Missing the traditional onsen bath? Or you simply just don’t have the time to go for a trip in a relaxing onsen bath somewhere? Whatever the reason is, we all share a common liking when you are reading this article: we love onsen. And what better way to get one than to recreate it at home?
Must-Haves for a Japanese-Style Onsen Bath at Home
Going to an onsen is like a health ritual. It cleanses not only our body but also clears our mind. It is a pleasurable, rejuvenating experience we need, which is, overall healing to mind and body. If you are up for a Japanese-Style onsen at home, get all these items in your next shopping. Here are things you need for a diy onsen bath at home.
1. Morihata Binchotan Activated Charcoal Body Scrub Towel or Italian Towel
Taking a shower before soaking in the onsen bath is a must. Of course, going to a hot spring also has the purpose of feeling good and clean but who wants to soak in dirty water for several minutes? That’s why, before an enjoyable onsen experience, you need to clean yourself first with soap and a good amount of deep scrubbing to remove all external impurities in the body. You can use Morihata’s Binchotan Charcoal Scrub Towel or a regular Italian Towel. A traditional onsen would require you to do so for hygienic reasons, so if you want to replicate a Japanese hot spring experience at home, do this step first.
Price: Morihata Binchotan Activated Charcoal Body Scrub Towel (¥2404.20) Italian Towel (¥112.73)
2. Hinoki Onsen Luxury Bath Salts and Tabino Yado Hot Springs ”Milky” Bath Salts Assortment Pack
So you’ve taken a shower already and rinsed off the soap and are ready to dip yourself into the tub. There are two things you need to consider when preparing your tub water for a Japanese-Style onsen bath: the heat of water and the minerals in it.
Set the water about 42 degrees celsius (07, 108 degrees in Fahrenheit), the average temperature in onsens. And then for an added relaxation and water to be onsen-esque mud baths, get Hinoki Onsen Luxury Bath Salts. If you want another type of bath salt, get Tabino Yado’s Bath Salts for the same hot spring experience. Both bath salts brand has its own unique fragrance and from muddy to opaque minerality bath experience.
Price: Hinoki Onsen Luxury Bath Salts (¥5724.27~) Tabino Yado Hot Springs ”Milky” Bath Salts Assortment Pack ( ¥1373.83~)
3. Morihata Lana Hand Towel
You’d probably find yourself some hand towels from onsens. And you’d need one for your home onsen experience. It doesn’t need to be exfoliating, expensive or thick, it just needs to be something practical, like a plush bath towel. These cotton hand towels are used to clean yourself lightly or to help rinse off water. It can also be used as a neck pillow or to cover your eyes as you soak in the tub.
Price: Morihata Lana Hand Towel (¥6754.64~)
4. Japanese Hinoki Bath Bucket
There are cheaper versions of bath buckets which are the plastic ones but if you are up for something with an almost Japanese-style hot spring feeling, then get a hinoki bath bucket. After a lengthy soak in the hot tub, you would want to give a final splash of the bath water using the wooden bucket. Most onsen in Japan have these wooden hinoki buckets (made from hinoki wood or Japanese cypress) for the guests to use while doing their onsen bath.
Price: Hinoki Bath Bucket (¥6,642.19~)
Conclusion
It’s fun and exciting how we can just replicate the onsen experience at home for just a couple of items. Have you tried a DIY Japanese-style onsen at home? Let us know in the comments.
References:
https://nymag.com/strategist/article/how-to-onsen-at-home-japanese-style-bath.html