The Japanese bathing ritual.

The Japanese homes may be small in comparison to European homes, but most people still have a room dedicated to bathing.

That’s how important the bathing ritual is in Japan.

They have perfected it to an art form.

Children enjoying the luxury of a long soak in a Japanese wooden bathtub

The ofuro, or deep tub.

The main feature of the room is a deep tub (ofuro) for soaking your body. The ofuro is deeper than the Western tub, and allows you to sit with the hot water up to your shoulders. The most luxurious type is made with hinoki cypress wood.

And if it is at all possible, there should be a window above the bath, in order to have the view of an inner garden or other scenic view. Of course in most small Japanese homes this is not possible, and a Japanese ofuro can still definitely be enjoyed without these luxuries.

The most important thing is to be able to soak deeply in water up to your shoulders.

The room would have a floor drain, which allows the whole room to be able to get wet. The floor can be covered with slates of wood should you wish.

Next to the bath there is usually a hand shower and a stool (preferably also made with hinoki wood). This is a place where you can wash yourself with soap before entering the bath.

This way you enter the bath only once you are totally clean and without any soap.

A honoki wood stooll for soaping yourself down before entering the deep bathtub

Unwind & relax.

The whole room will become steamy with the heat and this helps you really unwind. You can sit in the bath and enjoy this moment of relaxation. It should not be a hurried affair, this is a time for yourself, to reflect on the day, to wash away any worries, and to rejuvenate. For this reason the bath is taken in the evenings, where there is more time and no rush to get on with the day’s events.