Many people never truly realize how differences in culture can effect the way we view or use certain everyday items. A bathtub, for instance, is a part of everyday life, used to maintain personal cleanliness and hygiene. In other cultures, however, a bathtub can be perceived as much more than just a bathroom fixture used to aid in the cleaning process. Soaking tubs, popular in Eastern cultures, actually have a very rich background, steeped in ritual as well as functional purpose. Japanese soaking tubs, are a prime example of the various differences between the symbolism and meaning behind the bathing process.
What Is A Japanese Soaking Tub?
A Japanese soaking tub, also known as either a Furo tub or an Ofuro tub, tends to resemble what we know as a hot tub more so than our standard bath tubs. These Asian soaking tubs date back many centuries and were typically made from wood. The soaking tubs were typically square or round in nature and much taller and deeper than our standard tubs. This was designed to allow the bather to be more fully submersed in the bath water, creating a deeper sense of relaxation. They also had flat bottoms, as opposed to the sloping surfaces of our bathtubs today.
Ironically, the bathing process itself was almost always conducted elsewhere in small bathtubs often found outside the home. This Asian soaking tub was only used once the bather was already clean and would use the Furo for relaxation purposes and to help keep warm. This further led to the Japanese use of the Furo more as a relaxation tool, as opposed to a bath tub as we know them today. This also helps to further illustrate the Japanese reliance on an overall ritual process of bathing which involved separate steps for cleaning one’s self and for relaxation.
Of course, given the Japanese desire to make the most use of everything they owned, the water used in the Furo was often left to sit overnight. The following day it was then used to wash clothes and dishes before it was finally drained. This gave the water a dual purpose and eliminated the need to waste it once it had been used as part of the bathing ritual.
Why Are Japanese Soaking Tubs Appearing In Western Civilization?
As more and more people seek to learn from Eastern cultures in a variety of fields, including medicine, fitness, and overall quality of life, traditions such as the Furo tubs are beginning to gain popularity in our homes as well. Beneficial because of their smaller base sizes, the increased volume the soaking tub can hold allows them to be easily used in place of a small bathtub with a significantly lower volume. They are also ideal for larger bathrooms which take the overall influences more from a spa environment than a typical bathroom design. Japanese soaking tubs appeal to consumers who wish to gain more from their bathing experience. They are ideal for consumers who wish to use their bathtubs as a source of relaxation and rejuvenation, as opposed to just an area to physically clean themselves.
While we may never go so far as to use our bath water to do laundry the following day, we are beginning to learn techniques and practices that can lead to an overall higher quality of life.
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