Wednesday, May 23, 2012

The Foot Bath (足湯)

What Feet Need to be Happy
The next time your feet scream at you for a break, take them to a foot bath, called ashiyu in Japanese and written with kanji as 足湯.  Your revitalized feet will thank you, and their contentment will diffuse throughout your whole body. As soreness and weariness disappear, your arches will be full of spring again, and your entire day will be renewed.

 Many Japanese hot spring resort areas have walking courses, and it is quite natural for tourists to get tired walking hither and thither while taking in the sights, so city planners often  incorporate foot baths into walking routes.

Senami Onsen, a traditional, small hot spring village in Murakami, Niigata, has five unique foot baths, including one specially designed for people in wheelchairs, as well as one that is associated with a haiku poet. Read more here.

The town of Obama, Nagasaki, has taken the foot bath and made it into a walking path. This foot bath is 105 meters long. By the way, yes, Obama is the famous Japanese town which proudly supported Barrack Obama during his first presidential election campaign. And no, Barrack Obama's ancestors were not born in the town of Obama and President Obama is not Japanese. Obama, Nagasaki, is a wonderful place to visit.  Look forward to more posts related to Obama in the future. For now, you might enjoy reading an article, published by Huff Press, about the Obama/Obama connection. The article is illustrated with amusing photographs, and it includes letters from the mayor of Obama to President Obama, and vice versa.

 Let's walk back to the topic of foot baths. Like all springs, the mineral content, temperature, and surroundings will affect your experience. Ideally, a foot bath should be situated with views of natural scenery or surrounded by greenery. Another unique foot bath, pictured below, is a steam bath for feet. Perhaps, the only one in the world is in Beppu, Oita, where people are crazy about using hot springs for steaming food, as well as their own feet.

Steamed Feet Feel Great!




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10 comments:

  1. TamiyoMay 23, 2012 at 5:00 PM

    Hi Greg,
    congrats for the blog! soon you'll get loads of followers!
    It's not easy to update, I must say but keep up the good work!
    Great pics I must say! specially the first one!LOL
    cheers

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hotspring AddictMay 23, 2012 at 6:46 PM

      Thanks Tamiyo, Please share this blog with others. I hope that you are well.

      Delete
  2. SuntaMay 30, 2012 at 11:15 PM

    This is a great idea. Every university too should establish a foot bathing area!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hotspring AddictMay 31, 2012 at 1:11 PM

    One of my dreams is to have a cafe where people can soak their feet in a hot spring while enjoying tea, coffee, cake, etc.

    ReplyDelete
  4. shayndelJune 4, 2012 at 12:09 PM

    I just had my feet 'steamed' for the firt time at this very spot!!!
    Took a mushi-yu there yesterday! It was wonderful, though the 8 minute timer was perfect as it really was steamy!!
    BTW, I also made a steamy discovery while in Kannawa---Yoga Dance and Hot Springs is a wonderful combination, to tap into the 'water' inside our bodies through movement, and then to enjoy the walk through the streets where steam is coming up from the ground, and of course the baths...

    Fun to tap into the 'source' of hot springs news here and have a place to connect with on-sen stories! Best wishes from Oita,

    ReplyDelete
  5. shayndelJune 4, 2012 at 12:12 PM

    PS Greg, I just noticed your dream comment above.. do you know the Naraya Cafe in Hakone (near Gora...I have to remember the exact town)...they have a wonderful ashi-yu where you can enjoy tea and light foods...
    It might inspire you to check it out!

    ReplyDelete
  6. shayndelJune 4, 2012 at 12:16 PM

    PS its in Miyanoshita. Please visit my post about it when you have a chance! And if you haven't been there, hope you can visit the cafe at some point!!

    http://aikawarazulifeinjapan.blogspot.jp/2008/04/how-to.html

    PSS Hope you don't have a limit on # of comments:)))

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hotspring AddictJune 4, 2012 at 2:14 PM

    Thanks for the comments. I have not set a limit, but I do not know what limit is set by the blogging site itself. I have so much to learn. I looked at the website of the cafe that you mentioned, and it is similar to my idea. They probably read my mind.

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  8. LerNovember 7, 2012 at 4:37 PM

    Thank you for sharing. now my muslimah friends can enjoy onsen for feet too. ^^

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hotspring AddictNovember 8, 2012 at 11:16 PM

    Hello Ler,

    Your Muslimah friends might enjoy private onsens, which can be rented for family use. No one else can enter or see inside. Many hotels or large hot spring facilities in Japan have these. They are called kazokuburo (家族風呂). Kazoku means family and furo means bath. Many years ago, I lived and traveled in Oman and the United Arab Emirates. My wife and I sometimes ate at restaurants with separate private rooms for families. The idea is similar. Thanks for commenting!

    ReplyDelete

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