Robert

I have done some work on Japanese bath houses following an
excavation on Thursday Island a few years ago.  I have a
paper in publication at present which provides some
background which may help. The bath I excavated (actually
flipped a lump of concrete over to get to the actual site and
then found it was an upturned concrete and tiled tub!!) was part
of a larger bathhouse.  Unfortunately I am away from the office
at present and have no details with me.  If you'd like more
details contact me off list next week and I'll send info to you.

Gordon Grimwade
Queensland Australia


---- Original message ----
>Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2004 15:11:55 -0700
>From: Robert Muckle <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: japanese bath
>To: [log in to unmask]
>
>I am looking for some comparative information to help in my
>interpretation of a feature in a circa 1920 Japanese logging
camp I am
>excavating on the west Coast of Canada. I think the feature
may be a
>Japanese bath (a.k.a. ofuro). The camp evidently burned to
the ground,
>probably in 1924.
>
>The bath, which is in a fairly advanced state of deterioration,
was
>fashioned from thin metal and nailed into wood. It fits into an
>depression in the ground about two feet deep, eight feet long,
and four
>feet wide.  Based on the presence of nails I suspect the bath
was within
>a building measuring about 10 feet by 15 feet. Besides nails,
other
>items found in association include metal pipe, several pieces
of beer
>and sake bottles, several small pieces of window glass, and a
small
>bottle (maybe opium?).
>
>I know from a search of textual records that the building of
baths was
>a priority for Japanese when setting up camps of various
sorts, but have
>been unable to find any relevant written descriptions or
images.
>
>I would be pleased to hear suggestions or opinions.
>
>Bob Muckle