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Comments about the pocket onsen indiegogo campaign

Here below I will display some comments I received by people who received the pocket onsen. Feel free to add your in the comment field below or mail me if you want to be anonymous and/or add a picture.

Got my pocket onsen in the mail today. Packaging is superb! It will make a great Christmas gift.

I should have waited another day before writing! The oil was delivered
yesterday. I was finally able to open it this morning (I was doing home visits
yesterday) and it is luscious!
Thank you so much for contacting me about this project, and please let me know
if you have any other aromatherapy distillations of rare things. I’d love to
be involved.
I can’t wait to get this to my friends – fortunately, I ordered several so I
will have them for my “special stock”!
Best wishes for the holidays for you!

visit from Cape Town

We received a kind visit from South Africa.
The clients are remodeling their new house and are considering using a japanese bathtub and some other interior items such as tatami and shoji screens.

Actually this time the client was visiting the Kansai area (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara) as well, so I had a chance of meeting them at my office in Kobe first, that is where we discussed the technical details.
Then I reached them in Tokyo and escorted them to our workshop in Chiba prefecture.
We do not get the chance of clients visiting us very often, but it is of course very useful to explain the features, details and installation requirements of a japanese bathtub so we hope you will also come to Japan and visit us!

Notes for exporting to Canada

1)Can you provide the correct harmonized tariff code number ?
2) Products made of wood are subject to fumigation or finish requirements to stop the importation of insects. What is the experience with shipments to
Canada?
3) How soon can you ship following confirmation of our order.

1) The ofuro and the material for the sunoko are HS code 4421 . 90.
Other accessories or metal parts may have a different code.

2) We exported 5 times to Canada. There is no need for fumigation for finished wood products. I will verify for the lumber for the sunoko grating. Anyway we can supply a certification stating that the material is Kiln Dried and this is sufficient.
On the other hand, some some counties building dept. require compliance with the ASME regulations. Our tubs are not ASME certificated, so you should either file it as a “soaking tub” (not sanitary equipment) or contact us for more options.

3) Later today I will prepare a proforma invoice for your review and approval.
Please note that the shipping fee is still approximate. Kindly let me know your exact shipping address so I can obtain a official quote from the forwarder.
Finally, as you probably know ocean shippings for Canada require that the receiver is a corporation (private entities cannot file the customs paperwork.)

chopping table for famous chef

Well, this is not a tub but being a custom woodwork, I decided to add it to this section.
We made a chopping table for a famous chef, with a solid hinoki chopping board.

At first we considered the shipping cost and found out that the normal shipping would cost as much as the table itself…
So we decided to make it “knock down” so it could be shipped by EMS air mail.
Of course the client had to assemble it but we prepared all the joints so no screws are necessary (only glue).
This way we could keep the cost within the price range of an american end-grain chopping table.

as the board itself needs to be removed for washing, we supplied a silicon mat to be cut to size and placed between the top frame and the cutting board. The mat　becomes sticky when compressed, so it holds the board in place preventing it to slide.
Also, it absorbs the vibrations hence the sound made when chopping or cutting.

to the left is the sketch of the chopping table
to the right is the picture that the client kindly sent us!

Here are the specs of the table:
* Hinoki wood stand 540x450x745H with urethane finish
(Assembling on site with use of bond.)
(this stand would be without middle shelf to make the assembly easier)
* Packaging (reinforced cardboard box)
* Shipment by EMS

Here below are some cutting boards you can choose. Which one do you like?

here are the indicative costs (keep in mind that solid hinoki cost may vary like a commodity so we cannot guarantee on these prices)
kiso hinoki
140101. 　430mm L x 118mm x 300mm(quarter sawn) ￥84,000 plane finished
140102. 　580mm L x 108mm x 380mm(quarter sawn) ￥98,000 plane finished
130742. 　710mm L x 72mm x 370mm(plank cut) ￥35,000 plane finished
130703. 　650mm L x 90mm x 580mm(plank cut) ￥48,000 plane finished

server problems

On december 1 and 2, we had some problems to the server and both the home page and the mail service were not accessible for several hours.

We apologize for the inconvenience. If you sent us an email and are not receiving answer, please send it again.
Also, if you doubt that we are not receiving your mails, please CC: to my personal mail
-> iax1213@gmail.com

ofuro in green Canada

It took us only 8 mails to submit the quotation, answer to the precise questions of the client and adjust the order details!

