Completely sweaty from the sweltering summer heat over Tokyo, the visitor reaches the swimming pool with relief. An employee of the Urayasu City Sports Park near the capital points out the rules of the house in a friendly manner: “You must put on a bathing cap.”
The visitor rubs his bald head in amazement. The lady explains the reason with a friendly smile: To “protect her head”. Aha, the visitor thinks, makes sense. He’s not allowed to wear his glasses in the bathroom. Swimming goggles only.
order must be
While there are repeated riots and riots in several swimming pools in Germany and a heated debate has flared up, swimming pools in Japan, which emphasizes harmony, are civilized. This is ensured not least by an astonishing number of regulations and rules of conduct. This may come as a surprise, given that the Japanese are known around the world for their politeness. Perhaps also because they are asked to behave correctly at every turn in everyday life. Whether at school, traveling by train or just splashing about in the swimming pool. order must be.
“When using the outdoor pool, only swimming rings in the shape of a donut with a maximum diameter of 120 centimeters are allowed,” says a sign at the entrance to the Urayasu City Indoor Swimming Pool. Inflatable dolphins, crocodiles or similar monsters must stay outside. This also applies to fins, snorkels and bodyboards elsewhere.
“Don’t dive, do headstands, don’t hold your breath, and don’t do other dangerous activities or mischief that can cause injury,” warns the city of Funabashi, for example.
Japanese pools are divided into areas for swimmers and areas where people just want to have fun. If you decide to swim in the swimming area, you have to make sure that you are swimming in the right direction: there are lanes in which you can only swim in one direction. Other swimmers shouldn’t be stopped from swimming their lanes, so don’t just stop.
Some swimming pools in Japan also have a dedicated area for visitors who just want to walk slowly in the water. And when the supervisory staff calls for a break and music is played, all bathers have to get out of the water.
Showering is mandatory
Showering before entering the pool is considered common sense around the world, and is even a mandatory rule in Japan. “In order to maintain the quality of the water, please remove makeup, hair styling products, etc., and take a shower before using the pool,” says the website of the Fukuoka Prefectural Public Swimming Pool on Japan’s southwestern main island Kyushu.
Glasses, watches and jewelry must be removed before entering the pool to avoid injury. Running at the edge of the pool is also prohibited, as you can eventually slip. And taking photos or shooting videos anyway.
And like most places visited by half-naked people, tattoos need to be covered. But there are also swimming pools where people with tattoos are not even allowed. It is therefore advisable to first familiarize yourself with the respective rules before visiting a swimming pool in Japan, as they can be handled differently from place to place. In any case, the staff keeps a close eye on everything – including the bathing caps.
