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For most Japanese, finding themselves in hot water is one of the surpassing joys of life. Whether they’re immersed in hot springs out in the wilderness or in a tub at home, soaking away the aches and cares of the day is integral to the culture. In this issue, we show how Japan’s bathing culture evolved, how deep it goes, and how to submerge yourself in The Way of the Bath.
An interview with essayist and Japan Sento Culture Association board member Yoko Kishimoto
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The spiritually cleansing tenets of Buddhism extend to the bath, and influenced the Japanese state’s development
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Pick a bubbling pool and build your own custom onsen bath along a river in remote northern Nagano Prefecture
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The waters and environs of Norboribetsu, Gero and Arima are legendary in their delights and healing powers
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SDF personnel soothe frazzled disaster victims onsite with bathing amenities and massive baths
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Featuring formulas that replicate the scent and sensation of Japan’s best hot springs, bath salts make bathing at home a joy
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As they soak, bathers at sento (public bathhouses) can also contemplate fantastic murals by painters like Kiyoto Maruyama
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A young Frenchwoman has made it her mission to show travelers to Japan how to achieve the peak sento experience
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© 2009 Cabinet Office, Government of Japan