The Amayori Sento — Japanese Culture

Featured

Ashiyu: Effortless Relaxation from Japan's Hot Spring Towns

Ashiyu are foot baths that are found in some of Japan’s hot spring town. They are beloved for their lighthearted atmosphere, as they are an easy way to enjoy Japan’s mineral-rich waters with little...

Read more

A Healing Lesson from the Cherry Blossoms

As you are reading this journal post, I will be en route to Japan. One of the highlights of this trip is that I will arrive right in the middle of the beautiful sakura season. Cherry blossoms are a...

Read more

Japanese Bathing Wisdom for the Entire Family

In a traditional Japanese home, the bathwater is shared among family members. This practice perhaps comes from the Japanese tradition of the sento (public bathhouses) or bathing in public hot sprin...

Read more

Creating Ryokan-Style Comfort In Your Home

One of my greatest hopes with Amayori is that it will pique your interest and inspire travel to Japan. Should you ever make the journey, I highly suggest spending at least part of your trip at a ry...

Read more

What “Japanese Beauty” Means to Me

Recently, after a long vacation on which I did lots of meditating, I felt the call to go deeper and share my passions and journey more with you. From now on, please join me for more intimate conver...

Read more

The Japanese Wellness Ritual of the Daily Soak

Earlier this August, I had an experience in Japan that shifted my perception on bathing. I was staying at the house of a friend’s family and, as in true Japanese culture, I was offered to use the b...

Read more

The Legend of Empress Kōmyō

From Japanese bathing culture, there is one woman whose name I have come across again and again: Empress Kōmyō. As with all women, there are many facets to her life story, but I have been particula...

Read more

The J-Beauty Trend

Over the past six months I have seen a huge amount of interest from beauty editors in the Japanese beauty, or J-beauty, trend. People are comparing it to the K-beauty (Korean beauty) trend which ag...

Read more