Sento
Unlike the two previous words, this is no longer some kind of separate device, but the name of a Japanese public bath. It provides a pool with water, the temperature of which reaches 50 - 55 degrees. Before swimming, they usually take a contrast shower. After it, visitors go to comfortable lounges and participate in a tea ceremony. Modern Japanese baths can offer additional services, which include massages, cosmetic masks, medical wraps. Each client will be able to choose a program strictly according to their preferences.
With all the difference in the names in the arrangement, the key principles remain strictly unchanged. In contrast to the sauna, healing and cleansing is achieved without the action of significant temperature or high humidity. Use warm water, sawdust and pebbles. The boxes in which visitors to the Japanese bath are immersed have thick metal walls, they must be equipped with electrical heating. The Japanese bath is related to the Finnish, Russian, Turkish only by the use of wood heating. Everything else is different. The difference is due to different philosophies, traditional cultural norms. Buddhism has a negative attitude towards the killing of animals, which in the Middle Ages was the only way to make soap (there were no other technologies). Therefore, the Japanese took the path of using the hottest water that can be used without soap, then the need for cosmetic and hygiene products will disappear.
Furako and ofuro have become very popular for other reasons (due to the abundance of thermal springs characteristic of Japan). This circumstance made it possible to build many baths that consume natural hot water, and almost did not waste fuel.
It should be noted that even in such a small island country there is an internal cultural differentiation, in some regions the names "furaco" and "ofuro" refer to the bath and the barrel, respectively. But the approach does not change: you can use the container with sawdust only after bathing. To improve the result, natural components of plant or mineral origin are added to the water. Even experienced vapers with good health should not be in furaco and in ofuro for more than 15 minutes, for beginners or people with a weakened body, this time is three times less.
Sitting in a barrel, one should avoid immersing the heart in water. If even the slightest discomfort arises, you must immediately leave the container, not counting on adaptation in a few minutes. It will be good if a visitor to a Japanese bath takes a shower before diving.
The benefits will be as follows:
- improvement of blood circulation and kidneys;
- strengthening protection against physical and mental stress;
- help in losing weight;
- normalization of the skin.
All this will be achieved only under one condition - the correct use of bath procedures and the exclusion of typical errors. Usually, in Japanese public baths, a special employee is assigned who (th) explains what and how exactly to do. In addition to the shower, before washing, it is advisable to steam the legs and get a massage. The first barrel, which is dipped into, is filled with water with a maximum temperature of 45 degrees. Then they pass into the second container, where the liquid is already warmed up to 45 - 50 degrees.
In order to save space, water in commercial establishments and private homes usually use only one barrel, varying the heating of the water in it with the help of specialized equipment.
After bathing, they must wipe themselves dry and go into the bath with cedar or aspen sawdust. This part of the bathing procedure allows you to relax and sweat, in addition to getting a solid portion of the biologically active substances contained in the wood.Additionally, medicinal herbs and essential oils are used. The dry part of the bath is very hot, it warms up to 60 degrees. It is strictly unacceptable to go to the Japanese bath for children under three years old, as well as for pregnant women. The ban applies to anyone who has disorders of the heart and blood vessels. This is unacceptable for patients with tuberculosis, any other acute infections.
Building features
In Japanese baths, a wood-burning stove based on stainless steel of the highest grades is most often used.
When working independently, you need to pay special attention to the perfection of the design of the barrel and its dimensions. For three people washing at the same time, furaco is made with a diameter of 150 - 160 cm, a height of 100 - 120 cm
The bath barrels produced at the factories have dimensions of 130 - 200 and 100 - 120 cm, respectively, the wall thickness is from 4.2 to 4.8 cm. If you are going to build a Japanese bath with your own hands, you need to consider: this design will be quite heavy.
The base will be pressed:
- a large barrel of water;
- bake;
- a box with a significant portion of sawdust;
- visitors and the furniture they use.
