NationStates Jolt Archive

In Japan, there's a set of related concepts called skinship and hadaka no tsukiai' (裸の付き合い) [Lit: Naked relationship] that encourages bonding through skin to skin contact between parents and children or friend to friend while bathing. In Japan, parents of both sexes will bathe with their children, again of both sexes, until the onset of puberty, and even longer. Indeed, the whole family will take a vacation to an onsen (hot springs) to bathe together (usually segregated by sex in this case, though family baths are getting popular). The idea being that such contact helps strengthen the family bond in a setting where everyone is vulnerable (i.e. buck nekkid).

This goes on even further with companies and other groups also heading off to onsen to bathe together with the idea being that the boss is not the boss when naked and even the lowliest new employee is equal to everyone else once the layers of clothing have been stripped off. Again, this is supposed to help the company bond together.

I admit that I was a little uncomfortable the first time around, but I've since jumped in with both feet into this idea.

What do you guys think? Acceptable? Not? Like to try it?

sounds cool.

im not interested.

Not a new concept. I remember reading some very old documents (around 1800s or so) arguing for the same thing to be done in the U.S. One of the precursors to the modern nudist movement, IIRC.

My anthropology classes have exposed me to much stranger bonding rituals from across the world.
One involved a goat.
I'll leave it at that. Its much funnier if you let your imagination do the work.

What do you guys think? Acceptable? Not? Like to try it?Acceptable, interesting, not interested.

What do you guys think? Acceptable? Not? Like to try it?
Something similar is pretty much the norm here, especially relative to saunas.

Sauna culture pretty much requires nudity, unless there's a reason - a foreigner not comfortable with the idea, certain (rare) cases of mixed sex sauna or alternatively eg. a public broadcast - for wearing some form of coverage. The only common segregation is that "boys" and "girls" go to sauna seperately, but this is not in anyway a uniform rule eg. a couple or a family with small children - <10 year olds - almost always go to sauna together and at (college/uni) student saunas the gender segregation is usually only a plaque on the wall... ;)

edit 2: In company, sports club, etc.. sauna nights the genders are often segregated (if applicable) while nudity in bathing room & sauna remains a norm. In common room wearing a towel is usually enough coverge.

Sauna often, if available, includes naked swimming in a nearby lake or pool, so how's that for nudity culture? :tongue:

edit:
There are no specific mysticisms or beliefs involved though, you go to sauna naked because it's the natural way to be in a sauna. :)

This goes on even further with companies and other groups also heading off to onsen to bathe together with the idea being that the boss is not the boss when naked and even the lowliest new employee is equal to everyone else once the layers of clothing have been stripped off. Again, this is supposed to help the company bond together.
Maybe in a family, but if my boss suggested naked community building there's a good chance I'd quit. I don't fucking want to be that familiar with the maintenance guys; it's just not right.
My anthropology classes have exposed me to much stranger bonding rituals from across the world.
One involved a goat.
I'll leave it at that. Its much funnier if you let your imagination do the work.
The whole family gets together to slaughter a goat and make a stew, which they then serve to the homeless?

I admit that I was a little uncomfortable the first time around, but I've since jumped in with both feet into this idea.

What do you guys think? Acceptable? Not? Like to try it?

I'm big on skin to skin contact, yes, even in a non-sexual sense. Also, I'm a heck of a lot less shy when it comes to being naked in front of others. I'd go for it, assuming that the people involved were not going to get all pervy.

I bathed with my girls until the eldest was about three...now they bathe on their own mostly because we can't all fit in the tub. My kids run around the house naked all the time and quite often sleep with me at night. So yes, we still have a fair amount of skin-to-skin contact. I understand that makes some people uncomfortable, but their discomfort isn't about to make me feel uncomfortable about it.

Skin to skin contact happened when the kids were babies/toddlers, not now that they are older....but that's as much their choice as mine. Naked at home is cool as long as company isn't over.

I wouldn't have a problem bathing with my family in a hot tub situation.
I don't think it's culturally acceptable to a lot of people though. I would be uncomfortable with a parent taking baths (like for cleaning baths) with a child who was old enough to bathe alone.



I don't wish to be naked in front of my peers though.

I had to resist the urge to make a perverted comment about skin to skin contact.

I had to resist the urge to make a perverted comment about skin to skin contact.

