{"id":12041,"date":"2014-01-14T10:50:33","date_gmt":"2014-01-14T20:50:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.debito.org\/?p=12041"},"modified":"2014-01-14T13:11:31","modified_gmt":"2014-01-14T23:11:31","slug":"amazing-non-news-kyodo-tokyo-bathhouses-look-to-tap-foreigners-but-ensure-they-behave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/?p=12041","title":{"rendered":"Amazing non-news: Kyodo: “Tokyo bathhouses look to tap foreigners but ensure they behave”"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Hello Blog. \u00a0In an amazing bit of non-news completely devoid of historical context, some cub reporter at Kyodo reports that Tokyo bathhouses are taking steps to put up posters to explain Japanese bathing rules to foreigners!! \u00a0To “ensure they behave” (those rapscallions!) and “avoid embarrassments” (such as being turned away at the door before they have the chance to display any deviant behavior<\/a>?). \u00a0Even though these types of posters have been up around Japanese bathing facilities for at least a decade (Introduction: \u00a0Book JAPANESE ONLY<\/a>) — thanks in part to the landmark Otaru Onsens Case <\/a>(which was not even mentioned in the article as background information). \u00a0Again, it’s not news. \u00a0It’s in fact recycling news from 2010<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This is another reason that Japan’s obsession with hosting international events (such as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics) is kinda dumb — the domestic media has to reinforce the “Island Society” narrative by manufacturing yet another round of silly navel-gazing articles about how extraordinarily difficult it is for apparently insular Japan to cope with visitors from the outside world. \u00a0At least this time the subjects are not hostilely treating all “foreigners” on sight as potential “hooligans” (World Cup 2002<\/a>) or “terrorists” (2008\u00a0Hokkaido<\/a> G8 Summit<\/a>), or as the source of discomfort for hotel managers (such as in pre-Fukushima Fukushima Prefecture<\/a> and other hotel surveys<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Plus these bathhouses are recognizing NJ as an economic force that might help them survive. \u00a0As opposed to the even more stupid behavior by, for example, Yuransen Onsen in Wakkanai<\/a>, which booted out foreigners (okay, consigned them to an unlawful unisex separate “Gaijin Bath” at six times the price) until it finally went bankrupt anyway due to lack of customers. \u00a0Good. \u00a0But again, Kyodo, do some research. \u00a0Arudou Debito<\/p>\n

==================================<\/p>\n

NATIONAL<\/strong>
\n Tokyo bathhouses look to tap foreigners but ensure they behave<\/strong>
\n BY SATOSHI IIZUKA,\u00a0KYODO NEWS, courtesy of Olaf<\/span><\/strong>
\n DEC 30, 2013<\/strong>
\nhttp:\/\/www.japantimes.co.jp\/news\/2013\/12\/30\/national\/tokyo-bathhouses-look-to-tap-foreigners-but-ensure-they-behave\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Bathhouses in Tokyo are taking greater steps to welcome foreigners visiting the capital by preparing a guidance manual and poster in several languages to help them understand the proper etiquette for communal bathing so they can avoid embarrassments.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe would like to receive foreigners with warm hospitality so they can enjoy the culture of ordinary Japanese,\u201d said Kazuyuki Kondo, who runs a bathhouse in Ota Ward.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Public bathhouses, or \u201csento,\u201d which originally became popular during the Edo Period (1603-1868), are still in use, especially by people who do not have bathing facilities in the home.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

After bathhouse operators in Ota and the municipal government completed the manual and poster, they distributed them to about 50 sento in the ward in March, with a view to attracting more foreigners visiting Tokyo for business or leisure, as the ward is home to Haneda airport.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The illustrated manual, written in English, Korean and both traditional and simplified Chinese, is intended for use by sento staff to communicate with foreigners.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

