Japanese bath - ofuro

Japanese bath, is very different from European and Muslim forms of baths and tourists came to Japan at first difficult to understand the ofuro’s philosophy and pleasure.

Ofuro itself is a wooden barrel, something like a well-known font, filled with very hot water (sometimes up to 70 degrees Celsius), which person is immersed. Unaccustomed to Europeans may seem that in such a barrel it's possible to boil, but the feeling is gradually replaced by a relaxation and tranquility.

Incidentally, such a high temperature of the water has historically caused the Japanese climate. In the winter in Japan temperature can drop to -40 degrees Celsius.

This coupled with high humidity, strong winds and poorly heated houses, required daily intense heating of the entire body.

Ofuro represents four elements: fire, air, land and water. The fire – is the flame heaters, air – is a hot steam, water – is water in a wooden barrel, and the earth – is a wooden barrel.

An interesting feature of the Japanese bath is that it is intended to warm the body, but not for bathing and water in it almost does not change. And the Japanese clean up just prior to the adoption of the bath. By the way, this nuance is often a cause of misunderstanding between tourists and staff in Japanese hotels.

There is even less common type of ofuro. This is a wooden box filled with cedar shavings. Such a "bath" is much easier and carries virtually no contraindications to the public. The body reclining on heated pebbles and sawdust wrapped "breathes" with essential oils and aromas of wood - is saturated with health and beauty.

The Japanese themselves ofuro attend at least three times a week, and some of them every day. First, take a bath the husband - the head of the family, and only then the rest. If there is the guest in the house, so the first right to visit the baths is given to him.