As we learned during the first days of our stay in Japan, people don't take shower - they bath. Or to be precise they first wash themselves really well and then soak their body in hot water, to relax their muscles and warm up. The same bathing water is used by all family members, making it much more efficient.
It seems that for many Japanese, bathing is more than a bath. It is akin to a meditative practice - a time to renew, revive, relax, and cleanse the soul. Beyond cleansing the body, the bath is viewed as a time and place to wash away the cares and worries of the day.