The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: May twenty-fourth, with some Sento sensibilities.

For centuries, communal public bath houses, or sento, have played a special role in Japanese life. Until recently, Japanese homes lacked indoor plumbing, so sento, which literally translates as "money for hot water," offered a place of refuge, relaxation and community.

In the old days, people went to sento to get clean and to catch up on the local gossip. This created a sense of hadak no tsukiai or camaraderie through nakedness. Though most Japanese homes now have bathrooms, a visit to a sento remains a ritual for those with the yen to soak up some warmth in a piping hot tub with neighbors. Most modern sento are segregated by sex, and many also have saunas and other health oriented facilities which make them mini-spas.

At the same time, Japanese are alarmed by gaijin, or foreigners, who come to sample the sento's communal warmth and ritual. Locals claim the problem is less the number of foreign visitors than their failure to observe the basic customs of courtesy and hygiene considered sacred. With that in mind, here are basic rules to follow if you should ever find yourself facing some Japanese hot water.

One: soap up and rinse off completely before slipping into the communal tub. Two: be respectful of others and know that it's bad form to either waste water or splash it on your neighbors. And three: no underwear, please. If you're not willing to reveal yourself, stay away. Remembering and practicing these three, primary sento sensibilities will help avoid stirring troubled waters.

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