As you know, the Golden Week is a holiday period that takes place from the end of April through the first week of May. It is actually a cluster of four public holidays: April 29 (birthday of Emperor Showa), May 3 (Constitution Memorial Day), May 4 (Greenery day), May 5 (Children’s day).
Some businesses such as banks, work on April 30th, May 1st and 2nd (unless it falls on weekends) but many bridge the holiday and take the whole 6-7 days period off. The nice season and the long break make this one of the busiest periods for traveling in Japan, with record sales for the tourism and entertainment industry (hence the name “Golden”, borrowed from the radio programs jargon of the 1950`s)
This year, our relentless carpenters took advantage of some working days during the Golden Week period and prepared for you this beautiful outlet tub so you can enjoy even better your weekends, long weekends and holidays bathing in fragrant hot water! As you can see from the photo (see also below), we carefully selected the best parts of sawara wood, and the finished product is stunningly beautiful!
Here are the details: sizes: L1200mm x W750mm x H650mm (external dimensions) – 570mm(depth)
In every ancient culture, across continents, the snake is revered as a symbol of wisdom, power, and wealth.
We hope wisdom, power, and wealth will flow into your life in 2025!
The snake is also a symbol of circularity and new beginnings as embodied by the enigmatic symbol of the Ouroboros.
And two snakes twisted together are used as the insignia for the medical profession: a powerful imagery that conceals deep symbolism spanning from the mysteries of Ra to the oriental culture of Kundalini Yoga.
But if I may add what I think is the most stunning take from our cold-blooded friends, it is that:
they do not walk or run.
but still, they can reach their target and find their way.
They flow. ~>゜)～～～ ~>゜)～～～ ~>゜)～～～
This is not an argument about letting go, or some other zen-nish wisdom.
I am personally enjoying everyday holstering and bolstering (even if sometimes getting frustrated…)
but the realization that you can glide elegantly through the ups and downs of life like a snake, is inspirational.
When the wind is blowing too strong on my face I will try to keep in mind this mantra:
“let it flow…”
And when it is not enough… I will enter in my ofuro, open the hot water, and let it flow!
Our client and friend Lorenzo from LA completed his dream house, designed by Tadao Ando. And the house was featured on AD 2025 special issue (world class 100 projects) We supplied for this project the ofuro and accessories as well as the shoji, benches and some other furniture. It is an amazing project and I think that pictures will be more eloquent than words! That said, I welcome your comments or questions, I am sure that Lorenzo will like to virtually show you around…
In Japan we are suddenly experiencing cooler mornings and evenings.
Autumn, with its crisp air and shining sun, its foliage, and traditional festivals is here. However, as I don`t like cold weather, autumn reminds me that winter is approaching, so I am already missing the torrid summer and feeling a little melancholic.
For this reason, as the shirts are replacing the T-shirts here in Japan, I decided to grab a few days’ extension of heat in sunshine Dubai!
Following on from 2000 and 2002, I was invited to the Global Family Office Investment Summit, a family office event, again this year.
I’m also planning to give a 5-minute presentation speech: I’m going to talk about opportunities for sponsoring projects and events at the Osaka Expo (Belgian pavilion, tea room project and others).
It will be easier for me to meet on the 12th as I am free from the morning until my 23:00ish flight.
But what is the tea room project?
As you may know, I am now involved in some “2025 Osaka Expo” pavilion construction projects (Italy, Belgium, Spain, Serbia, Mozambique, Botswana, San Marino, Uruguay, Panama etc.)
Actually, I was also the AoR for the Indian pavilion, designed by Rajeev Sethi. We obtained the building permits at the end of May.
Anyway, the Indian trade promotion agency had some internal troubles and decided to switch to a prefabricated pavilion, the infamous X-type (；ﾟДﾟ) This is very sad because the pavilion was beautiful and expressed the arts and crafts of India. But there is another “missed opportunity” element: a famous Japanese architect, (let’s call him KK) designed a tea room for the project. But of course also this part is going to be aborted (；ﾟДﾟ)
The tea room has a very powerful symbology as a tool to spread mutual understanding: it is the quintessential tool for implementing peace.
The original concept of Rajeev was to use the tea room to arrange top-level and highly symbolic one-to-one meetings between heads of state because as you know tea ceremony is all about two people leaving their weapons and armor outside and opening to each other differences.
Actually, KK is very passionate about this project. I never saw him deeply involved in other pavilions he designed (Portugal, Malaysia, etc.) but he flew with 2 assistants to India and met with Indian craftsmen just 1 week before the shocking turnaround from the ITPO ( ；∀；)
I can privately share his design and the heartwarming photos of his trip to India to those interested.
But I did not give up on the dream to create the tea room anyway: actually up to 5 of them with different designs (the sketch below is a placeholder).
I am in contact with E-design (the company managing the design of the exterior areas under the design supervision of Arch. Fujimoto – the designer of the ring)
To cut a long story short, I am looking for ideas and sponsors to make this project happen but there is a very tight timeline to take control of the situation.
The teahouse project can be sponsored directly (for instance by offering tea in cups with a logo on them) and indirectly (as naming rights, through the media and news feeds) and can even be managed to produce sales.
Needless to say, after the expo is over, the sponsor would have the right to reuse and transfer the tea room anywhere in the World – and I think that this “legacy” value alone is worth the involvement. (To build the tea room and 240m2 original design Japanese garden we will need the sponsor to invest about 1 million USD)
I prefer not to share presentation material here for copyright and privacy reasons, but feel free to reach to me for further information.
