私の父と母は施設にいた私を引き取って育ててくれた。いわゆる養親だ。5歳まで施設で過ごした私にとって、家庭での生活は驚くことがたくさんあった。そのひとつが「大人と一緒にお風呂に入る」ということだった。施設では、大人の裸を見たことがあまりなかった。普段お風呂に入れてくれる人は洋服を着ていることが多く、一緒にお風呂に入ることはイベントに近かった。だから、父や母と一緒にお風呂に入ることは、少し照れくさいような、恥ずかしいような、最初は逃げ出したい気持ちさえしたことをよく覚えている。

両親は、お風呂の中で、歌を歌ってくれたり水遊びして遊んでくれた。お陰で、いつしか戸惑いは消え、お風呂は私の大好きな時間になった。父と母は私の身体をすみずみまで優しく洗いあげてくれた。もちろん、施設にいた頃もきれいにしてもらってはいた。けれど、両親の洗い方は「慈しむ」という言葉がぴったり。実に丁寧、そしてどこか温かかった。大切にされているんだということが充分すぎるほど伝わった。時々、私はくすぐったさに笑い出し、父と母もそんな私を見て笑った。笑いに包まれたお風呂場でのひと時は、遠くへ遊びに行ったことと同じくらい、いや、それ以上に楽しい思い出として残っている。

そんな私にとって「裸のつきあい」という言葉は、親しさよりも、愛情の深さを感じさせる言葉。今、私、自分の子どもの身体をお風呂で丁寧に洗う立場になった。子どもはあの時の私と同じように、ケタケタと笑ってくれている。

My father and mother took me out of an infant facility and brought me up. They are so-called foster-parents to me.  There were plenty of new things at home that amazed me as I was there up to 5 years of age. One of them was the time together with my parents in Ofuro. At the infant facility, I almost haven't had no chance to see  naked bodies of grown-ups since staff members at the facility wore their clothes on when they bathed me, which is usually the case. Bathing together with the parents to me was some kind of a symbolic event. I still have a clear memory of taking a bath together..... it was somehow an embarrassing moment, and I almost felt like running away from the spot.

My parents sang a song for me in Ofuro, or played splashing around with hot water in the tub. Thanks to the fun, I began to like enjoying Ofuro a lot and I took it as one of my favorite time. My mother washed/rinsed me thoroughly. Needless to say, staff members at the facility did the same for me, but the way my parents did was, I would say, "the tender loving care". That's exceptionally careful and minute, and somehow heart-warming. I felt sufficiently enough that I was being well taken care of.  I often burst into laughter when I was tickled by my parents, and then they laughed at me in turn while they enjoyed my laughing. The time in Ofuro is still alive in my heart as one of my enjoyable memories, as equivalent as the time we went out for a pleasure trip afar.....or maybe I can say Ofuro time was even more fun.

"Hadakano-Tsukiai" (or Naked relationship), the word, to me,  it rather implies  touching a deep love more than being close. Well, look at me, I now have my own small child, and it's my turn to wash my little one with the same tender care I was given from my parents. She is giving back the same big laughter to me as I did to them. 

(Note):  It's not uncommon in Japan to take a bath for parent(s) and small child(ren) together. It's considred to be a part of  excellent communication tools.