Since olden days, Japanese people have always had a custom of enjoying 'onsen' (hot springs) and 'sentou' (public baths), so it is common for families to run a bath in which to soak themselves. First they wash their body outside of the bathtub, in the 'araiba'. The whole family takes it in turn to use the same bathwater, so it is customary for each person to wash their body completely clean before they go for a soak.
