Instant Onsen at home!

Posted by: kirin on date

Nov 28th, 2008 | filed

Filed under: Daily Life

Bathing is sort of pastime to me at the end of a day. Especially using instant Onsen powder or aroma oil makes me feel so relaxed.

Most of Japanese people take a bath every night, which is so different from that people from most of other countries take a shower in the morning. Also, bathroom is so different, as we make the bathtub full of hot water as in the photo and when we are inside it, the hot water stays around the shoulder hight. We wash our body outside the tub, hence it is always that bathroom consists of 2 areas; tub & wash space. Half & half.

The hot water is to be shared with all the family members, and there are many housewifes who re-use the hot water for washing laundry next morning. (The hot water is tepid water by that time) I am one of those Do you wonder if I scoop up small amount of water and repeat that 10-20 times? No! The washing machine has a pump from the beginning (because reuse of the bath water is so common) and when I choose the reuse course and sink the hose into the bathtub and turn the switch on, the washing machine starts pumping. I just wait until it lets me know when finished.

These days I sometimes sleep in a bathtub because it’s so comfortable and I’m too tired. Bathing takes time and sometimes tiresome but it’s inextricable part of life to me. When I skip this bathing at night before sleep, I sometimes feel cold or my brain keeps working even after I get into the bed. But I will fall asleep in a second, very relaxed and warmed with little bit fatigue from bathing just like after doing some sports.

BTW, the water is colored because of the Onsen powder What I like about it is that there are so many kinds of Onsen powder released from many brands and companies. The scent, color, modeled onsen type is all different, and it gives me another reason that I don’t wanna skip bathing!

Am I too addicted to bathing? Won’t you think you would be like me if you can enjoy this kind of bathing every night?

Tags: instant onsen powder, Japanese bath

104524 ResponsesInstant+Onsen+at+home%212008-11-28+12%3A41%3A59kirin to “Instant Onsen at home!”

Dutchie Said,
November 28th, 2008 at 1:33 pm

Kirin !! what a luxury !

Most of us r rushing thru making dinner n getting a hot shower to take the chill off the bones (especially now with winter), catch the 8pm news, go thru stacks of mail, browse thru trade journals/magazines n be in time to catch our 8hr sleep so that we r rested for yet another day !

Having said all that, I do admire u for being able to set aside time for a nice, warm, relaxing soak

Joe Said,
November 28th, 2008 at 1:59 pm

I love a nice bath if ive been out in the rain or are very tired, but i normally just shower in the morning, easier.

kirin Said,
November 29th, 2008 at 3:03 pm

@Dutchie,

I think I am one of the bathing addict, but it’s quite common to have a bathing like that every night for any Japanese people even though we are known or criticized as “worker drone” in the world. At the same time though, not many of us can keep 8 -hour sleep. That’s what you’ll see how many people sleeping on the train! hahaha…

@Joe,

I wish I could save time with quick shower and instead use the time for something different, but once you do a Japanese, you’ll see. I think I am not specialized bathing freak. (I hope….) Thanks for the comment

Ivy Said,
November 30th, 2008 at 7:55 am

Wow!!! I rarely takes baths – only showers. I never have time for baths. After I come back from work. I jump into the shower, sing Shimizu Shota’s アイシテル, and DOUBLE’s Life is Beautiful, then run out in 20 minutes. Eat my dinner. Chat online. Watch some anime, if I have time. Then sleep. And I can’t even catch 7 hours of sleep. T___T

Contamination Said,
December 1st, 2008 at 4:49 pm

Bathing is cool

I thoroughly enjoy bathtime with my son.

Though there would be no complaints if you uploaded further pictures of your bathtime.

kirin Said,
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:27 pm

@Contamination,

Bathing with your son…that sounds fun!
Oh~no, there’s no further pictures. That sounds like Oyaji comment.

papu Said,
December 7th, 2008 at 6:39 am

an onsen powder addict? reminds me of a classmate. never used one though- a warm shower is enough for me.

Lisa Said,
December 9th, 2008 at 2:50 pm

I very much miss the bath tub I had in Japan. I think I would enjoy long baths more often back home if the tub was the same depth. As it is, western tubs are too long (can’t sit comfortably) and too shallow (I like my shoulders to keep warm!). I didn’t know about the washing machine/bath tub option, but it sounds really smart to reuse the water like that!

kirin Said,
December 12th, 2008 at 1:49 am

@papu,

Maybe this feeling is something special that Japanese people have. It was very fresh for me to read how others would think about this style of bathing, because I found many people are just OK with shower. And, I was way too addicted to bathing, when compared internationally. But when I look at comments from people who now or used to live in Japan, they seem to feel that bathing in a tub means something.
Thanks for your comment!

@Lisa,

Just as I mentioned above, it was very interesting for me to learn how you (who used to live in Japan) would feel about bathing in a tub. I think that most of people are just fine with shower, and you used to be so, didn’t you? In that sense, I’d be happy with shower if only I didn’t know this bathing style!

Lauren Said,
September 7th, 2009 at 5:21 pm

I've always wondered this… but aren't you terribly cold washing outside of the bath? Do you have to rush because you're cold? And how do you wash and rinse your hair outside of the bath?

kirin Said,
September 8th, 2009 at 12:13 am

No, not at all. Why? Because the bathtub allows hot water as much as the height of my shoulders when I just sit inside. The hot water maybe around 38-42 celsius (sorry I don't know fahrenheight) and when I stay there for 20 minutes, for example, my body can be heated so well that I don't feel cold while I wash my hair and body outside the tub.

