SPASSO

There are days when I definitely miss the States. Days when all I want to do is drive to Target and shop til I drop or days when I wish I could go to some hole in the wall restaurant and order some greasy unadulterated Mexican food and just eat until I burst. Oh, how I miss the forearm-sized carne asada burritos! Last Tuesday night was definitley NOT one of those days.

Spasso is a Japanese spa resort located just 2-3 kilometers from our home. One of my mommy friends, Darlene, suggested that we go there for a ladies night out. This place is going on the list of things I will miss when I leave Japan. Darlene had been there several times and said that it was fantastic. They have a Summer evening special for August. For 1000 yen (about $10.00), we were given access to their onsens, jet pool, sauna, and "healing room" (laying on hot stones). An onsen is a Japanese communal bath. Yes, ladies and gents, we strip down to our skivies and relax in the hot baths. (The "ladies", of course, seperated from the "gents"). I hear from Jeff that this is a pretty nice place and that folks from Tokyo often spend several nights here to get away from the city. I hear also that their lunch specials are a good deal.

To tell the truth, I was a little nervous when the actual time came to hang out in the buff. When we checked in, we were given a small bag with a big towel and a little towel. Once I placed all my clothing in my locker, I naturally assumed we would cover up with the big towel (You know, being the stereotypical American prude). Until Darlene wispered, "Nicki, little towel". OK, strike one for being the super-cool-up-for-anything mum. I probably turned several shades of pink (my face people!) as I slowly pulled the small towel out of the locker. The large towel was for drying off before departing the spa. Despite my initial nervousness, after several minutes of relaxing I didn't care about the whole naked thing. After all, there were all shapes, sizes and ages there. Including the occasional toddler splashing about.

Before we even got into the baths/pools we had to scrub off head to toe. All the soap, shampoo, conditioner, and face soap was supplied and the notorious little towel served as our wash cloth. Darlene gave us a little tour of the place and the 3 of us stuck together for the most part while we were there. It's a small enough place, but still, we were the only America-jin in the place. There were 3 pools indoors. Two baths were the same, except one being warmer than the other. The temperature of the pools were posted on a digital monitor on the wall. The 3rd pool had jets that we could turn on and off. All of the water was salt water. There was one last pool (where we spent most of our time) outdoors. It felt so good to feel the cool night air after sitting in a super warm pool. There were also "single size" tubs outdoors about the size of a sake barrel tub. The sauna was a wet sauna also with salt water. There were cold water hoses to use just in case we were overheating. There was also a room where we could get massages (for a little extra yen). Also there was a "healing room" where apparently, there are hot stones that we could lay down on. None of us tried that however. If any of our readers have tried it, please let me know how it was!

I'd have to say that when we first moved here, I was never really excited about shrines and temples. I was so much more excited to see the bustling city of Tokyo and finding out where to find the best sushi or learn the language. I respect them (temples and shrines) and realize that, to get an understanding of Japanese culture, I need an understanding of their history. It's just, given the opportunity I'd much rather go to a bath house, go shopping or go to some authentic Japanese restaurant, than visit yet another Temple or Shrine. Most of the time when I go, I end up making sure Josh doesn't crack his skull open on the ancient stone steps or jump in the pond while Mike gets lost in photography. I don't really have the opportunity to just sit and enjoy the serenity of these magnificent places. Going to a bath house in Japan was definitely on the list of things I wanted to do before leaving. Now, I think I'm going to have to do it over and over and over again before leaving! My first experience with an onsen last Tuesday at Spasso was very positive. It pushed the envelope of my comfort zone but only for a moment and then I was past it. I'm looking forward to going back and trying out different onsens besides Spasso. It's something that I'll really appreciate during the cold nights of winter. I suppose my grandma was right when she instructed me to "always try new things". It was comforting to know that if I wanted, I could bring Josh with me also. The 3 of us ladies where able to chat and lay back for hours. When I got home I was so refreshed & relaxed. I went to bed and slept like a log. I have a feeling that Mike is going to regret that I ever found out about this place! Thank you Darlene for being a tour guide for Patrice and me. I would have never tried this place had you not been there to show me the ropes. So now, as I scrub the toilets and clean up pee pee pants, I have something to fantasize about and look forward to.

Oh yes, a little side note that we've added a couple of new links so check them out. It's been a long time coming. My girlfriend from back home in San Diego has her "mommy blog" (Gingers Mom). She's a Navy spouse with 3 kidlets and has a fun writing style. She and her husband actually were the ones who hooked Mike and I up on our blind date. Our other link is also a frequent visitor to our site. Boston Jeff is an NC State Alumni planning on spending some time here in Japan. He looks at our sites along with many others to prepare for his time here. Plus, we've got a special place in our heart for the Wolfpack. Before coming here, Mike was actually the President of the NC State Alumni Club, San Diego chapter.