Mere end bare et bad: Intim socialitet i japansk badepraksis

Based on historical and empirical descriptions of bathing practice in public bath-houses and private bathing facilities in Japan, this article examines cultural meanings embedded in Japanese bathing practice. The article explores the relation between Japanese bathing practice and notions of the private and the public spheres as well as intimacy and sociality. By studying naked skin and hot water as mediators of intimate sociality in Japan, the article challenges these dichotomies by showing that bathing practice in Japan produces strong bonds and familiarity among close relations as well as citizens. As such, Japanese bathing practice blurs the distinctions between the pri-vate, the intimate and the public. The article argues that bathing in Japan is more than just a bath: Intimate sociality in the bath generates an imaginary warmth and connectedness that are important aspects of cultural belonging and national identity in Japan.