Today, we view the act of bathing as a process, yet still group everything that happens in the shower or bath as one.  In 1595, a courtier, Yamashina Tokitsune wrote in his journal, “entering the hot water bath” and then “washing my hair.” (Butler, 16)  Physically cleaning or grooming oneself was viewed as an entirely separate step from bathing.  It was seen as impure for one to get in a bath when not groomed, which is entirely ironic, considering that many if not all were completely dirty from everyday activities.  It was not until the late medieval period where bathing started to become a more pleasurable, therapeutic experience as well as an increase in hygiene standards. 

Natural hot springs were used for medicinal purposes. After using the hot springs, it was noticed how the warm water improved overall health among the people who used them.  The hot springs became a social oriented activity that many enjoyed which then doubled as a way to get physically and hygienically clean.  Special herbs, certain types of rock and spaces, and certain temperatures of waters were beginning to evolutionize.  Major changes within bathing practices took place during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.  Aesthetics started to become an importance among the elite which led to additions of baths or bath houses within their courts or living quarters.  Bath design and use started to become a form of art that elites could design and plan with their friends and began increasing the social importance of bathing.  Sharing baths became common and due to the increase of users, more baths started to be built in several temples.  By the late medieval era, bathing areas were accessible to almost all people and could be found in many neighborhoods of cities.  (Figure 3 & 4)  What was once a more private and religious fixture, was now something many enjoyed doing socially with friends and even strangers.  (Butler, 7-9)

It was not until the Tokugawa era (around the 1500’s/ late medieval era) that Japan started to realize that bathing was a necessity to stay hygienically clean.  As previously mentioned, Yamashina Tokitsune noted that washing/grooming was done as a separate “chore” from physically getting in the bath.  In a later diary entry he mentioned baths and other forms of washing which were quite necessary for hygiene and this is possibly due to his knowledge and work as a physician.  Personal baths were starting to grow in popularity as soon as people realized how important it was to keeping good hygiene.  Eventually the term that was used for describing a physical wash in a bath was gyôzui.  A similar diarist, Sanjônishi Sanetaka, wrote his journal about the pleasures of bathing and grooming at one’s personal home.  As pleasurable as it was having access to a bath at home, it was unfortunately very costly and could not be obtained by many.  For example, a wealthy family named the Konoe family, suffered like many,  property and income losses during the 15th and 16th century (although not as bad as the majority.)  Their home was unfortunately burnt down and they were in need of a new construction.  When the house was constructed, a third of the cost ended up going into a new bathroom.  The private bathroom was definitely a luxury that many could not have but this family house just goes to show how important and needed the bath really was to the elite. (Butler, 16-18) 

Overall, the bath in Japanese culture was split into three uses, religious, medicinal/hygiene, and sociality.  Although there is much more to explore about Japanese baths and habits, Butler Lee was able to uncover and reveal some reasons as to why and how people used baths.