The foundation is usually made according to tape or columnar schemes, the horizontal placement of the building is carefully achieved, the deviations should be minimal. Therefore, on a site where there are even relatively small irregularities, it is required to use piles. Pits are drilled along the perimeter, the gap between which is exactly 150 cm. The pile frames must be reinforced, after being placed in the pit they are always poured with concrete. After the frame has dried, brick columns are laid out on it, which must be protected from contact with moisture.
Where the stove and furaco stand, a special foundation is equipped (necessarily monolithic). With a reserve of 10 cm in diameter, they dig a special pit with a carefully rammed sand cushion 10–15 cm thick. The next gravel layer is also supposed to be rammed using improvised means. To make the base rigid, a reinforcing frame poured with concrete is used. Above the pillars of the main part of the foundation, this section should rise by 50 - 100 mm; it is impossible to do without waterproofing the pillars.
When it comes to walls, you can apply:
- roundwood;
- rounded logs;
- timber;
- prefabricated frames.
The best and strongest structures are those made of cedar or solid oak, but such products are not affordable for most people. The best replacement for them is the use of pine and larch wood. Otherwise, there are no differences in the construction of the walls of the Japanese and Russian baths. As for the roof, regardless of the presence of one or two slopes, their angle should be kept to a minimum. For the construction of rafters, you can choose the wood that is most accessible, as long as it is strong and lasts a long time. The choice of roofing material is also unlimited.
It is strictly unacceptable to use any synthetic materials for finishing, even if they reproduce the appearance of a natural coating exceptionally well. In a Japanese bath, like any other, the washing room cannot be equipped with sockets. The electrical part (except for lighting in a moisture-proof design) is located in the dressing room. Stainless steel stoves work best, a quality cast iron vat will help keep the heat in for a long time.
Recommendations
Since furaco is a rather complicated design, and it is difficult for non-professionals to prepare it, it is better to order an individual project or buy a ready-made sample. For manufacturing, it is worth using boards from trees that have grown for at least 200 years. After completion of work, the surface of the barrel must be covered with wax (this will increase its service life). For connection it is impossible to take metal structures. Be sure to make a pair of stairs made of wood so that you can enter the furaco and exit it autonomously, without interfering with each other.
If the barrel is placed on top of the stove, it is recommended to place a reliable thermometer inside: then it will be easier to control the temperature of the water. When choosing a design with an internal location of the oven, a vertical partition is used, due to which users are not exposed to the risk of burns. The furnace must be completely immersed in water: you need to take only structures that close tightly. Furako, heated by external ovens through a heating pipeline, is the most modern and safest solution.
In the latter case, it will be necessary to provide an additional pipe for draining the cooled liquid (the crane below helps to drain the container). Wood heating is preferred for outdoor baths, inside the building the electrical system is more often used. True Japanese tradition implies a large lounge area.
Buddhist slowness and tranquility require the use of large tables, chairs and comfortable sofas, the allocation of a place where you can make tea. A sanitary unit in a Japanese bath is strictly required. For the upper waterproofing of the foundation pillars, it is recommended to use liquid bitumen, covered with two layers of roofing material. When decorating the interior, you can not take pine and spruce: these rocks are easily heated (the risk of burns is high). Any wood is supposed to be treated with antiseptic compounds. A ventilation system is always made, thanks to which the room will dry faster.
A Japanese-style sawdust bath is filled with sawdust heated to 50 degrees. Cedar sawdust with an admixture of rice bran and crushed medicinal plants is traditionally considered the most valuable in terms of medicinal properties. You should not think that using a Japanese bath in a city apartment is an unattainable dream.
Its imitation is achieved through special techniques:
- water is poured into the bath, heated to exactly 37 degrees;
- for 12 - 15 minutes of bathing, you need to smoothly raise the temperature to 41 - 43 degrees;
- warmed up visitors go out, put on terry dressing gowns;
- sweating takes about 1⁄2 hours;
- a suitable drink is tea with the addition of raspberries or honey;
- the procedure ends with air drying and two hours in bed under the covers.
Review the Japanese bath, see the following video.