I wouldn't be naked with you in a hot tub then.

im not interested.
not interested.
Ok, why? If you think the idea is a good one, why not?

I'd go for it, assuming that the people involved were not going to get all pervy.
Usually not. Actually, the idea of privacy when at a public bath or onsen is rather absolute in Japan. I've felt less exposed while naked in an open bath next to the road in Japan then in a jacuzzi with swim wear on while in the US.

I would be uncomfortable with a parent taking baths (like for cleaning baths) with a child who was old enough to bathe alone.

I don't wish to be naked in front of my peers though.
Why on both?

I wouldn't be naked with you in a hot tub then.

Ahh phooey! :(


Now to actually contribute...

I find that just contact, not necesarilly skin to skin contact, but any kind of actual physical contact helps me bond with people. I'm not sure how being nude would make it any different. Besides, I hate how I look naked.

Ok, why? If you think the idea is a good one, why not?
One can accept that there is nothing necessarily wrong with a practice without agreeing that it is a good thing or engaging in it.

I wouldn't do it, for reasons of modesty. Ideally, the only people who should see me naked are my doctor, my blood relatives, or my wife (after I get married).

One can accept that there is nothing necessarily wrong with a practice without agreeing that it is a good thing or engaging in it.
Very true, I wasn't challenging them on it, just wondering why.

Why on both?
I have a cultural bias I can't shake, and as far as my peers... being naked (to me) is being vulnerable, I don't trust anyone outside of family and doctors with that. People are evil.

One can accept that there is nothing necessarily wrong with a practice without agreeing that it is a good thing or engaging in it.

No, one cannot. It's like same-sex marriage. If you accept it, you have to get one.

No, one cannot. It's like same-sex marriage. If you accept it, you have to get one.

I know you are kidding.

No, one cannot. It's like same-sex marriage. If you accept it, you have to get one.

Seriously?

Ok, I um...I accept polyamorous marriages and afros!

*poof*

I don't have a problem with the idea of family naked time or friend naked time, but business naked time carries it a bit too far for me (perhaps partially because at each of the two jobs I've worked at for any significant length of time, I was the only female employee amidst several socially inept male employees with poor personal hygiene. Ah, IT jobs...). In any setting, though, I'd personally be keeping my clothes on, but I don't find being around other naked people particularly disturbing (or exciting, for that matter). I've held my friends' clothes while they skinny-dipped on more than one occasion. :tongue:

In Japan, there's a set of related concepts called skinship and hadaka no tsukiai' (裸の付き合い) [Lit: Naked relationship] that encourages bonding through skin to skin contact between parents and children or friend to friend while bathing. In Japan, parents of both sexes will bathe with their children, again of both sexes, until the onset of puberty, and even longer. Indeed, the whole family will take a vacation to an onsen (hot springs) to bathe together (usually segregated by sex in this case, though family baths are getting popular). The idea being that such contact helps strengthen the family bond in a setting where everyone is vulnerable (i.e. buck nekkid).

This goes on even further with companies and other groups also heading off to onsen to bathe together with the idea being that the boss is not the boss when naked and even the lowliest new employee is equal to everyone else once the layers of clothing have been stripped off. Again, this is supposed to help the company bond together.

I admit that I was a little uncomfortable the first time around, but I've since jumped in with both feet into this idea.

What do you guys think? Acceptable? Not? Like to try it?

Back on topic, put me in with the posters that say it is acceptable for others, but I wouldn't like to try it.

Again, it's a combination of personal hang-ups and cultural norms.

Mmmm, yeah. At my job: criminally stupid idea.

If it's people I'm close with, such as close friends or family, then I have no problem. At work? I'm sorry, but I'd already have my lawyer at the place before the boss even had a chance to explain the reasoning behind the suggestion.

Mmmm, yeah. At my job: criminally stupid idea.
Funnily enough, I have bathed with my students. Sometimes they were at the same onsen I was enjoying at the time, but once was during a school trip I was on were I was enjoying the hotel bath when a large group of my kids came splashing in.

I admit the one thought running through my head was, 'If I was home right now, I would be in soooooooooooooooo much trouble it wouldn't be funny!'

Nakedness was totally accepted in my house growing up, which was good because I was one of those toddlers you just couldn't keep clothes on. I showered with my mom until I was probably 6 or so, because the shower was kind of overwhelming when I was little and I couldn't get the temperature right. I saw both of my parents naked throughout my childhood and didn't find it weird at all (though I stopped running around naked around 10 or so, when I started to mature). I think it was healthy and normal for me. Probably also the reason I was one of the few kids I know who never played "you show me yours, i'll show you mine". I already knew what it all looked like, and it wasn't very interesting.

