Japanese Bathing Culture – Onsen & Sento

The truth is we probably all rush our bath time, not putting too much thought or consideration into the relaxation and some of us may even dislike the idea of bathing and the thought of soaking in dirty, tepid water.

Here at The Bath Project we respect the deep history and cultural significance behind bath-time and we believe should be explored further. This week we look further into the traditional culture of the Onsen and Sento in Japan.

The Onsen, a traditional outdoor hot spring bath, creates a luxurious yet natural spa element to bath time. Whereas a Sento, is an indoor bath.

Although Onsen is considered to be more of a treat, both traditions share one thing in common, they are a communal practice, and they are considered a very important bath time ritual in traditional Japanese culture.

Whilst we understand the idea of communal bathing may not appeal to all, the idea behind bathing in Japan carries traditions very different to Western culture, encouraging you to use it as a time to fully relax and unwind and not a time to wash. The practise behind Japanese bathing further cements this philosophy with the regime of showering before bath-time being an essential part of this.

Whatever you consider bath-time to be and the effects that it can have on your routine or habits, we believe the important thing to remember is to consider the positive effects it can have on you both spiritually and mentally. Maybe we could all take a leaf out of the Japanese tradition, stop rushing our bath time and make it an important and cleansing ritual in our busy lives.

The Bath Project really helps to encourage you to do this and makes it as easy as possible to make self-care a priority.

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