Bathing habits

[kintaro 0]

2 showers a day - morning and night. I do however, really miss having my bath time like I did while in Japan. I don't know of a single person that bathes here in Hawaii. I guess a good soak in the ocean followed by a fresh water shower is often just as good.

[Yuki's Passion 1]

You guys out in Hawaii are lucky - beautiful place, nice beaches, and sick waves. The ocean is the worlds biggest onsen!

[snowdude 44]

Usually bath or onsen every evening in winter, and in summer up to several times a day as required.

[brit-gob 9]

I think actually lots of Japanese if they tell you the truth have an image of gaijin being smelly.

 

I must admit, I have to agree and often notice rancid sweat smell back in the US and UK when I am there than I do when I am here. Not bathing as well surely has a lot to do with it.

 

And people who smell obviously don't know they do.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

are you joking?? Salaryman express is one whiffy train to be on!!

[brit-gob 9]

Not kidding.

 

Salaryman express will be whiffy anywhere in the world.

I don't think that counts (for this particular point).

[Roger's head 0]

At an enkai not so long ago my colleagues told me the smelly ranking

 

1) Indian people

2) Black people

3) Caucasians

 

Such a delightful conversation it was! I'm pretty sure they knew I was sat there!!

I sobered up real quick.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

the point being that Gaijin are smellier than Japanese?

I disagree, both are equally smelly. EVERYBODY sweats and produces odour, some are more odourous than others but the Japanese are not a smell-free race.......some of them (like any other race of people on earth) are positively disgusting and others are not.

[brit-gob 9]

Well, yes, but - diet has something to do with it, no?

 

Also, people cleaning themselves or not!

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Been on a lot of planes, trains and other enclosed spaces of late - and there are smellies in all races! And there are pleasant smelling people in all races.

 

I do think that the diet may alter the odour a touch - such that you have foul smelling familiar or foul smelling and unfamiliar .... perhaps the foul smelling unfamiliar is ranked higher than the foul smelling familiar by most people. This would explain the racial component.

 

What I DO NOT understand is why someone would get onto a plane where they are going to be seated with others in close habitation for HOURS, when they clearly have not armpit washed and deodorized for at least 24 hours - some of the foul odours I have smelt on plane passengers in the last week alone has been INCREDIBLE!

[klingon 10]

We're down to how clean people keep themselves aren't we.

 

In 10+ years of flying to and from Japan and sitting all but one time next to Japanese people I can't think of 1 time I have smelt anything other than the "beef or fish" being prepared.

 

Who were the people you were unfortunate to sit next to in the last week Mamabear?!?

[HelperElfMissy 42]

I was pretty lucky considering I have actually had to sit next to people other than my family a fair bit the last few trips.

 

On our flight on Thursday to Brisbane there were 4 of us and a 3 3 seating config - so Papa, Powder Baby and #2 son sat together - and I sat across the aisle with a middle aged newly infatuated couple that looked like they would be at home up in far north Queensland wrestling croc's with Steve Irwin's mob. His BO was pretty potent, but fortunately he sat on the window and and I had her as a buffer - but their heavy airplane makeout sessions made me a little uncomfortable!!

 

It was more the people heading back to the bathroom that I caught nasty wiffs of ---> I reckon about 1/3 of the men, and just one woman (a very overweight woman who spent the last half hour of the trip throwing up also)

 

I did notice wiffy armpit smells on the way home from Japan also, not as many as the Brissy flight I must admit - but I don't think there was a racial difference in the distribution of odour. But I am quite sensitive to smells - I always make sure I take chewy's to counter morning breath, spare deodorant to make sure the kids don't get smelly etc.

 

Surprisingly, I found one of the air hostesses a little on the nose last night - it was probably just her cologne not agreeing with me, but I took to holding my breath when she walked past.

[iiyamadude 6]

Mamabear, doesn't #2 son have a groovy nickname yet?

[HelperElfMissy 42]

No...

I like "Princess", but somehow he doesn't agree.

His CB call sign in Niseko was "Little Sister".

There is a theme here...

[RobBright 35]

Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver

the point being that Gaijin are smellier than Japanese?
I disagree, both are equally smelly. EVERYBODY sweats and produces odour, some are more odourous than others but the Japanese are not a smell-free race.......some of them (like any other race of people on earth) are positively disgusting and others are not.

Rush hour Tokaido eh?

[fukdane 2]

One more reason to live in the countryside.

[RobBright 35]

Yeah, cos B.O is worse than the smell of pig shit.

[fukdane 2]

I see.

 

Personally I have no idea where the nearest pigs, cows or other smelly non-humans are!

 

It's all rice and fresh air here.

[grungy-gonads 54]

Originally Posted By: Mamabear

No...
I like "Princess", but somehow he doesn't agree.
His CB call sign in Niseko was "Little Sister".
There is a theme here...

Mamabear, any particular reason for the girly proposed names?

[Tubby Beaver 209]

Originally Posted By: RobBright

Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver

the point being that Gaijin are smellier than Japanese?
I disagree, both are equally smelly. EVERYBODY sweats and produces odour, some are more odourous than others but the Japanese are not a smell-free race.......some of them (like any other race of people on earth) are positively disgusting and others are not.

Rush hour Tokaido eh?

Yep!! Last year I had a double dunter......Rush Hour on the Tokaido and Morning Rush hour on the Sotetsu (Yokohama direction). Squashed and smelly. This year just the Tokaido to deal with

[gerard 6]

Except for the choking perfume that many flight anttendants wear, I don't notice specific B.O. smells on long airplane rides. Planes are like stewpots full of foul odors that all melt into one.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

GG: He is a very strong personality, a boy who likes his colognes, and hair care products - very communicative kid. We tease him that he is the daughter we never had ... but he is also very strongly identified as heterosexual, and if there were actually any suspicions I don't think we would tease him/joke with him like we do.

 

Ger: I wonder if girls and guys perceive smells differently... I can pick BO, the general area from which it emanates and if I get closer exactly who it is on ... I can tell if the BO is a males or females without looking, and I can tell if it is underarm BO or general odour. I also prefer to smell the overpowering perfume smell of the hostesses - but there is nothing worse than when that perfume smell has a base note of BO that is trying to be hidden!

[griller 9]

Metrosexual! Very modern.

[griller 9]

Originally Posted By: Mamabear

I also prefer to smell the overpowering perfume smell of the hostesses - but there is nothing worse than when that perfume smell has a base note of BO that is trying to be hidden!

Yes yes! 'a base note of BO'

[Roger's head 0]

Originally Posted By: Roger's head

At an enkai not so long ago my colleagues told me the smelly ranking

1) Indian people
2) Black people
3) Caucasians

Such a delightful conversation it was! I'm pretty sure they knew I was sat there!!
I sobered up real quick.

Some of the same people told me last night that "white people" don't like the heat. I asked them if that included, for example, all Europeans, and they said yes it did.

Now you know.