
Mixed bathing going under
The Japan Times: Nov. 6, 2005, by GEOFF BOTTING---
For centuries, amorous Japanese couples have looked forward to autumn. That's because as the temperatures drop, hot-spring resorts become the ideal romantic getaway, where a man and a woman can soak naked together in a large, steamy bath.
These days, however, the tradition of mixed bathing appears to be headed for extinction. The number of mixed hot springs, called kon-yoku in Japanese, is dwindling at an alarming rate...
"Mixed bathing, whereby complete strangers could enjoy hot springs amid calmness and harmony, is a distinctive feature of Japan," Matsuda sighs. "It has a history of at least 1,300 years. It's outrageous that some mindless people are destroying this tradition." ...more...