Ganban'yoku (岩盤浴) is a Japanese bathing method in which an individual lies on heated natural stones in a humid room which itself is usually heated to between 40-50°C (104-122°F).[1] The use of ganban'yoku is believed to have positive effects on both health and beauty.[2]
History
editTamagawa Onsen in Akita Prefecture is said to be the birthplace of ganban'yoku bathing in Japan.[3] At Tamagawa Onsen, visitors can lie on exposed geothermally heated hokutolite stones.[3] The first specialized ganban'yoku facility opened in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture in 2001.[3] From there, ganban'yoku facilities began opening throughout Japan in what has been referred to as a ganban'yoku "boom."[3] Although the number of locations specializing only in ganban'yoku has decreased since the boom due to hygiene concerns, ganban'yoku rooms attached to onsen facilities can still be found throughout Japan.[3]
Ganban'yoku bathing
editBody-sized stones, such as germanium, are installed into the floor of a room which is usually heated to around 40-50°C (104-122°F).[1] Bathers, usually dressed in kannaigi (館内着) which is a type of casual Japanese indoor wear similar to samue, place a bath towel on a stone and lie on it.[2] The stones themselves are heated. The room's temperature, which is similar to that of a low-temperature sauna, combined with the heat of the stone cause users to sweat.
Like low-temperature saunas, ganban'yoku are commonly advertised to have a detoxification effect, improve the circulatory system, and be good for the skin.[4] It is also considered to have a relaxing and stress-reducing effect.
Most modern ganban'yoku rooms are located at onsen facilities.[3] As clothing is worn in the ganban'yoku rooms, they are separate from the nude bathing area and are mixed-gender. The onsen bathing area is usually visited after one uses a ganban'yoku in order to wash off the sweat caused by the warm room and stones.
References
edit- ^ a b "岩盤浴とサウナの違いとは？効果や入り方について解説！". Nifty Onsen. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ a b "健康になりたい人必見！岩盤浴の7つの嬉しい効用". らくらく湯旅 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ a b c d e f "岩盤浴の歴史". 岩盤浴いんふぉ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ "岩盤浴とは？岩盤浴の効果や入り方について解説 | 水と健康の情報メディア｜トリム・ミズラボ - 日本トリム". www.nihon-trim.co.jp. Retrieved 2024-07-26.