Mmmm, yeah. At my job: criminally stupid idea.

Right there with you. And no naked time with the other teachers, either. *shudder*

Funnily enough, I have bathed with my students. Sometimes they were at the same onsen I was enjoying at the time, but once was during a school trip I was on were I was enjoying the hotel bath when a large group of my kids came splashing in.

I admit the one thought running through my head was, 'If I was home right now, I would be in soooooooooooooooo much trouble it wouldn't be funny!'

...you were taking a bath naked without the door locked?

...you didn't get in trouble??

...you aren't scarred for LIFE???

...you were taking a bath naked without the door locked?
Hotel bath, meant for all guests to enjoy. There isn't a door to lock!

...you didn't get in trouble??
Nope, all the teachers bathed with their students (Well, the male teachers bathed with the boys, the female teachers bathed with the girls. The idea was to keep our junior high school kids from tearing the bathroom apart).

I, as a hanger on, was just surprised to have what I thought was free time invaded by about 15 15-year-olds.

...you aren't scarred for LIFE???
Possibly, but I was already insane before hand, that's why I'm a teacher after all. :D

Possibly, but I was already insane before hand, that's why I'm a teacher after all. :D

Not just a teacher. A gaijin sensei in Nihon. If you weren't before, you are now.

I've done the hot tub naked with friends of both sexes thing. If you're Wiccan, you become accustomed to going skyclad among friends. I wouldn't want to do it with my co-workers, though, ew.

I've done the hot tub naked with friends of both sexes thing. If you're Wiccan, you become accustomed to going skyclad among friends.

Except for the ones that don't bother with "skyclad".

Except for the ones that don't bother with "skyclad".

Yeah, I only go skyclad in solitary rituals. When it's warm.

Weird, but most of the families I knew growing up, it was not at all unusual for family members to walk around the house naked or near-naked without anyone noticing. It was also standard for family members to hang out with each other while dressing/undressing, or to use the bathroom for different purposes at the same time. This would happen also with unrelated guests in the house, as long as everyone in the room was the same sex. It was also not at all uncommon for women trying on clothes in clothing stores to walk around the fitting rooms in various stages of nudity. And of course, I grew up in a world where women hang out together while using the toilet, too. In fact, I actually grew up in a world where men and women would use a public restroom together, if there was only one, even if they did not know each other.

I don't know if being naked and/or otherwise vulnerable and intimate with people aids interpersonal bonding. It sure as shit didn't between me and my family. But I have no problem with it. Seems like a perfectly normal thing to do.

However, I would not get naked in front of my co-workers/bosses for the purpose of bonding, precisely because I don't want to bond with those people.

(very late) EDIT: As to skin to skin contact: I like cuddling with friends (not just lovers), but the good emotions come with clothes on, too. Physical closeness unclothed with my family never improved our moods. We just annoyed each other too much. And as for people on the job -- if those assholes ever got close enough to me for cuddling, they wouldn't enjoy it.

I suspect the benefits of skin to skin contact kind of depends on how much you like or loathe the person you're touching. Skin to skin touching in general releases endorphins and makes people feel better, but it's not a panacea.

Except for the ones that don't bother with "skyclad".
What's wrong with Skyclad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42HvIkK0qjw)?

Getting naked with family/friends/colleagues - I don't care, nudity doesn't really mean anything to me. Probably a good way to find out the attractive colleague isn't so hot after all, which is good for staying focused on work.

Adding skin contact into the mix - mayyyybe not a very good idea with colleagues. I guess that is because I think keeping a professional distance from others while at work is healthy. Building strong bonds with the people you see every day may be fun, but what if you get fired?

Probably also the reason I was one of the few kids I know who never played "you show me yours, i'll show you mine". I already knew what it all looked like, and it wasn't very interesting.

Until you got a bit older, of course.

In Japan, (.......)
What do you guys think? Acceptable? Not? Like to try it?

The less hang-ups people have to drag through life, the better. Particularily with regards to the carcass we're stuck with for the duration. However, tis too late for me.

