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Let`s gallopp together in 2026!

Hi !

 An incredible year is closing, and another one, —exciting as a stampede—is just beginning. 
Sit firm on the saddle to enjoy the ride in 2026: the year of the Fire Horse!

No need to try to read the future on Gemini or browse through YouTube channels.
You can feel it in the air. Change is coming, and you want to be on the right side of the track when the horse starts galloping.

You can buy silver or gold, but what I most recommend is to buy hinoki wood!
(by the way, hinoki literally means fire-wood ✨)

Paper money is definitely losing its value, and prices will have to increase to cover the real costs of materials and workmanship.
Our pricelist has not changed since 202,1 and as much as our suppliers are always very responsible and stoic, I am sure we will have to adjust the prices in early 2026.

Needless to say, while the weak Japanese yen has favoured foreign buyers, energy costs in Japan are skyrocketing, and this impacts the entire economy from the bottom up.

But that’s enough for the predictions corner: just dive into your ofuro to cool down or warm up,
… depending on the circumstances.

Let the water soothe your worries and energize you to take the correct action to turn this liquid situation to your advantage in all departments of your life.

We wish you HEALTH, WEALTH, and LOVE for an exciting and successful 2026! 

★ Bonus content:
Tired of unnecessarily complicated time management applications and utterly verbose A.I. assistants, I decided to produce my own original software to manage tasks, schedules, and decisions.
It is called “twicemore” as it enables you to be twice more productive (and enjoy twice more well-deserved relax time in your ofuro!)

The core feature is the creation of meeting minutes, which will automatically populate tasks, schedule, and fine-tune appointments.
It is a no-brainer concept and was on my wishlist for years. Since nobody was creating it, I gave up waiting and did it myself with the help of a Pakistani software company.

As a Happy New Year present, I would like to share it with my friends, with a free 6-month subscription to the first 999 users. You are welcome to pre-register at this link: twicemore.jp
The software will be accessible for the early birds starting from January 24th.

★Second bonus content: is my yearly funky video card, which I create for my architecture business in Japan.If not the most advanced example of digital creation technique, at least you can rehearse your knowledge on proverbs about horses….  at → https://youtu.be/6Y69ycpdq6E

And if you really like it… here is → a gallery of the previous editions

Hoping that our paths will cross closely in 2026, I send you a big hug and will see you on the other side!

Happy New Year!

iacopo

YOKU-I yukata preview!

Here is just a home-made gallery with some photos of the new yukata.
You can also find them in the shop-> https://bartokdesign.com/product-category/fashion/yukata

We called this product YOKU-I which is another way to pronounce 浴衣 which actually means literally: 浴=BATH and 衣＝CLOTHES, GARMENT.

Feel free to use YOKU-I as a luxury bathrobe or as a kimono to attend events and festivals.
Also, you can use it casually as a light coat on blue jeans✨

(more…)

FF12 in dubai: join us on the runway!

As anticipated, Bartok design will participate as a main exhibitor at Fashion Factor Fall ’25.

Of course you are invited! Apply as per the instructions at the bottom of the page:

◆ Date: 25 and 26 October 2025. (Bartok design show is scheduled for the 26th. Details to follow.)
◆ Venue: The Agenda – Media City –  Abdullah Omran Taryam St – corner Al Jaddi St – Dubai – United Arab Emirates – Phone: +971 4 580 9159
◆ Products presented:
・one ofuro (Hanabi outlet tub)
・five furoshiki-scarf designs (see shop)
・ten yukata (see shop)
・twenty+ new shu-ha-ri belt designs (see shop)

Yes, these are photomontages for the time being, but an ofuro will actually be on the runway, and I believe it is a world premiere !!
But the real protagonist of the show will be Bartok design original jukata and furoshiki together with the Shu-Ha-Ri belts.

We will use this page to provide more information, so do check daily for updates.
Please scan the QR code below for registration (free) if you can participate, or contact me for a VIP invitation (we only have 20 so please hurry). The VIP invitation will also give access to the gala party on the 26th: expect to meet other super-VIPS and celebrities!

Marriage of East and West in Michigan

Message from the client:

Dear Iacopo,

Thank you! I was able to remove the drain with no problem.
Got the tub installed. It looks and smells beautiful! 

R. from Michigan

Reply:

Dear R.

Amazing！
I love the color balance of the white wood and green stained glass!
Also conceptually the marriage between east and west is stunning!!

Do you think we could publish the photo in our outlet corner?

Of course I would omit any personal information.

Just mention it as “from R. from Michigan” or similar.

Please le t me know.

Best//

iacopo

a tribute to Tadao – outlet tub – SOLD OUT!

(sorry, sold out…）

Sorry to keep you waiting!
After several sawara outlet tubs, here is finally a hinoki tub again!
Hinoki is the king of woods, and the aroma is amazing!

The tub has a knot on the back face and a slight cross-grain on the side faces, which do not impact the visual of the ofuro, in line with the “wabi-sabi” aesthetics.
Considering the pure geometry of the ofuro and the wabi-sabi concept behind this outlet, we felt the “soul” of this ofuro to be close to the early works of Tadao Ando, such as the Sumiyoshi Nagaya house.

