Quote:
Originally Posted by MMM
Not trying to be difficult, but I am guessing most studio apartments are like the one I had, with a "unit bath" with what is essentially an airplane bathroom with a bath/shower. I could not lather up outside the bathtub, or I would have flooded my apartment. I just used the shower like a normal Westerner.
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Actually, unit baths are designed for washing outside the tub - no matter how it may look at first glance. There is usually a small drain somewhere in a corner and the bottom of the door will be sealed to not let the water escape.
Most of my friends back in university lived in tiny one rooms, and I assure you that when staying over no one washed in the tub. Everyone would use a big washing bowl perched on the toilet to wash with, then a quick rinse of with the shower before getting into the bath.
I`ve even been in a few that have a sort of secret panel that lets you pop the sink itself out from the wall so that it wedges over the toilet next to it and a (tiny) washing area appears. It took one of my friends 2 years to realize her unit did this, and that the drain was hidden in an impression behind.
If there is a bath and not shower stall, then it is made with bathing in mind. I have yet to see any that just have the stall in normal apartments - they`re usually in workplaces.
Quote:
Originally Posted by steven
As for bathrooms in houses, I've noticed a kind of "public restroom" feel to a lot of bathrooms here. Where you'll multiple stalls in one "bathroom".
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This is minshuku culture. In larger houses there was a strong culture of using the house as an inn through at least part of the year. It`s grown a bit less common to actually use them as such, but (in Fukui at least) it`s not only common to have several toilet stalls, but also multiple sinks and baths. You will rarely see that outside of the strong minshuku areas, and I`ve never encountered anything like it in the city.
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I just want to add something - I think that houses/long-term homes need to be looked at differently than one-room apartments and other short term living arrangements. Studio apartments tend to be more like a step up from a dorm - they`re not designed to be lived in long term, and are designed for price, efficiency, and to fit as many units as possible into a building. For most people they`re a temporary arrangement. I remember reading that the average turnover for one room studios was 3 years. Students tend to live in them for the 4 years of university then move - they tend to be the longest staying residents. Working residents tend to move after 2 years or even less.
I had a friend attending university in the US, living in a building with 4 coin operated showers in the hallway, and the toilet in their room was in the closet hidden by a curtain. It was a temporary arrangement, and I would never think of using it as an example of normal US lifestyle - just as I would never think of using the short term accommodations in Japan as an example of normal lifestyle.