What did people in Japan use as shaving soap/aftershave back when they were secluding themselves? Did they make shaving soap like we use now or did they do something else? I was reading Shogun by James Clavell (an interesting book, though I'm informed it isn't entirely accurate) and the main character, a European, remarks that during his time in Japan he got accustomed to shaving every day, though he mentions nothing of the actual process. Anybody know?
Reading about Kamisoris has gotten me thinking.
- Thread starter CnB
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It's an interesting question, because although the Japanese baths (and the ritual/culture surrounding them) are fairly famous, baths were used for relaxation, and apparently, people would wash themselves with water and a light abrasive (sand, ash, etc.) before bathing. Soap wasn't introduced until the modern era. A brief googling suggests the first western style animal fat based soap wasn't produced there until 1870, although it may have been imported before that.
So shaving has a much longer history than soap does there. Apparently there's a book on the shaving in Japan - http://www.kamisoriclub.co.jp/company/history-e.htm - but I don't know if there's a translation.
So shaving has a much longer history than soap does there. Apparently there's a book on the shaving in Japan - http://www.kamisoriclub.co.jp/company/history-e.htm - but I don't know if there's a translation.
I read an excerpt from an old paper once that said that the Chinese barbers always used plain water. I'm assuming Japanese practice wasn't far from that either.
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Ouch! I guess they must have had great razors and a mastery of gentle touch
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