Today, Japanese bathing culture has been well-known, and even many visitors look for Onsen experiences.
Here is the review of the Japanese bathing ritual; it is typically custom to take baths every night before sleep.
Bathing before bed is to clean (purify) the body and relieve the tension of the body to be relaxed for better sleep.
When sitting in the hot bath and pondering in there, takes the stress off your body, the big reason why the Japanese like to have their bath at the end of the day, rather than at the beginning.
Refresh your mind and body for the new day.
To refresh your mind and body for the new day effectively, bath salts/powder can be a big help.
Indeed, bath salts are essential to the Japanese as well.
Don’t you think bath salts/powder adds just only aroma and color into the hot bath?
These additives can add not only aroma&color but also enhance your bathing experience with lots of health benefits and overall wellbeing.
I was a country girl, so I was impressed with Lush’s big colorful cute bath bombs at the first glance in my life.
On the other hand, the Japanese are more likely therapeutic than enjoying color and aroma.
There is a wide variety of bath salts/powder products available in Japan and luckily you can get them from Amazon easily.
Today, I am going to guide you on which Japanese bath salts/powder is the best for you.
*This post maybe quite long to read though, please check out the index if you don’t have time.
What Are Japanese Bath Salts?
Japanese bath salts/powder products range widely in different types such as powder types, tablet types, and liquid types.
In Japan, the most popular bath salts are in the tablet type, which you can enjoy an aromatic bath without measuring process.
No matter which type you choose, these bath salt products can bring high-aromatic water and add color in clear or milky color.
Also, the bath salts based on famous Onsen places are popular for special days.
These products are made for the same benefits as hot spring water as well as bring you the atmosphere.
So, you can enjoy Japanese Onsen easily at home without flying to Japan.
What Are The Benefits Of Using Bath Salts/Powder
Generally, Japanese bath salts/powder bring two major benefits-healing your health concerns and heal your mind (relaxation).
Since many products have different effects, let’s learn which type of bath salts/powder is the best for you.
Mainly, Japanese bath salts can be categorized into these types.
| Types | Forms | Effects |
|---|---|---|
| The Combination Of Inorganic salts | Powder | Relieve A cold sensitivity |
| Fizzy | Tablets | Relieve fatigue/ swelling, Boost blood circulation |
| Herbal | Powder | Relieve muscle tension, Relieve body pain, Relieve Skin irritation, Relax your stressful mind |
| Specialty for Skin Care | Liquid Powder | Moisturize Dry skin |
The Ultimate Guide For The Hot Bath Benefits
Soaking in the hot bath already can bring many health benefits and adding those bath salts can enhance them.
Here is the guide on what benefits of bathing you should know before using bath salts.
The Combination Of Inorganic salts
It is mainly composed of sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, sodium carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, calcium carbonate, and sodium chloride.
Powder type.
The Inorganic salt combination type is composed of inorganic salt and added pigments and scents.
Most Japanese bath salts are made of inorganic salt combinations such as sodium sulfate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, which also have an important role to make the water soften.
While adding bath salts, it will make the water soften and feel slicker and cause your skin to feel smoother.
Therefore, adding Japanese bath salts can help to reduce skin irritation from the tap water/hard water.
Roughly speaking, Inorganic salts are minerals, I mean, Inorganic compounds are found in nature as minerals.
Japanese natural hot springs known as “Onsen” are rich in minerals, so you can also feel like soaking a natural hot spring at home because of the salt in minerals.
Moreover, inorganic salts (minerals) can react with skins (proteins) and form a veil on the skin, which keeps the heat in the body.
Therefore, you can feel warm in your body for a while even after taking a bath.
Besides, inorganic salt bath salts have the effect of activating and repairing the tissues such as relieving heat rash, cracking, fissures ( especially the sodium sulfate effect.)
Moreover, sodium hydrogen carbonate in the salt emulsifies and cleans the skin like soap.
Popular Japanese Bath Salts Of This Type
BATH ROMAN is a very popular bath salt in Japan, and there are many series of BATH ROMAN.
BATH ROMAN is a powder type, so the cost performance is the best for a daily bath compared with tablet types.
The effective ingredients active the thermal effect- promotes blood circulation and warms the body from inside, and the vail composed salts and protein of the skin keep warmth after bathing.
Luxury relaxation from floral Jasmine scents.
TABI NO YADO series is also very popular in Japan, which you can enjoy the famous Japanese hot spring “Onsen” at home!
TABI NO YADO literally means a Japanese-style hotel called “Ryokans” in this case.
This assorted bath salts product is a set of 4 different bath salts that are ingredients based on each famous hot spring in Japan.
This product has a milky-colored hot spring series- Towada Onsen(Aomori), Okuhida Onsen (Gifu), Shirahone Onsen (Nagano), and Kirishima Onsen(Kagoshima).
Efficacy includes relieving fatigue and boosting blood circulation.
It is perfect to experience authentic Japanese Onsen at home at a low cost rather than flying to Japan.
All you need to select the Onsen place on your mood for the day and add a hot tub.
