Japanese firms launch customizable bath products and a new bath-sommelier certification
Japanese companies are offering stores and products that let customers tailor bath water quality, scent and texture, while a bath-sommelier certification exam has been introduced.
As temperatures drop, several Japanese firms are capitalising on the country’s bathing tradition by offering highly customisable bath experiences. YoungVenus Co., based in Gifu Prefecture, opened the Toji laboratory in Tokyo, where visitors can experiment with Yuyaku additives that combine a proprietary “yunohana” extract from Beppu’s mineral deposits with selectable water clarity, viscosity, fragrance and colour, creating more than 100 possible blends at prices starting at 660 yen.
Hokkaido-based Natural Island Co. sells a 300-ml Aroma Bath Essence featuring lavender and birch sap for 2,640 yen, while Fukuoka’s KOSelig Japan & Co. markets a six-pack of 9KOS Bath Powder, also priced at 2,640 yen, infused with essential oils from discarded kabosu limes and mandarin oranges, plus Kagoshima green-tea extract. In September, Bathlier Co. of Chiba Prefecture launched an online bath-sommelier certification exam that teaches participants about regional bathing customs, etiquette and water properties, granting a credential upon completion.
Company representatives Tsutomu Tanaka and Takeshi Matsunaga say the projects seek to share the joy of bathing and nurture professionals who can advise on or design bathing spaces. A pharmaceutical firm and a curry restaurant have also partnered to create a novel bath additive.
Why it matters
It shows how Japan’s traditional bathing culture is being turned into a niche market and professional field.
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