Sento + Yuki = Wow



I know I am not the first to experience the wonder, but I had to jot it down anyways. Eri and I hit up the huge Takaoka sento (apparently part of the Supa Sento chain) after my Toide eikaiwa last night. It had all of the same baths as the one in Tonami, but was a little different in design.

Upon walking in, we passed a sign that refused admittance to tattooed heathens. Some sento and onsen have a no tattoo policy because of organized crime (yakuza) membership being displayed via tats. As we bought our tickets, I was specifically singled out and asked if I had a tattoo. I understand that my piercings might lead you to think I had more hiding under my coat, but seriously... I am gaijin. What is the point of keeping a gaijin with a tattoo, who is OBVIOUSLY not yakuza affiliated out of the sento? I said no and happily trotted inside.

The outdoor baths were great as usual, and was also a utatane, or nap space, where you submerge yourself in 42 degree (celsius) water and rest your head on a rock. Its true, I could have fallen asleep in there easily. I learned a song using old style Japanese counting about frogs jumping, and utilized my magical gaijin abilities. My particular superpower is nudey forcefield. Basically, whilst bathing, I have a magical barrier around myself, so any bath I approach is immediately evacuated by all Nihonjin. Eri is immune to my power. I think she built up a tolerance living in the UK.

The entire point of this post was to describe the snow. As we emerged from the utatane area, we noticed it was snowing. We ran to the open-air section of the bath and sat in individual tubs while the snow fell on us. Oh! Beautiful!

Other important news. My san-nensei graduated yesterday. Many of the girls were teary, and the boys actually threw each other in the air a few times. Awww... high school. I will miss you little bastards. And you good kids too!