The box contains 13 bags of 4 different milky Japanese hot spring spa experiences.
This is one of my recommendations for the Japanese bath salts experience and the best Japanese bath salt gift you can buy on Amazon.
Also, you can choose milky hot spring baths or clear hot spring baths.
TABINO YADO Hot Springs “Clear” Bath Salts Assortment Pack
These are “clear” colored water versions, and also you can get an absolutely wonderful authentic Onsen experience with silky smooth skin.
Fantastic Japanese Onsen aroma and vivid clear color!
Assorted with Noboribetsu Onsen (Hokkaido), Kusatsu Onsen (Gunma), Hakone Onsen (Kanagawa), Shirahama Onsen (Wakayama), Beppu Onsen (Oita).
“Fizzy” Bath Salts
Mainly composed of sodium carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, succinic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid. Tablets or Granules.
The “Fizzy” bath salts create a fizzy sensation in the water and may be well-known as “fizzy bath bombs” worldwide.
The benefit to choose this type is the vasodilatory effect from carbon dioxide.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) has the property that increases blood flow and blood pressure.
Carbon dioxide dissolved in the water is absorbed through the skin, working to expand the blood vessels, which improve blood flow and decrease blood pressure.
Meanwhile, the metabolism system is prompted, which helps ease your fatigue and pain in the body.
It sounds a little scary to hear that the skin absorbs gas, but it is released by breathing and does not accumulate in the body.
Popular Japanese Bath Salts Of This Type
Woo, it is exciting to me. It is not too much to say that I was grown up with BABU!
These are the most famous bath bombs (tablets) in Japan!
Fill the bathtub with hot water and just throw it in. It also makes the water texture soft and mild.
Baby-safe.
Each tablet is individually packed, there is no concern getting wet accidentally.
Once thrown it in, it fills the sweet fragrance in the bathrooms and it’s kind of fun to watch getting it smaller with fizzy bubbles.
This product can help to relieve,
- fatigue, muscle, and joint tensions, pain, back pain, skin troubles such as heat rash, cracking, pimples.
- a cold sensitivity as boosting blood circulation
This is the Japanese cypress “Hinoki” scent, which is a gentle woody aroma and has a hint of citrus aroma.
Do you know Japanese traditional wood ‘hinoki” has a high relaxation effect in its aroma?
For more details, click here after reading through this post.
I recommend “Yuzu” if you like the citrus scent.
The yuzu fruit is a popular citrus fruit in Asian country has lots of health benefits.
Yuzu, a yellow-golden citrus fruit, has traditionally been contributing to well-being in Japan.
While the yuzu has a unique pleasing aroma mixed with citrus and floral.
“Limonene” and “Hesperidin” contained in Yuzu work to promote blood circulation and moisturize the skin.
In wintertime, Japanese people enjoy the “Yuzu bath” which is taking bath floating Yuzu.
It is also said that the scent contained in the peel of yuzu has a relaxing effect.
This product can help to relieve,
- fatigue, muscle and joints tensions and pain, back pain, skin troubles such as heat rash, cracking, pimples.
- a cold sensitivity as boosting blood circulation
This product is popular among women because of its aroma and thermal effect.
Yuzu fruit can be warmed from the inside of the body. Yuja is the common winter drink in Korea.
Yuzu still has been under the research of its effects and benefits, however, it is the traditional fruit to Korean & Japanese and we are happy to get its healing power inside and outside the body in wintertime.
“Yakusen” Herbal Bath Salts
The “Yakusen” bath salt products generally contain “crude drugs” such as senkyu, angelica acutiloba, siler, chinpi, chamomile, and mint. There are various types such as chopped leaves, using extracts, combining them with other ingredients.
The herbal (Crude drugs) bath salt is a bath salt combined with crude drugs extracted mainly from medicinal plants and inorganic salts.
In Japan, there are Onsens which are traditionally expected to heal especially medical conditions due to the components in the Onsen water called “Yakusen”.
Japanese herbal bath salts are expected to have the same (similar) health benefits of “Yakusen” while using traditional Chinese medicine
The effect of herbal bath salts depends on herbs- the bath salt consists of the health benefits and its unique scent.
The effect of “yakusen” herbal bath salts depends on the ingredients.
For example, Besides, joint research between Ochanomizu University and the Japan Bathing Agent Industry Association has shown that angelica acutiloba, fennel, fennel, senkyu, chinpi, and chenpi have a blood circulation promoting effect.
As aromatherapy is known, herbs and crude drugs have a relaxation effect.
What’s Crude drugs?
A crude drug is any natural plant, animal, bacteria, organs, or whole organisms intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in humans or other animals.
Chinese medicine or aromatherapy are well-known treatments while using crude drag’s natural healing power.
The medicinal plants contain crude drugs and the mechanism of crude drugs has been under study for many years in several countries including Japan.
For example, bath salts containing crude drugs such as Angelica acutiloba and Cnidium officinale Makino have blood circulation promoting effects and heal for stiff shoulders and low back pain. Bath salts containing Chempi (Citrus reticulata peel) are said to relieve skin irritations.
