Ofuro or furo (Japanese bath)

Wooden baths have a long tradition worldwide. However, nowhere is this tradition stronger than in Japan. Japanese wooden baths known as ofuro or furo are an integral part of Japanese life.

traditional ofuro's

Traditional ofuro's are made from a wood which is virtually unique to Japan. This wood is called hinoki (botanical name - chamaecyparis obtusa). It is a member of the false cypress family of which there are five other varieties. One of these, chamaecyparis lawsoniana, known as Lawson cypress or Port Orford cedar, is commonly used as a replacement for the rarer hinoki. Both of these woods are golden in colour with a medium grain. The wood is quite heavily lemon scented when fresh although this tends to diminish greatly in the first year after it's cut.

Traditional ofuro construction is quite simple. The bath shape resembles a simple box with straight sides and bottoms. The wood is left uncoated and the jointing relies on the swelling of the wood for waterproofing. Unfortunately, this means that the bath must be left full of water even when not in use.

This has been the downfall of traditional ofuro construction in recent years. Modern hygeine requires the tubs to be halogenated (addition of chlorine, bromine, etc) to prevent bacterial and viral infection. Unfortunately, these disinfectants attack the wood lignin and cause the baths to rot prematurely.

Some companies claim to overcome these problems using metal ions, ozone or UV. However, none of these systems are effective on their own and must be combined with lowered amounts of halogen, which still greatly accelerates wood breakdown.

modern ofuro's

As a result of disinfection concerns, modern wooden ofuro's tend to use a system much like western baths, where the ofuro is filled for each use. This is only possible using a treated wood system to protect the wood from the wet-dry cycle that is so damaging to even the hardiest of woods. It provides bathers with the best of the traditional ofuro and the western bath.

For those requiring a traditional always-full type ofuro with the security of disinfection, the alternative is a plastic ofuro. Modern plastic ofuro's have almost totally replaced traditional wooden systems in Japan.

In keeping with the Japanese fondness for technological innovation, these modern plastic ofuro's are bristling with bells and whistles to make sure the water is both safe and at just the right temperature. They would probably make your green tea for you too if you could just master the controls...

the bathing ritual

For anyone who has not had the pleasure of a Japanese bath, they really are missing out. The first rule of bathing Japanese style is that baths are not places where you clean yourself. Instead, you first rinse yourself before you enter the bath. Traditionally, you would use cold water from a bucket but a modern shower, although not too hot, will suffice.

Now enter the bath. The bath should not contain any soaps or bubbles but a collection of bath salts dependant on the effect one is after. The water is as hot as you can take it. As you immerse yourself to the neck for up to fifteen minutes, you will feel yourself drift away with the relaxing combination of salts and heat.

Well soaked now, you will next clean. To do this you get out of the bath and use the shower. Do not wash in the bath. When fully scrubbed and rinsed, re-enter the bath for another fifteen minutes. Finish with a cold shower and you will feel like a new person.

If someone else is bathing after you, don't let the water out. Because the water is only for soaking, it can be used by multiple people. The insulation of a driftwood bath will ensure it stays warm.

In honour of what we feel is the pinnacle of bathing culture, we have chosen for our symbol the kanji character for wood or tree.