Nippon no o furo

© MMX v.1.0.4
by Morley Evans

こんにちは
Kon'nichiwa

私は日本のお風呂が大好き
Watashi wa Nippon no o furo ga daisuki

Why do I love the Japanese bath? It is very very hot! (45°C).

Winter has come to Regina and, as I do every year, I ask, "Why does anyone live here?"

なぜ誰もがここに住んでいるのですか？
Naze dare mo ga koko ni sunde iru no desu ka?

The Japanese bath is a double wonder. It both warms one's bones in winter and cools one off in sweltering summer months. Sore muscles are relieved in the o furo.

Very hot baths have an analgesic effect, better than drugs. Like a sauna, they invigorate.

Hot baths make one immune to cold. Nothing is better than jumping into ice water after the o furo no longer feels hot. When this is repeated, one gets an illusion of invincibility! It's cold? What's cold? Hah!

Western bathtubs are not deep enough, but they can work. One would like to squat down in the tub and have one's nose just above the water. Then, any slight movement makes the water seem even hotter.

In a western bathtub, one can start with water that feels bearable and add hot water as one gets used to the heat. A thermometer will tell one that the temperature can be increased well above 45°C. When I feel like a noodle, it's time to get out. Carefully.

I don't have a pool of ice water to jump into, but I do have a cold shower which in winter is quite cold. Refreshing! Ahh!

The dry air of a sauna should be between 76°C and 100°C. Special equipment is required. Anyone with a bathtub can have Japanese bath. I definitely recommend them!

During the eight years I suffered with rhabdomyolisis, that was caused by the cholesterol reducing drug Zocor that doctors were giving me, I took three Japanese baths a day to relieve the extreme pain I suffered. I love them! I'm not too fond of doctors, however.

日本のお風呂
Nippon no o furo

A humidifier is absolutely necessary to make living indoors bearable in Saskatchewan winters. Otherwise, one's home will be dryer than Death Valley and one will suffer. You will dry up like a prune and itch. Egad. . .

One more tip. Saskatchewan's water is hard as a rock, like water everywhere on the Great Plains. It must be softened or bathing will be unpleasant. If your water is soft, as it is in Japan or Vancouver, no problem.

One final tip: no soap. Wash before you bathe in the o furo.

Be Healthy! Love Life!