Unfortunately we had many tubs in construction and there was no space to take good pictures.
We hope to be able to publish here the site pics once installed.

here are some details about the order:
* japanese Knotless asnaro wood bathtub (42mm thick planks)
* sizes: L1525mm x W736mm x H650mm (ext. dim.) 550mm(deep)
* details: copper apron, wooden dowels. Iron brand at front&back top-right
* options: ball-type drain plug

accessories:
* Asnaro wood traditional cover 756x217x18 (7pcs)
* Hinoki wood traditional stool (300x180x200H)
* Asnaro wood stool (330x220x300H)
* Sawara wood ladle with handle (180D 290H)
* 100ml Asnaro-Hiba Oil bottle
* Sawara wood foot bath (430x270H)

Hinoki planks (AB grade) for floor grate panel w/hydrorepellent
a) L2000mm x W93mm x t15mm with anti-warping slits

We also added the answers to the client`s questions to our faq section.
I hope it can be of reference to you as well: >>>
https://www.bartokdesign.com/9-faqcomment/notes_for_exporting_to_canada.php

This is the site view with a large corner window opening on the green garden.

It reminds me of a saying of Cicero: Si apud bibliothecam hortulum habes nihil deerit.

translated: if next to your study you have a small garden, there is nothing else you need.
Well, I wonder what Cicero would have said if he knew about japanese ofuros…!

asnaro tub for a nice couple in CA

This tub will be delivered to the home of a mixed couple (Japanese and American).
I am wondering who first thought of installing a japanese bathtub at home: the husband or the wife?

The order consists of a knotless asnaro tub with sizes:
L1360mm x W750mm x H730mm (ext. dim.) 645mm(deep)
and with a top frame “kamachi” border of 55xH120 cm
Details include a copper apron and wooden dowels for the corner joints.

And one asnaro wood “Sunoko” floor grate panel 1400 x 1840 x H55mm It is split is 4 panels 460mm wide for an easy maintenance/cleaning of the floor underneath.

From now on, we will include with our bathtubs a complimentary hygrometer.
We recommend to keep it in the bathroom and be sure that the humidity is above 55-60%.
If the environment is very dry, and the tub is seldom used there is the chance that the wood may crack, so keep an eye on the hygrometer!

pocket onsen with special offer

We are ready for shipping and have a special offer.
The price of the pocket onsen purchased outside of the crowd funding campaign is 7,000 JPY for N. america and Oceania, 7.300 JPY for Europe etc.

But, as a special Christmas present, I am slipping in the wooden box for free.

The offer is valid until 12/31/2014 and is limited to 3 units per person.
You can order your Pocket Onsen with complimentary box here:
https://www.bartokdesign.com/japan/28-aroma_oil/pocket_onsen_with_special_rese.php

on schedule with the aroma oil!

We just completed the production of the “special reserve” hinoki aroma oil.
I limited the production compared to the first plan but the yield was very good and we have 300 10cc bottles ready for shipping to all of you who kindly participated to the “pocket onsen” campaign.

Next week I should be able to complete the shipping. I am looking forward to hearing your comments!

Apollonian tub for Australia

Maybe it is difficult to guess from the pictures of the products below, the tub will be installed freestanding and visible on the four sides in the center of the room.
There will be “sunoko” floor grating all around and covering the floor of an adjoining terrace. There is a window behind the tub so it is possible to look out at the hillside while taking a bath!
At the same time, the light coming from behind the tub exalting the Apollonian beauty and proportion of the whole interior.

I hope the client will concede some pictures to be posted here!

Here are some data about the tub:
* japanese Knotless hinoki wood bathtub
* thick planks (42mm) – without top border frame
* L1500mm x W750mm x H680mm (550 mm deep)
* T joint corners, wooden dowels, copper apron. Iron brand at front top-right

accessories and options:
* Hinoki wood internal seat W400mm (removable)
* Hinoki wood floor mounted spout type E
* Sawara wood ladle with handle (180D 290H)
* Sawara large bucket（225D　120H）
* Hinoki wood – traditional design – stool (300x180x200H)
* Asnaro soap box (175x115x48H)
* Pocket onsen bath aroma set – “special reserve” type (green pouch)

In this case we were asked to supply a simple tap already mounted inside the spout box.

For your reference, download the file below to see the main two methods used to install and feed a wooden spout.　>>>141009-spout-plumbing.pdf

photo of internal seat: slide it out to remove

material for the duckboards:
* Hinoki planks for deck (plank cut, high quality, knotless) w/ hydrorepellent treatment, planned finish, chamfer corner
a) L2700mm（2655） x W110mm x t18mm
b) L1100mm（1010） x W110mm x t18mm
to the right are the buckets, stool and other accessories (the “pocket onsen” is not in the photo)