The way to recover from the fatigue, stress and tiredness of daily work, is not your girlfriend or boyfriend, or even a massage – it is of course through visiting a hot spring. The indescribable, liberating feeling you get when you soak up to your shoulders in hot bath water; how much happiness would one get from being able to bath in a hot spring everyday.po But experiencing this daily is not realistic – and that’s why today we will introduce the next best thing; hot spring themed bath powders.
Many people are familiar with bath powders, but are you aware of the history behind them?
For ages people have been adding yuzu and kudzu to their baths, but bath powders have only been around since about 1897. Whilst preparing the traditional Chinese medicine for women, chujuyu, one company employee took some leftover ingredients home and dissolved it in his bath. He found his kids’ rashes were cured, and after bathing the body stayed warm for a long period; and so the company started selling bath powders. What was a somewhat strange start, has now resulted in a popular product – with many hundreds of different types of bath powders available.
We’ll introduce a selection of those, so you can experience a Japanese hot spring. We would love for foreign visitors to also enjoy this part of Japanese culture.
This time we’ll focus on products that are easily purchasable from drug stores.
Tabi-no-shuku (Karada Pokapoka)
Heat permeates out from inside the body.
After getting out of the bath, a pleasant warmth comes from the core of the body and lingers for an extended time. I am a big fan of this product; it heals the body and soul so much I feel like I could fall asleep in the bathroom. This maker has researched different hot springs, and their passion is condensed into every package, so you can fully enjoy the feel of various Japanese hot springs. Do your body a favor and try this out!
Hot spring types:
・Towada Hot Spring in Aomori
・Shinshu Shirahone Hot Spring in Nagano
・Okuhida Hot Spring in Gifu
・Kirishima Hot Spring in Kagoshima
How great is it to be able to experience these 4 famous hot springs at home? The hot springs’ actual minerals, etc. are in each product, making your skin smooth, and having a calming effect.
Source：https://www.kracie.co.jp/khp/tabi/lineup/nigori.html
Tabi-no-shuku (Colorless Series)
The Japanese design on the packaging is a nice touch
This series of transparent bath powders are really calming. Refreshing herbs, lemon, flowers, and so on – these scented powders are pleasing to the sense of smell and sight; a truly luxurious product.
Hot spring types:
・Hakone Hot Spring in Kanagawa
・Kusatsu Hot Spring in Gunma
・Noboribetsu Hot Spring in Hokkaido
・Beppu Hot Spring in Oita
・Shirahama Hot Spring in Wakayama
These 5 popular hot springs can be enjoyed. They come in packs, so you can choose the right one to match your mood each day – a nice luxury.
Source：https://www.kracie.co.jp/khp/tabi/lineup/tomei.html
Roten Yu Meguri
Which hot spring should we choose today?
These bath powders are based on open air hot springs – with the idea of enjoying hot springs outside surrounded by nature. They have a pleasant color and are popular for their scents – which make having a bath more enjoyable. The scent of flowers in full bloom and deep green trees induce deep breathing, providing for an amazing bath time.
Hot spring types:
・Nyuto Hot Spring in Akita
・Goshikiyu Hot Spring in Nagano
・Sarukura Hot Spring in Aomori
・Sakurayama Hot Spring in Gunma
・The 4 famous hot springs listed above can be enjoyed.
Source：https://www.earth-chem.co.jp/top02/bath/yumeguri/rotenyu.html
Onso
The packaging has a nice “healing” design
This bath powder has high alkaline content, giving that unique “hot spring” feel. Usually bath powders have a silky feel, but this one is distinctive in that it is somewhat slippery. Because it leaves the skin smooth, it is also known as “beauty water”. As a genuine hot spring bath powder, you can enjoy the soft feeling texture of your skin after getting out of the bath. The powder is available in “forest” and yuzu scents; both of which relieve you from the stresses of daily life.
Source：https://www.earth-chem.co.jp/top02/bath/onso/onso.html
There are more common brands available – such as “Bub”, “Bathclin” and Kneipp – but it’s nice to experience the hot spring style of bath powders from time to time.
A question for you; do you think of bath powders as products that you can just tip into the bath? As a small luxury, let’s learn the correct way to use these products.
1. A not overly hot bath temperature of 38-40℃ is best!
If the water is too hot the active ingredients in the bath powder can deteriorate, so a warmish bath is best. It’s also said that your relaxation levels are also higher at this temperature – whether you’re using bath powders or not. A comfortable bath water temperature is best.
2. Take the bath within 2 hours of adding the bath powder.
Many bath powders lose their effectiveness after 2 hours; therefore it’s said that bathing in them for more than 2 hours after adding to the bath won’t give results. Also, bathing for more than 40 minutes results in sebum being excreted, and this is said to cause skin problems. If you feel like having an extended bath, it may be best to do so when not using bath powders.
3. Bath powders that have moisturizing properties should not be washed off
If we shower after using bath powder, the moisturizing effects of the active ingredients of the bath powder will also be washed away. It depends on the brand, but generally speaking we don’t recommend rinsing when using bath powders with moisturizing ingredients. However, if you experience irritation to your skin, please be sure to quickly rinse the product off!
Let’s enjoy our bath time, and have a great day!
Edit & Text: MUGI
＜PROFILE＞
A girl living in Tokyo with her spoiled and chubby chi-poo (Chihuahua and poodle mix). I like unique scents and taking walks.