Japanese style bathroom - how to decorate
The design of a bathroom in the style of Japanese traditions has its own differences - they are characterized by conciseness in lines and shapes, harmony in lighting and colors, rational arrangement of sanitary ware, furniture and other details that are used in interior design.
This design provides for the zoning of the room, for which shoji sliding partitions are used, which will divide the bathroom into separate spaces. This style traditionally uses natural materials and individual methods of combining them so that you can create a feeling of inseparability with nature.
The color component of the room should not include dark and very bright shades. The best option to highlight minimalism in design is a combination of warm gray, beige or milky shades.
If there is a desire to bring contrast to the interior, then it would be best to combine black and brown colors. Bright inserts corresponding to the Japanese theme are acceptable, but you don’t need to overdo it with them, everything should be in moderation.
Various materials can be used to decorate a bathroom in this style, but one of the most suitable for a pronounced style is bathroom tiles. It can be glossy or matte, embossed or smooth, look like bamboo, be decorated with wood or straw, but it should always be neutral tones. When choosing a tile, you can dream up and purchase decorative borders, panels and many other stylized items.
Ceilings for such baths are not recommended to be fanciful, using some kind of architectural details. No-frills stretch ceilings or plain whitewash would be perfect for this bathroom.
The floors in the Japanese-style bathroom are best made of wood or ceramic tiles. It is better to lay ordinary bath rugs on the floor, and bamboo mats or rugs imitating them.
To reproduce the realism of the Japanese bathroom, one cannot ignore the most necessary item for this style - this is an ofuro bath. Japan is a country with a dank damp climate and, fleeing the cold, samurai, and even ordinary Japanese, warmed themselves with hot water, which was poured into a large wooden barrel.
Of course, for such an object you need a large room, but if there is not much space, then you can make an imitation of it. A real ofuro bath is made only from hinoki wood, which has antibacterial properties, does not rot, does not grow mold and is not afraid of insects.
Cedar can serve as a substitute for hinoki, which, in addition to the same properties as hinoki, also has an inimitable aroma. If it is not possible to install an ofuro, you can adapt a bath from any material for this, deepening it into the floor or placing it on a low podium and making a small step.
In order for such a bath to give only pleasure, you need to make sure that a drainage system is installed in the floor, which can be decorated with colorful sea pebbles. Such a bath can serve as a separate element of art and does not require additional decor, or it can be finished with moisture-resistant wood panels or tiles.
In order for the furniture in the bathroom to fit the style, you need to purchase products made from natural materials, with discreet facades and always closed. Since the Japanese style is a minimalist style, various bottles, jars and other trifles that spoil the restraint inherent in this style will not be appropriate here.
The light in such a bathroom should not be bright, it should be soft and subdued. Traditionally, Japanese lanterns, taken in rice paper lampshades, will be a good solution. Candles, both real and lamps made in the form of candles, are very good for the Japanese version of lighting.
Another important aspect related to this style is the incompatibility of the bath and the toilet in the same room. Therefore, these two items of plumbing should be in different areas of the bathroom. Also, all accessories that perform all the necessary functions in the bathroom (sink, heated towel rail, etc.) are selected very carefully.
You can complement the interior of a Japanese bathroom with various necessary items.
It can be a Japanese-themed engraving on the wall, a vase with bamboo, an ikebana or a jade figurine, but the most important thing is that there should be a minimum number of them and each, even the most used accessory (for example, a bath towel) should be in complete harmony with the style background.
All components of the interior should be located symmetrically, the usual geometric shapes of a rectangle, less often an oval, are also a priority.
Japanese bathroom design
The main feature that distinguishes the eastern interior from the western one is minimalism, which here does not look cold and uninhabited, but, on the contrary, seems warm and cozy. The secret is not so much in the layout as in the choice of design materials. The Japanese use natural stone, wood, bamboo to achieve a feeling of warmth and unity with nature.
An excellent choice would be to use natural wood in the design.
Design Features:
- concise lines;
- the predominance of geometric shapes;
- lack of pretentiousness, decorative elements;
- daylight;
- the use of natural materials;
- warm colors.
