Value Village ／ Health
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
Japan likes its baths hot, and a deep soak is one of the first things visitors try. The government, however, warns that deaths during bathing run at about three times the number of road-traffic deaths. Here are the official guide figures.
According to the Consumer Affairs Agency's safety warning —
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| People aged 65 and over who died by drowning (2022 / Reiwa 4) | 7,900 |
| Of these, in bathtubs at home or in residential facilities | 5,824 |
| Estimated sudden deaths during bathing (including causes other than drowning) | About 19,000 a year |
Government Public Relations Online describes this as "about three times the number of road-traffic deaths".
The reasons given for the rise in accidents in winter are sudden swings in blood pressure caused by the temperature difference between a warm living room and a cold changing area or bathroom (Japanese bathrooms are often unheated), and loss of consciousness caused by a rise in body temperature after a long soak in hot water.
[Verify] The figures are based on the Consumer Affairs Agency's warning (2022 data) and Government Public Relations Online. Check the originals before publication and update to the latest year's data.
The Consumer Affairs Agency's guide is 41°C or below, for up to 10 minutes. Long soaks at high temperature lie behind the accidents above.
A long bath makes you lose fluid. Drinking water before and after the bath is recommended.
Warming the changing area and the bathroom is one of the pillars of the Consumer Affairs Agency's warning. The temperature difference itself is described as a risk factor.
Repeated warnings say to avoid bathing after drinking.
The deaths above are concentrated among older people. If you live with family, it is also recommended to let someone know before you bathe, and to check on anyone who has not come out for a long time.
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https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/consumer_safety/caution/caution_042/assets/consumer_safety_cms204_20201119_02.pdf
https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/consumer_safety/child/project_001/mail/20231211/
https://www.gov-online.go.jp/article/202111/entry-9952.html
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
If you have a chronic condition or are older, ask a doctor about bathing.
This article is not meant to diagnose or manage any specific medical condition. If you are worried about your health, see a doctor rather than relying on your own judgement.
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