Reinita- thanks for sharing your experience ! I love onsen as well.
I am surprised to hear Volver is coming out only now in Japan, sounds good though, is it being received well ?

Irene- swimming ? wow, eh eh, cool.

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I am in Japan now (well, I am Japanese) and yes, it is sad to see some old traditions fading away. I love onsen (温泉）and I love public baths　（銭湯）
I emailed you because I happened to read your comment on the movie Volver, Talk to her, etc - I actually just wrote somethine on Volver on my blog because in Japan, Volver is going to be in theatres starting from tomorrow (tonight late at night, in Roppongi)!
Also because I read your comment on being between 3 countries. Me too, although I am Japanese by nationality, I have lived in the U.S (including San Francisco) for 15 years, and also been drawn to Italy (where I homestayed in Firenze for 6 months), and so I appear Japanese, and talk like an American, but latin in heart.
Now, I am taking flamenco so I am more Spanish then Italian, but I think there is always an attraction between Italian or Spanish and Japanese cultures, so different in many ways, but I think so the same in many ways. That is why in Japan, Italian and Spanish cultures are highly admired and loved, and I saw the same in Italy. Culture and art are borderless I guess!