A piece of Americana that has gone down the drain....

[AsahinaKimi]

A few years ago a friend of mine came to visit me from Japan. Amazed that I simply had just a shower, he was shocked to learn that once checking into his motel that the bath tub he had could hold only a little bit of water, that the tub could not be filled up enough to cover ones chest.



In Japan, taking a bath is more then just bathing. It is a chance to sit and soak away all the troubles of the day, and allow the body to relax in a near gravity free warm environment. Bathing in this manner has tremendous health advantages, since most of us are stressed out each day from all the days activities.



How then is that American Bathtubs did not allow for this? And..who can relax standing in a shower? Yes, In Japan they have showers for washing, but the tub is for long, lovely soaking!

When I went on a trip a few years ago to Scotland, and stayed in a hotel I was amazed to find a lovely bathtub that allowed me the same kind of luxury I had as a child when my grandparents owned a lovely antique bathtub. It was so deep, yet wonderful to soak in and absorb the warmth of the water.

However, having visited local Hotels and Motels in San Francisco, the only real pleasure one could find in such a manner was the use of the Hotel's Hot tubs. True enough, San Francisco had many Hot tub places, including a wonderful place in Sausalito, across the bay bridge that now is unfortunately no longer there. It was called Floating World and featured six -two person tub and one four person tub. One would go there for about an hour, be given a towel, a bottle of cold water or juice, and would sit and soak in these lovely deep red wood hot tubs. Many of these places have been closed down, though today some have made a come back.



As stated, the Japanese have known, for years the health benefits of having a nice deep tub, yet one might wonder why Americans have to pay a lot of money just to enjoy this simple pleasure. Its true America has health spas, with deep hot tubs, and there are various hot springs located in certain parts of the United States. Saratoga, New York was known long for its natural spas. There have been places in California where natural hot springs have sprung up for those wanting this luxury.

But, if one goes to Japan, the country has many, many famous Onsens and Rotenburo scattered though out the country. Many tourists to Japan, make it a effort to include these famous places as a part of their tour of Japan.




So why is it that with all the stress Americans have, does the common house hold or apartment have either a shower, or a bathtub (with shower) that only holds enough water to barely cover your knees?

Perhaps this statement will give you a clue:
"Unintentional drowning remains one of the most significant and preventable causes of child mortality, and bathtubs present a significant hazard to infants and young children. Currently, unintentional bathtub drowning accounts for approximately 1 of every 100 deaths of US resident infants aged 6-10 months, with a recent study showing that 55% of the children under the age of 1 year who died from drowning in 1995 drowned in bathtubs. While current national goals emphasize the objective of reducing incidents of childhood drowning, none specifically focus on the prevention of infant bathtub drownings."

source
**http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/450989


While its important that American society protect its children from the possibility of drowning in the bathtub, because of regulations forcing bathtub manufacturers to make all bath tubs safe, the very regulations have robbed all Americans a method of reducing stress in their own homes.

Now its true that Americans waste a tremendous amount of water, however in Japan the very water used in their tubs are recycled and used for other things, such as washing clothes. (Because Japanese, shower and wash before they soak in the tub, the water is generally clean and can be used for such things as washing clothes or even for use in the garden, or for
watering the lawn.)

Its a shame that Americans have to spend a lot of money, to either purchase their own hot tubs, go to a spa, or a local gym just to have, what they once had for free many, years ago in their own homes.

I am not saying we should reverse the laws. I am simply saying we have lost something small and yet valuable. Every one tries to be health conscious these days, exercising, eating healthy foods, doing yoga, and finding ways to reduce stress in their lives. By living in an apartment with just a shower, only thing one can do is buy a water proof plastic chair and sit
under the flow of water.

My friend from Japan, bought himself a roll of duct tape and was able to place it over the holes where the water would leak out. Still even with that, the water was not very deep. Even the size of bathtubs have changed over the years, becoming
much smaller.

I miss my grandfathers old antique tub. I live in a small apartment with just a shower. When staying in hotels I always ask for a bathtub over just a shower. Even that is a bit more expensive. In this economy one can hardly afford such luxuries these days. That in itself is stressful. Its too bad our society has slowly taken this simple pleasure away, one which at one time we all had and could afford.

[Warpy]

1. One thing my old single wide trailer had was a "garden tub"

meaning it was large and deep. Unfortunately, it was also wide enough that it cost a fortune to fill it. I think I sat and soaked maybe twice in the five years I lived there.

The old clawfoot varieties--had one in Boston--were generally a little longer, a lot narrower, and just as deep, perfect for soaking in.

Now I have an old post WWII house with a ridiculous excuse for a bathtub in which no one over the age of six can actually bathe. It's clumsy to get into and out of and I'd love to get rid of it and just put in a large shower, but people tend to whine if you don't have a tiny bathtub that's too small for adults to soak in and I might be unloading this place.

My next place is going to have a soaker tub, outside if need be, cheap soft sided "spa," if need be. It's also going to have a heater so the water doesn't cool off within 15 minutes. I want to soak until I'm pruney.

Relaxation in this country has been discouraged for a very long time. It's why we have such parsimonious vacation time compared to other countries and why we don't have stuff in our house that encourages us to sit and think. Bathtubs are just one part of it.

[SocialRealist]

2. I have an older home with a large tub.

I try to soak in the tub 1-2 times per week. It is very relaxing, and I would definitely miss it if I had to move somewhere without a tub. After my bath, I use a bucket to carry the water outside to water my gardens (this was suggested to me by a friend several years ago). Walking in and watering my gardens is also quite relaxing. :)

[Hopfrog]

3. Not sure this is a civil liberties issue

A bathtub takes up about three times the real estate of a shower, and pretty much all Americans insist on having a shower, so either you get the grody shower-curtain-around-the-bathtub deal, or you have a shower and a bathtub (for 4x the floor space) or you just go with the shower. In most small apartments, it's just the shower. Most large apartments and houses that I've seen, it's a bathtub.