Note that Yakusen herbal bath salts are aimed for particularly ease medical conditions rather than for relaxation and each product has different benefits/treatment effects, read directions to use carefully.
Also, don’t expect the floral aromatic fragrance of Yakusen bath salts.
Popular Japanese Bath Salts Of This Type
BATH ROMAN, Herbal bath salt. (powder)
90% of the ingredients in this product are crude drugs and “Hot spring minerals”.
Sodium sulfate and sodium hydrogen carbonate, and crude drugs (Touki-Angelica acutiloba) warm you up inside and outside of your body and keep the warmth in the body even after taking a bath.
The active ingredients combine with skin proteins to form a veil at keeps you warm even after a bath.
Toki extract improves blood circulation, warms the body, and relieves muscle tension, back pain, and neuralgia.
Relive fatigue is also expected due to promoting blood circulation.
- Milky blue color
- Baby-safe
- Make friendly water
- Mild herbal scent
When you are especially concerned about a cold sensitivity or fatigue,
this product work for these symptoms.
The main crude drug is “Cnidium officinale MAKINO”, which is said to boost blood circulation throughout the body, even the legs!
The great thing about Bath Roman “Yakusen” series is the crud aroma is suppressed and it compounds with a good aroma.
If you want to feel a JUST “Yakusen” atmosphere, this “Yakusen” assort bath salts is good for you.
It has hot bath benefits that other products also have, but it is not made to cure medical conditions and also it is not exactly reproducing of Yakusen exists in these places.
- Tokachigawa (Hokkaido)
- Ginzan (Yamagata)
- Yakushina (Kagoshima)
- Tazawa (Nagano)
Japanese Hot Spring Bath Powders – 30g X 18 Packs
Japanese Bath Salts For Skincare
Mainly contains moisturizing ingredients such as ceramide, rice germ oil, ester oil, squalane, jojoba oil, mineral oil, plant extract, and fermented rice extract. Liquid, powder, and tablets.
The skincare bath salts are specialized for dry skin and contain effective moisturizer ingredients.
As the skin becomes silky smooth after soaking in the hot tub with “skincare” bath salts.
The moisturizer ingredients penetrate not only to the surface of the skin but also to the inside of the stratum corneum to supplement the moisture.
Adding “Skincare” bath salts can also soothe dry skin of your body parts usually hard to reach while just soaking in the hot bath.
Popular Japanese Bath Salts Of This Type
BATH ROMAN, For Sensitive skin (Milky aroma, milky white, powder)
Bath Romance Bath Sensitive Skin Care Shea Butter, Hyaluronic Acid (Sweet floral aroma, creamy white, powder)
These products contain milk proteins as moisturizing ingredients.
It penetrates the stratum corneum and moisturizes the skin even from inside, and smooths the surface of the skin.
Squalane oil helps Keep the skin beautiful and healthy.
The active ingredients boost the “hot spring effects” such as relief fatigue, muscle, and joint pain and tension, cold sensitivity, and skin problems.
- Baby (over 3 months)-safe
- Sften water
This item is very unique, which is made from Japanese Sake.
Hakutsuru SAKE Bath salt is produced by HAKUTSURU, the famous Japanese SAKE company.
The main ingredients are glycyrrhizic acid, rice germ oil, and several plant extracts.
*glycyrrhizic acid is often used as a natural sweetener. As a therapeutic property, it has been used in a vast variety of formulations as it is reported to have the ability to soothe skin and irritations.
Soothe and moisturize your skin.
Slightly fragrant Yuzu fruit scent.
In Japan, rice and sake (of course, sake is made from rice!) have been used for natural skincare for a long history.
It’s a little expensive, but it is worth it for your special day or the special gift.
A pleasant scent feels heavenly while taking a bath, and you can feel your skin is rich and smooth even after taking a bath.
How Do You Choose The Best Bath Salts
As you learned, Japanese bath salts are a great way to make your bath extra relaxing, heal muscle pain.
But with so many bath salts products available, how can you choose the best one?
A tip to choose the best bath salts for you is to first pick the type according to your health concerns and conditions and then pick your favorite scent and color according to the mood of the day.
For example, choose Hinoki aroma when you are looking for high-effective relaxation.
Choosing Yuzu citrus aroma bath salts can boost poor blood circulation and warm your body up effectively.
The Bottom Line
Now, don’t you feel like using the unique Japanese bath salt as your bath ritual item?
Japanese bath salts can be expected therapeutic effects not only relaxation aroma.
Unwinding at the end of a long day or starting a busy week with a luxurious bath instead of a rushed shower is always a great idea.
Hoping I can be a concierge to lead the Japanese bathing culture, to your bathing experience.
Lastly, note that it may become slippery using bath salts so be aware when you get out of the tub.
Read Next…
As you know, bathing can bring many health benefits to you physically and mentally.
Bath salts are the way to enhance bathing benefits effectively.
After learning about Japanese bath salts and their benefits, you should know bathing tips and the side effects of bathing if you take a bath in the wrong way.
