Job Discussion Forums

[randerso]

Don't know about health clubs or gyms, but I had no probs at any of the onsen/bathhouses I went to. A lot of the old grandmas would come over as I was washing and try to help me get the 'dirt spots' off my back, but in the end they just wanted to touch them and talk to each other about my craziness! I had to keep them covered at work, of course (I had a bad ankle for a year that I had to keep covered with a TENSOR bandage!) But after work, when out drinking with some of my students, I took off the covering and they were just curious. The Moms of my kids would probably not have 'approved', but they never saw it.

Before I went to Japan the first time, people also told me not to wear sunglasses, as Yakuza wear sunglasses. Please! I may have been in the minority, but I wasn't mistaken for a gangster (are there women Yakuza?). Bottom line is that you are going to a different culture. They will look at you, judge you, measure you and be curious about you. You may have to not do certain things (gyms) but you can get away with a lot too. As other posters have said: case by case.