In Japan, there's a set of related concepts called skinship and hadaka no tsukiai' (裸の付き合い) [Lit: Naked relationship] that encourages bonding through skin to skin contact between parents and children or friend to friend while bathing.
[....]
This goes on even further with companies and other groups also heading off to onsen to bathe together with the idea being that the boss is not the boss when naked and even the lowliest new employee is equal to everyone else once the layers of clothing have been stripped off.
[...]
What do you guys think? Acceptable? Not? Like to try it?

Depends on how much skin to skin contact. I find the idea of intentional skin contact, rubbing against each other, a bit strange. When skin contact is just considered OK, OTOH, it's just the way it should be. TBH, I don't like the concepts of personal space and stuff, IMHO it has no place between people who aren't strangers.


And speaking of bathing, there's no better place in the world to discuss business than naked in a hot sauna with cool beer.

I would like to try it. It sounds interesting enough.

What do you guys think? Acceptable? Not? Like to try it?

Like the idea, definitely.

I've got very few hang-ups about being naked, and I remember growing up with both parents comfortably being naked around their kids. Summertime would often mean that I wouldn't wear clothes all day, unless I had to leave our house/garden. I enjoyed it, and intend to raise my family in a similar spirit.

I sometimes wish nakedness would be more acceptable in Western societies.

You wouldn't expect group nudity to be such a growing trend in Japan considering obesity is also a growing trend in Japan. :eek:

Like the idea, definitely.

I've got very few hang-ups about being naked, and I remember growing up with both parents comfortably being naked around their kids. Summertime would often mean that I wouldn't wear clothes all day, unless I had to leave our house/garden. I enjoyed it, and intend to raise my family in a similar spirit.

I sometimes wish nakedness would be more acceptable in Western societies.

I agree.

You wouldn't expect group nudity to be such a growing trend in Japan considering obesity is also a growing trend in Japan. :eek:

I think it's exactly this silly approach - only if the majority of people think that you look good are you allowed to ever show yourself naked - that such a culture helps to avoid. ;)

I don't want to see any member of my family naked. I don't want to have to wonder why my dad has the name "Johnny" tattooed on his ass.

Hmm... after re-reading the OP I have come to understand a lot of the behaviour I've seen in Shin-chan.:D

In Japan, there's a set of related concepts called skinship and hadaka no tsukiai' (裸の付き合い) [Lit: Naked relationship] that encourages bonding through skin to skin contact between parents and children or friend to friend while bathing. In Japan, parents of both sexes will bathe with their children, again of both sexes, until the onset of puberty, and even longer. Indeed, the whole family will take a vacation to an onsen (hot springs) to bathe together (usually segregated by sex in this case, though family baths are getting popular). The idea being that such contact helps strengthen the family bond in a setting where everyone is vulnerable (i.e. buck nekkid).

This goes on even further with companies and other groups also heading off to onsen to bathe together with the idea being that the boss is not the boss when naked and even the lowliest new employee is equal to everyone else once the layers of clothing have been stripped off. Again, this is supposed to help the company bond together.

I admit that I was a little uncomfortable the first time around, but I've since jumped in with both feet into this idea.

What do you guys think? Acceptable? Not? Like to try it?

I read that babies bond best when there is skin-to-skin contact, so - during hot weather - it's not unusual to see me totin' my little ones around in a diaper, at most.

I'm not freaked out by societal rules on nudity. I'm just as happy as dressed or naked as the climate allows... but I follow whatever is the pattern for the time and place. So - naked hotsprings don't bother me.

I've been a nudist for years. You meet a great mix of people from all walks of life, and everyone is on the same footing.

It's an interesting idea, but I'm afraid were I live, people aren't exactly all that open minded to nudity I feel.

You wouldn't expect group nudity to be such a growing trend in Japan considering obesity is also a growing trend in Japan. :eek:

Yes, certainly a "growing" trend.

Yes, certainly a "growing" trend.

But nudity is so yummy.:tongue:

What do you guys think? Acceptable? Not? Like to try it?

would like to try it. but with whom...

not my family. sorry. but I'm close enough to them.

friends? maybe.

Co-Workers? OH Hell no!

NSG? possibilities are there...

You wouldn't expect group nudity to be such a growing trend in Japan considering obesity is also a growing trend in Japan. :eek:
Actually, it's the opposite: Japanese are getting so body con due to the increasing weight that it's starting to kill this very old cultural tradition (Bathing goes back centuries).