Plain Liberation

I want to recollect the memory of my first public bath experience back in Osaka.
 
I always curious with the naked feeling in public. I wonder how is it like having no thread in your body but make it so usual-ubiquitous.

[3] Way to go! You meet me here threadless, the bare version of me. Find an important word in this post (when you know, you know) and paste the address bar with: https://www.valentinakris.com/(change this part into the keyword, without the brackets)

We went to Tateba Sento around 9 PM with the last train. We got three different towels; face, body, and pad for sauna.

It was so awkward at the first time when I entered the locker room. I wasn’t prepared that people already naked there that I unconsciously turning back and laugh to my friend. Embarrassed. We managed to continue this mission though.

Regardless how calming the bath was, the feeling of being there is interesting. I forced myself not to obviously observe the whole room just like when I enter a new place. I know it would be weird if my eyes locked with other’s.

The later the night it got, the more people came. Some girls seemed like having fun just like they were in a hair salon. A couple of mom and her daughter were talking Korean while enjoying their bath time.

I try to remember the last time I took bath with my mom. But yes, never with my dad. I don’t know if it’s common for daughter-father soaking in hot tub together just like Setsuko and Mei with their father in Totoro movie. Or in Totto-chan book where nobody allowed to wear any suit in swimming class. Genital difference felt so casual. But yes, the setting was in WWII. Today’s reality might be too wild that I low key missing some innocence and tranquility. Talking about being naked, I always wonder if Adam and Eve against the serpentine and let the apple stayed its shape.

Eventually, I’m no longer being (so) curious at this. I felt a certain tingling sense of freedom in being naked in a semi-public setting. It was an exploration of the ownership feeling over our own body.
 

Thank you to my trip fellow, Z, who share the same excitement to experience this unsual bath.


Question of the day, what will you do when you are naked in a city center?

-V