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By Bruce Smith - The Japanese Bath (2001-05-09) [Hardcover]
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December 31, 2025
The Japanese Bath is a beautifully crafted meditation on bathing as ritual, care, and connection to nature. Its exploration of seasonal bathing, natural waters, and handmade environments is deeply calming and thoughtful.
What moved me most, however, was how closely these traditions echoed my memories of Haiti. Summers spent bathing in rivers and streams. Water as something alive and communal. Handmade objects treated with joy and care, not efficiency. The book helped me see that the values it celebrates are not exclusive to Japan—they exist wherever cultures are allowed to live in continuity with land and life.
The difference is not wisdom, but history. One culture is protected and praised; another was exploited and interrupted.
This book became more than a study of Japanese bathing—it became a quiet reminder of a homeland whose beauty and knowledge were never lost, only displaced. Five stars, without hesitation.
What moved me most, however, was how closely these traditions echoed my memories of Haiti. Summers spent bathing in rivers and streams. Water as something alive and communal. Handmade objects treated with joy and care, not efficiency. The book helped me see that the values it celebrates are not exclusive to Japan—they exist wherever cultures are allowed to live in continuity with land and life.
The difference is not wisdom, but history. One culture is protected and praised; another was exploited and interrupted.
This book became more than a study of Japanese bathing—it became a quiet reminder of a homeland whose beauty and knowledge were never lost, only displaced. Five stars, without hesitation.
Displaying 1 of 1 review