Dry Bathing to Self-Clean Edit
Japanese Stone-Slab Baths

Young and old alike, the Japanese love baths, whether in a hot spring, a public bathhouse, or a private tub. Soaking in hot water is a time-honored way of relaxing. In recent years, two new types of bath have become popular. One is a dry form of bathing known as ganban-yoku (“stone-slab bath”), and the other is a soak in hot water infused with the mineral germanium. Both types of bath are attracting attention for their putative benefits in terms of weight, beauty, and detoxification.