an onsen come from the mountains. Hot springs with the powers to heal. An eternal spring. Have the Japanese discovered the incredulous fountain of youth?
Going to an onsen, or public hot spring bath, is a part of everyday life in Japan. As Americans who are taught that nudity is dirty and shameful, it can be an awakening experience. I am walking, bathing and relaxing, nude, with a group of strangers. We are all different – our bodies have all seen different things: some childbirth, some surgery, some overweight. We are from different cultures, but we are all women living together on earth.
Kate and I were the only non-Japanese women in the onsen last night, but we're used to that. It's unusual to see someone who looks like us: fair complexions, and Western figures.
We soaked in the hot mountain water in the outdoor pool for an hour, surrounded by rocks and bamboo to shield us from onlookers. The steam rose as the cold winter air touched the sacred water, and then the rain began to fall.
No comments:
Post a Comment