Can you imagine what I mean?

Because of this, bathing makes our blood circulation better, and so good for our health. I LOVE bathing! Especially winter, I cannot live without it. It's also good for beauty, because of good blood circulation, we can get rid of dropsy and hot humid steam can also open pores.

If you have a chance to experience Japanese styled bath, you will see what I mean.

fragrances Said,
March 26th, 2010 at 4:21 pm

I wanna find more info about this, anybody could?

alexis Said,
July 13th, 2010 at 8:38 am

I love the modern Japanese bath. When I first visited my in-laws, I was so very surprised when I saw my MIL reusing the previous night's bathwater for laundry the next morning> haha. In our culture I think soaking in the bathtubs for adults are not quite an everyday affair, more like once or twice a week, just for some pampering and relaxing time. Afternoon baths are best. Most countries in Asia don't bathe inside the tub. I think it's only the west that does that. Correct me if I am wrong.

kirin Said,
July 13th, 2010 at 11:41 pm

I'm not sure other part of Asia but I'm sure people in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia where the climate is very warm, they only take a shower, and most of them don't even have a bath tub at home. I hear that our bathing culture is originally from Turk and via silk road. It's so interesting to find the roots of the culture. Also our culture is so much related with the one of Jewish. Basically most of our culture is influenced by China and Korea, but I'm not sure if they take a bath just like we do.

sampee Said,
October 30th, 2010 at 6:13 am

I really want to soak my self in one of those Onsen and whats it feels like to bath in one of those.

kirin Said,
October 31st, 2010 at 12:18 am

When I compare a day with bathing like this before sleep at night and without it, I feel so much difference at how smoothly I start sleeping. When I take a long bath at night before sleep, I can fall in asleep very quickly when I lie on bed. It's just like I did small exercise. This illustrate how Japanese style of bathing makes us relaxed both mentally and physically. I hope you can explore it when you have a chance to visit Japan.

ユリア Said,
April 10th, 2011 at 10:29 am

こんにちは、キリンさん！
素晴らしいブログありがとうございます。本当に楽しみです！！
日本に住んでいないのですが、よくお風呂に入ります。
温泉というパウダーを入れたお風呂は健康的だと思います。
ちなみにロシアでは、お風呂に入るときに、塩浴「bath salts?」は人気がありますよ。
あとは日本に来れば、本当の温泉に入ってもいいですね～♪
このパウダーの値段を知っていたら、教えてくださいね＾－＾
* **文法の間違いがあったらごめんなさい！！日本語の学生だから・・・（笑）

kirin Said,
April 11th, 2011 at 12:22 pm

ユリアさん。
ユリアさんはとっても日本語が上手ですね！びっくりしました！！温泉パウダーと書いたけど、そう、バスソルトみたいなものですー＾＾日本語では「入浴剤」（にゅうよくざい）と言われています。１袋（１回分）100-200円とかです。まとめて箱に入っているやつはもっと安いです。でも、もちろん本物の温泉とは全然ちがうね。日本に来たらぜひ温泉に行ってみてください。気持ちいいですよ！＾＾

ninoue8 Said,
June 9th, 2011 at 6:22 am

i want to try this kind of bathing. i can imagine how relaxing it is just by reading ur post. now i wish my house has a bathtub…T_T
when i have a house i one to build 1 bathtub!!definitely! =)

kirin Said,
June 9th, 2011 at 8:17 am

The other day I met a Chinese woman living in the U.S who knows Japanese bath. She installed a Japanese bath in her house in the U.S, because she knows how comfortable and relaxing it is! You should definitely try Japanese one. Western bathtub basically does not allow hot water to cover your sholders. And it gets colder. Japanese bath if it's connected with the boiler and computer, it remains the water temperature as 40C or something, the degrees you set. So it never gets cold while you are having a long bath.

Hikari Said,
September 7th, 2011 at 7:17 pm

Do most Japanese people wash their hair in the bath too?

kirin Said,
September 11th, 2011 at 11:44 am

No, we don't. Basically we wash our body and hair outside the bath. Can you see the gray colored floor right next to the bathtub? That's the place shower is located. Also can you see a small white chair? We normally sit on the plastic chair like that to wash our body and hair outside the bathtub.

So we don't throw away bath water in the tub when one person finish bathing. We share this water with entire family. It's OK because we wash our body and hair outside. The water should not be dirty. Some people like me even re-use this water next day for washing clothes, because there are only my hubby and me that use the water in my house.

Hikari Said,
September 28th, 2011 at 6:12 pm

I understand. I assume that a Japanese person would also rinse the soap off themselves under the shower rather than in the bathtub, correct?

kirin Said,
September 29th, 2011 at 11:30 am

Of course. Water in a bathtub must be clean enough to be shared with a whole family. Nobody put soap or shampoo inside the bathtub. Bathtub is a place to warm and relax body. Cleaning body should be outside the tub. That's our way. ^ ^

-Shop cute Japanese products and cool products from Japan. This cute blog is about Japanese kawaii, kawaii Japan, kawaii fashion, Japanese pop culture and more. It's a kawaii blog from Japan, Japan blog in English by a Japanese girl.

Categories

Archives

Link to Tokyo Kawaii, etc.