By the way, we are also proud to have supplied an amazing ofuro and other accessories for a house in LA also designed by the great master! (See this blog post: https://bartokdesign.com/0-blog_news/ofuro-tadao-ando-project-on-ad100.php )

For all these reasons, we decided to dedicate this outlet tub to Tadao!
Here are the details:
sizes: L1200mm x W700mm x H648mm (external dimensions) 558mm(depth)

Material: knotless natural Hinoki wood bathtub

1) AB grade tub (quarter sawn)  : 610,000. JPY

2) Packaging: 133x83x85cm reinforced cardboard box: 33,000. JPY

3) transportation: to be quoted (please let us know your exact address and postal code; we 
will provide a quotation before you purchase the tub)  

pdf drawing:

outlet250829Download

cats know the difference…! – outlet tub

After a long wait (and many inquiries), a round ofuro returns to the outlet corner.
If you like it, we recommend you buy it asap. It will not last!

in the famous ink sketch of Feng Zikai (1898-1975) in “Scenes from Daily Life” a lady is bathing in a round “oke” shaped bathtub.
The tub is obviously not deep enough, and the woman is having problems properly enjoying a relaxing “deep soaking bath.”

The wise white cat asks the woman, “Is the ofuro a Bartok design one?”
The woman is obviously embarrassed in admitting that… no, actually, it is not (*_*;

The takeaway of the vignette is: When you purchase an ofuro… be sure it is a Bartok design one☺ (LOL!)

Jokes aside, this tub velvety touch will conquer your heart！
Highly recommended (⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧♡

And here are the details:
sizes: Dia 900mm x H740mm (external dimensions) 630mm (depth)AndMaterial: knotless natural Sawara wood bathtub

1) AB grade tub (quarter sawn)  : 375,000. JPY

2) Packaging: 104x104x94cm reinforced cardboard box: 30,000. JPY

3) transportation: to be quoted (please let us know your exact address and postal code; we 
will provide a quotation before you purchase the tub)  

pdf drawing:

outlet250828Download

enjoy TARIFFLESS ofuro

(applies to US residents only)
There is bad news and good news about Donald Trump`s tariffs.

Bad news:
The new tariff rate for Japanese imported goods will be 15% from October 5, 2025 (12:01 AM EDT).
(still better than the 245% for Chinese products…)

Good news:
Therefore, if we can clear customs by October 4th, the tax rate will remain the same as before, at 3.2%.
If you order now and we can ship by September 25th, we should make it in time for the lower tax bracket.
We may not be able to produce in time in case of large tubs, but the timing should be quite safe in case of kadomaru tubs. -> https://bartokdesign.com/product-category/standard-tubs

Also, please note that the above figures are not 100% set as we are still awaiting Trump’s signature (as soon as he gets out from his ofuro!)

In any case, I recommend to contact us ASAP if you are ready to finalize your order!

Hanabi – outlet tub – SOLD OUT !

(sorry, sold out…）

August is the month of the “great heat” in Japan. The temperature is high as well as the humidity. Japanese complain about the sultriness, even if recent research is proving that this may be the secret of why japanese preserve a young-look skin (but lets keep this topic aside for another day).
August is hot, so Japanese devised some tricks to deal with it.
And here is our suggestion for a perfect mid-summer day:

・dancing: This is the month of morning to night bon-odori, when there is no distinction between performers and spectators. Just dance until you drop, echoing the traditional movements that were used to repair fishermen`s nets.

・yukata: to cool down, drink a cup of cold green tea and wear the cool cotton or linen single-layer kimono and feel the breeze on your skin.

・hanabi (literally fire-flowers): once the sun drops behind the horizon, enjoy the fireworks: the Nagaoka Fireworks in Niigata prefecture, takes place on August 2nd and 3rd is a “you-won’t-believe-your-eyes” 20,000 rockets show. In case you missed it, you are still in time for the Omagari National Fireworks Competition in Akita Prefecture on August 30th, probably the largest and grandest in Japan.

・ofuro: there are many ways to fully enjoy fireworks, wearing a yukata, eating onigiri riceballs, or drinking sake. But undoubtedly, a unique and unforgettable fireworks experience is if you can enjoy the show while soaking in an onsen or rotenburo!!

For this reason, we built this brand new outlet ofuro with symmetrical slanted ends, so that you and your partner can comfortably lean back and look at the sky for the ultimate hanabi experience!

Here are the details:
sizes: L1300mm x W750mm x H630mm (external dimensions) – 550mm(depth) 

Material: knotless natural Sawara wood bathtub (both sides slanted back)

1) AB grade tub (quarter sawn)  : 525,000. JPY

2) Packaging: 143x88x83cm reinforced cardboard box: 33,000. JPY

3) transportation: to be quoted (please let us know your exact address and postal code; we 
will provide a quotation before you purchase the tub)  

pdf drawing:

outlet250731Download

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