Well, what do you think the guys at Bartok design do to celebrate every time the full moon coincides with the Autumn Equinox?
Of course, they build an outlet bathtub, round like the full moon! (and I’m sure there are quite a few people who have been waiting for a round bath!!)
Everybody who guessed right (and will but the tub): a complimentary sawara wood bucket for you! (of course round…)
If you missed the right answer… read through all out Q&A twice and try again on next outlet tub chance!
Here are the details:
sizes: Dia 920mm x H740mm (external dimensions) 630mm(depth) Material: knotless natural Sawara wood bathtub.
1) AB grade tub (quarter sawn) : 325,000. JPY
2) Packaging: 105x105x84cm reinforced cardboard box: 27,000. 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)
To all who followed the story of the outlet tub uploaded on 7/7 , well … there is a sequel ! Orihime was happy to meet her lover Hikoboshi on the “tanabata day” but as you can imagine she became even more sad the day after, knowing she had to wait 364 more days before the reencounter.
She thought about what to do in order to be able to see Hikoboshi again. She thought thoroughly for 7 days. Then for 7 more days. Then another 7 days. On the 28th of the month, she had a SMART IDEA! She asked her father King Tentei to purchase for her a sawara bathtub from Bartok design. Hikoboshi who was working part-time for a forwarding company, delivered the ofuro so she could meet him again without waiting for the next year! From that day on, every time Princess Orihime enters the tub she feels the warm water embracing he as if she were in her lover`s arms.
Well, as with the previous Tanabata story, also the sequel may not be exactly the version you will find in the textbooks, but the possibility that this happened in reality cannot be excluded in principle…
And if you want to feel the same as Orihime, you can purchase the outlet tub below: (only one piece, first come first serve basis)
sizes: 1100mm x W700mm x H680mm (external dimensions) 600mm(depth) knotless natural Sawara wood bathtub.
1) AB grade tub (quarter sawn) : 386,000. JPY 2) Packaging: 123x83x78cm reinforced cardboard box: 27,000. 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)
I apologize for the long gap in communication but wanted to let you know everything worked out wonderfully for our ofuro being completed. The hose suggestion was perfect and the washer was the correct type, there was no need to drill any space into the wood. Here are a few pictures of the completed tub.
I am so happy to be able to enjoy soaking in my tub weekly and the smell is so wonderfully unique and so relaxing.
I thank you so, so much for all of your immediate answers to so many of my probing questions, starting a few years ago now, and even when the time difference was many hours into your evenings!
I have been singing your praises all along to anyone I tell the long saga of my ofuro and I am happy to recommend you to anyone who is interested in an ofuro for their bathroom project.
Thank You!!!!
S. from the USA
Reply:
Dear S,
Thank you for your kind words!
The installation is very smart and I think it could be of reference for many other ofuro lovers.
Do you think I could upload the photos and your comments in our testimonial corner?
Of course I would omit any personal information and shorten your name.
Today, July 7th is a special day all over Japan where people celebrate Tanabata, the Star Festival. It is about the story of two lovers: Princess Orihime, the cloth weaver, and Hikoboshi, the cow herder who lived on the other side of the Milky Way. (Also associated with the two stars Vega and Altair) The two fell in love and married but their love and devotion were so deep that Orihime stopped weaving and Hikoboshi neglected his cattle. King Tentei, (Orihime’s father) became angry and forbade the lovers to be together, but Orihime got very sad, so King Tentei decreed that the two star-crossed lovers could meet once a year– on the 7th day of the 7th month … if … if they presented him a bartok design`s ofuro !!
The two lovers did not have a lot of savings but they found a perfect model in the outlet corner and took advantage of the cheap yen, so they immediately ordered it. King Tentei was tantalized by the refined aroma and silky texture of the ofuro: forgave the lovers on the spot, and everybody lived happily ever after.
Wow ! Well, the story has been slightly modified to fit this device … anyway, the takeaway is that if you are relaxed and energized, everybody around you will become happy in a win-win situation.
And like every July 7th, now it is your unique opportunity to secure a new and pristine outlet tub to enjoy life also the other 364 days of the year ＼(^o^)／ Details are shining here below:
sizes: L1300mm x W750mm x H630mm (external dimensions) 550mm(depth)
1) Japanese Sawara Cypress wood AB grade bathtub (quartersawn): 426,000. JPY（too good to be true!） 2) Packaging: 150x95x83cm plywood box: 41,000. 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)
You can see the kumiko craftsmanship, the process of turning square timber into round sticks, and the final finishing touches to the bathtub using a hand plane. And at the end, we and the Dubai team all ate watermelon together with the grandpa, grandma: even more than the filming until now, this was definitely a scene belonging to movie set!
A client and friend in Singapore set up an apartment for guests and equipped it with a hinoki bath but since it is rarely used they are considering renting or selling the property.
As they already have an ofuro in their main house, this beauty will need to find another loving household.
Anybody interested? Of course, it is possible to ship, but a “new family” in Singapore would be the easiest and cheapest solution.
Specs are:
Japanese Hinoki wood AB grade bathtub (quartersawn)
L1300mm x W750mm x H650mm (ext. dimensions) 560mm(deep)
Price is 550,000 JPY (and you will have to do the moving)
Conditions are pristine, practically never used.
Get in touch with iacopo at japan@bartokdesign.com for further info or to organize a viewing.
