Bringing Japanese Soaking Tub Traditions into your Bathroom…

August 03, 2016

For centuries now, the Japanese have taken comfort and pleasure in enjoying their country’s vast selection and locations of outdoor hot springs. So it really comes as no surprise that deep soaking tubs very quickly became popular indoors, too. Relaxing in steamy and warm neck-high water has been a long-lived tradition for many families in Japan, and usually marks the end of each day. This unique custom seems to be catching on in the West. Homeowners are more frequently asking their architects for Japanese spa features, such as Japanese hot tubs and wet-proofed floors in their bathrooms, allowing for a maximum amount of space to create a haven of relaxation.

Now, traditionally these deep soaking Japanese tubs were (and some still are) made of hinoki wood, but they now come in all sorts of materials, from steel to concrete, and are made to fit into any design or style bathroom. However, Aquatica’s quest in manufacturing the ultimate and perfectly crafted Japanese style soaking tub, lead our international industrial design team on quite a journey, with a magnificent end result…. The True Ofuro Japanese Soaking Tub!

The birth of the True Ofuro Japanese Soaking Bathtub

Aquatica’s team crafted this deep soaking tub, by using advanced CAD tools, repeated testing, and the use of real sized prototype units, in order to create that optimal balance between visual appeal, ergonomic comfort, and a True Ofuro Japanese bathing experience.

By using our branded AquateX material in the making of the True Ofuro Soaking Bathtub, we enhanced the experience of what your average Japanese Ofuro would normally feel like. As our AquateX material is velvety smooth, with a very warm and soft texture that retains heat much longer than the average tub, you’ll be elevated to a much more enticing and invigorating experience.

Why an Ofuro Tub and not just a standard American Tub?

Well, besides that Ofuro soaking tubs are much deeper than normal tubs, they also allow you to sit naturally upright, which means the tub doesn't need to be very long and can fit in small and petite spaces. Traditionally, and according to ancient Japanese rituals, you would clean yourself in a shower first, or have a seated hand bath and only then, would you step into an Ofuro Japanese soaking tub, filled with clean, steaming water for an indulgent, hot soak.