Yumi Yamamoto, research director of LongeviQuest, an organization that verifies the ages of the world's oldest people, cites four secrets to the longevity of Japanese people: eating until 80% full, working moderately, and exercising diligently.

Many elderly Japanese people have the habit of going to the gym every day, where they can practice Tai Chi, jog, or soak in hot mineral pools. Among them, mineral baths, also known as osen, are a traditional health therapy that originated decades ago.

Scientists have studied the use of bath therapy in mineral-rich waters. Bath therapy, especially in Japan and Europe, has been used as a natural medicine and preventive therapy for centuries.

For example, the "healing" waters of the Dead Sea, researchers believe that there is a link between treatment with Dead Sea water and improvements in skin and bone and joint diseases. Natural hot springs in Japan are good for treating arthritis, fibromyalgia, skin diseases such as psoriasis, eczema, high blood pressure...

Experts say you can recreate the experience of bathing in Japanese hot springs right at home, to improve your physical and mental health. This is also a trend that many rich people in the world have been pursuing in recent years, when looking for a place to live with hot springs or building giant hot spring baths right at home. Using artificial hot springs at home can handle problems such as removing harmful impurities, and can adjust the temperature and ingredients to suit each person's therapeutic needs.

Cleansing

When you go to a hot spring in Japan, it is a communal experience. You will almost always be bathing with others of the same sex. Therefore, it is important that each person cleanses themselves before entering the hot spring to keep the shared water clean.

Begin your bathing ritual at home as you would at a hot spring by washing thoroughly. You might consider purchasing a simple wooden stool, like those you would find in the bathing areas of Japanese bathhouses, to sit on while you cleanse. You can also use a natural exfoliant to remove dead skin cells and prepare your skin to absorb all the nutrients from the bath.

Fill the tub with hot water

After you have cleansed, fill your tub with hot, very hot water. The temperature of the hot spring is high enough to boil an egg. Bathhouses regulate the water temperature to around 100 degrees Fahrenheit. You can raise the temperature a little higher than you're used to (but be careful not to burn yourself) for a more authentic experience.

Dissolve bath salts in the water

Japanese hot springs are rich in minerals, which are beneficial for your skin and health. Your local tap water may not have the same effect.

"Minerals are an essential part of hot spring baths," says bath expert Colin Fukai. "Small packets of bath salts can be purchased online and used in each bath to recreate the natural spring water in Japan."

Burn incense

Going to a hot spring is a special experience. To recreate it at home, you need to pay attention to the details of the space, and burning incense can help create the right atmosphere, says Fukai. Choose delicate Japanese incense rather than the smoky incense sticks at your local store. Choose a scent that will help you relax completely.

Soak

You’ve dissolved the minerals into the bathwater and created a peaceful atmosphere. There’s nothing left to do but sink into the tub and soak. Spend about 15 to 20 minutes relaxing in the mineral water, enough to relax your muscles, but not so long that you feel tired from the heat. Fukai suggests using a yuoke (traditional Japanese wooden bath bucket) to pour water over your head and shoulders. The bucket will release a light cypress scent when wet.

Rinse and wrap a towel around your body

After your bath, rinse your body. No need to use soap if you want to keep most of the minerals on your skin. At a Japanese hot spring, you’ll dry yourself off with a traditional cotton hand towel called a tenugui.

“When in a public hot spring, a handkerchief can be used for modesty, or to dry off between baths. At home, it can be used to provide a comfortable neck rest,” says Fukai.

Since you’re in your own home, dry off with a soft, natural-fiber towel. Complete the experience by slipping into a yukata (light cotton kimono) and relaxing for the evening.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Thu Hiền (Forbes, DW)