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In a sento (public bath), should you use a towel to cover yourself? And if you do, how much of what should you cover? There are no rules — it's entirely up to each person. Without guidance, many beginners can't help but glance around to see what everyone else is doing.
A survey by the online community Kikkake's Cow Brand Soap Club, operated by The Sankei Shimbun, sheds light on this. Published on August 25, it found that about 70% of respondents prefer to cover their bodies with towels after undressing in a sento, exceeding the proportion who go all naked.
The main reason for covering was "I don't want to be seen naked" or feeling embarrassed. Unsurprisingly, the survey also revealed notable gender differences in which parts of the body people choose to cover.
Towel or No Towel?
The survey, conducted from June 12 to 30, included 579 respondents (202 men, 376 women, and 1 other). When asked in a four-choice question whether they cover their bodies with towels after undressing in a public bath:
- About two-thirds of men said they cover only the lower body, with the rest split between not covering at all and other options.
- About half of women said they cover both upper and lower body, followed by not covering at all and covering only the lower body.
Among those who cover themselves:
- 50.2% said "I don't want to be seen naked"
- 30.2% said "because it's proper etiquette"
- 19.0% said "because it's a habit"
Among those who do not cover themselves:
- 50.9% said "I don't mind being seen naked"
- 36.1% said "there's no need to cover"
- 7.7% said "because it's a habit"
Some respondents offered extra reasons. Among men, these included confidence in their physique or finding covering too bothersome. Some women felt embarrassed about covering themselves, likely because they didn't want to appear self-conscious. Others cited surgical scars, or simply following what others around them were doing.
Psychology of Embarrassment
Sankei consulted Professor Kensuke Sugawara, a social psychologist at University of the Sacred Heart and author of "Where Did Our Sense of Shame Go?". He explained, "The emotion of embarrassment serves as a warning to ourselves that our actions may violate social norms and undermine social trust."
He noted that the parts people choose to cover in the bath are often the same ones they hide in daily life. "Private zones from everyday life carry over into the public bath, triggering embarrassment when exposed." However, if a sento becomes a familiar, everyday space, people tend to feel secure enough to be fully naked.
Regarding gender differences, he suggested that "men may be more comfortable exposing the upper body due to experiences in festivals or sports."
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- How to Sento Like a Local: A Guide to Japanese Bathhouses
Author: Tomoka Yoshida, The Sankei Shimbun
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