[originaltext]W: Hey Phil, Have you ever been to a Japanese public bath? I hear

W: Hey Phil, Have you ever been to a Japanese public bath? I hear it’s quite an experience.
M: Well, it’s nothing like visiting a swimming pool in the States.
W: Well, what do you do when you go to a public bath?
M: First, you take off your shoes before you enter.
W: Okay.
M: Then, you pay an entrance fee to the man or woman at the front counter. Next, you get undressed in the dressing room.
W: Wow. And do you wear a bathing suit or something?
M: Oh no! You don’t wear anything. Then you go into the main bathing area and wash your body while sitting on a small stool about 40 centimeters high.
W: On a stool !
M: Yeah. It was really hard getting used to bathing in that position.  Sometimes, even, people wash each other’s backs.
W: Oh really. So, what do you do after that?
M: Well, after you’ve rinsed off all the soap, they usually have two or three large baths where you can soak for a while.
W: De you actually share the bath with other people?
M: Yeah. Traditionally, the bath played an important role in the community. It gave neighbors an opportunity to socialize while bathing.
W: Huh. Interesting.
M: When you’re all done bathing, people relax in the dressing room by watching TV, drinking tea or juice, or talking to friends. It’s quite an experience.