If the main purpose of this room in your home is a place for relaxation and beauty treatments, then why not decorate it in the style of a SPA salon.
The key element in the room will be a Japanese bath, which differs from the European one not only in location and shape, but also in placement.
A glass shower, wooden benches and a huge number of terry towels will be relevant.
When designing a room drawing, be sure to plan the podium into which the traditional bath will be built. Without this element, the design is unlikely to be authentic, and therefore a small podium should be provided, which is usually placed in the back of the room.
Japanese style room with oval pebble bathtub and black granite
For wall cladding, natural wood panels, brown tiles, stone or laminate are used. Combinations of brown and white, as well as their combinations with black, look organic. All three colors can be harmoniously used within the design of one room. Black tiles are ideal for floors, wood siding for walls, and white for plumbing.
To achieve a result, it is enough to adhere to several general trends.
It is better to choose a hinged furniture and plumbing fixtures - such models look modern and are suitable for Japanese design. A sink on a wooden countertop, a hanging cabinet and a bathtub built into the floor - there is nothing superfluous in Japanese design.
Ultra-minimalism in Japanese style is a truly amazing thing.
In a large room, you can use a screen for zoning the space. In a small one, it is desirable to do without even a shower curtain, which will look too European.
Just take a look, it looks amazing!
Accessories and decor are also recommended in a large room, as they can overload a small room.
No need to try to dilute the design with bright decor, give preference to soothing tones when it comes to the bathroom.
Note! If it is not possible to organize a real Japanese bath, then purchase a model that most closely resembles a traditional ofuro.
Bath Placement Tips
In a traditional Japanese interior, the bathtub is a key component of the decor, and therefore it is placed in the most prominent place. There are several placement options:
- at the far wall on the podium;
- in the middle of the room (suitable for large rooms);
- in the corner (opposite you can install a shower);
- near the window.
Modern apartments, as a rule, have small bathrooms, but if you have the desire and imagination, it will be easy to decorate the room beautifully and stylishly.
The podium can also be installed in the center, which will also look stylish and in the spirit of Japan.
The Japanese style is distinguished by the harmony and naturalness of forms and lines. It is conducive to relaxation and relaxation. In an oriental-style bathroom, you can truly enjoy peace and relaxation.
Ofuro
This is the name of the cedar boxes, in one of them they use sawdust, in the other pebbles, this system is necessary for one of the important stages of work. This scheme implies a rectangular shape ofuro, the box is almost always made from cedar or oak solid wood. The typical way of heating is the bottom one. In modern products, devices for electric heating are widely used. As for the sizes, they should be such that you can lie in the ofuro at full height. Inside put at least 40 kg of sawdust. Heating, depending on the size of the bath, is provided by an electrical installation with a power of 1500 - 6000 W.
Japanese bathroom features
Japanese dwellings are distinguished by a small area, which is due to the culture and history of the people. It was in Japan that minimalism was born, as in conditions of constraint, people learned to do with small things. The bathroom has also been refurbished in a minimalist style.Instead of the familiar full-length baths, they used wooden barrels or special wooden containers that were built into the floor.
We return here every evening, after a hard day's work, to absorb the fullness of the relaxing and rejuvenating effect.
Today, real wooden barrels are still part of the Japanese bath, and floor baths are often used in modern interiors.
This room can not only save you from the endless hustle and bustle, but also give you a charge of vivacity for the whole day.
There is nothing superfluous in the Japanese bathroom. Here a person performs hygiene procedures, resting from a working day, and therefore nothing should distract him.
Exquisite Japanese style bathroom.
Most often, the room is sheathed with wooden or bamboo panels, but today you can use materials that imitate them, for example, laminate. The color scheme is in warm, natural tones, diluted with red and black.
The beauty and magnificence of the Japanese interior lies in its minimalism and simplicity.
Important! To create an authentic environment, use all shades of brown in the design, avoid color contrasts that make the design restless, distracting, colorful