It contains expressions such as, \u201cThe fee is \u00a5450,\u201d \u201cI\u2019m sorry, but please remove your undergarments before entering the bathing area,\u201d and \u201cPlease be mindful of other customers and enjoy yourself quietly.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The poster, which shows a typical bathhouse layout and a flow chart for using it, also helps customers understand the sometimes complicated system.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Kondo, owner of Hasunuma Onsen, said the signs are effective and foreign customers are having no problems. He said many visit after learning about his bathhouse over the Internet or from acquaintances.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Tokyo Sento Association followed suit and provided the same contents in manuals and posters to all bathhouses in the metropolitan area in November, and is considering spreading them nationwide in the near future.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cMore and more foreigners will come to Tokyo as Haneda airport will increase its slots for international flights. What\u2019s more, we have to prepare to welcome them ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020,\u201d said Kondo, who previously headed the association\u2019s Ota branch.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Every sento usually has several large baths over 50 cm deep. The temperature of the water is usually kept at around 42 degrees, and some even tap hot natural spring water, technically making them \u201consen.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Besides the basic function of bathing, sento are also community gathering venues that cross generational lines.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

As of November, there were 709 sento in the capital, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. There are more in areas with many old detached houses and apartment blocks, some of which have no bathing facilities.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sento have been closing by the dozens in recent years, due largely to the aging of the owners, a lack of successors and rising maintenance costs.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

But now they are being re-evaluated as a kind of spa facility in cities and towns where people can relax inexpensively, according to the association.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t expect a surge in the number of foreign users, but I am sure sento have gradually become popular with them,\u201d Kondo added.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cSento can be a good tourism resource, as there must be foreigners who are looking forward to bathing in them, especially among repeat visitors to Japan,\u201d said Masaru Suzuki, a professor at Obirin University in Tokyo.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is important is how to promote them to travelers. A useful way would be to ask foreigners who are living Japan to help us,\u201d said Suzuki, whose specialty is tourism marketing.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

He suggested that foreigners studying or working in Japan be asked to introduce sento through social-networking sites, such as Facebook.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Setting up a \u201cfree-of-charge day\u201d for foreigners would also help them seek out their first bathhouse experience in Japan, he added.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

ENDS<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In an amazing bit of non-news completely devoid of historical context, some cub reporter at Kyodo reports that Tokyo bathhouses are taking steps to put up posters to explain Japanese bathing rules to foreigners!! To “ensure they behave” (those rapscallions!) and “avoid embarrassments” (such as being turned away at the door before they have the chance to display any deviant behavior?). Even though these types of posters have been up around Japanese bathing facilities for at least a decade (Introduction: Book JAPANESE ONLY) — thanks in part to the landmark Otaru Onsens Case (which was not even mentioned in the article as background information). Again, it’s not news. It’s in fact recycling news from 2010.<\/p>\n

This is another reason that Japan’s obsession with hosting international events (such as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics) is kinda dumb — the domestic media has to reinforce the “Island Society” narrative by manufacturing yet another round of silly navel-gazing articles about how extraordinarily difficult it is for apparently insular Japan to cope with visitors from the outside world. At least this time the subjects are not hostilely treating all “foreigners” on sight as potential “hooligans” (World Cup 2002) or “terrorists” (2008 Hokkaido G8 Summit), or as the source of discomfort for hotel managers (such as in pre-Fukushima Fukushima Prefecture and other hotel surveys).<\/p>\n

Plus these bathhouses are recognizing NJ as an economic force that might help them survive. As opposed to the even more stupid behavior by, for example, Yuransen Onsen in Wakkanai, which booted out foreigners (okay, consigned them to an unlawful unisex separate “Gaijin Bath” at six times the price) until it finally went bankrupt anyway due to lack of customers. Good. But again, Kyodo, do some research.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,22,42,13,2,46,55],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12041","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-anti-discrimination-templates","category-cultural-issue","category-g8-summit","category-media","category-otaru-onsen-lawsuit","category-practical-advice","category-tourism"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12041","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12041"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12041\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12041"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12041"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12041"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}