if you like our content, do not forget to sign in to our newsletter. We usually send a new year greetings letter + 3~4 mailings per year. And of course you can opt out anytime.
These pictures seem to have been taken from Kyoto or Nara…
(It is actually from a rural stone-masonry lovely house in the beautiful Appennine mountains.) I will skip any comment, it would fade anyway in the emotions that come out from the images…
We always receive the same question:
Q. How should I maintain/clean the tub?
The answer is always:
The tub needs love and care more than maintenance.
If you use it often (preferably daily), keep an eye on the hygrometer and take care of small stains as soon as you spot them, you tub will have a long and happy life.
Anyway, our clients feel this is not enough. They want to do something. They want to be proactive and show concretely their affection for the tub.
Over the years we tried vegetable base detergents, non-oil oils and ecologic cleaners.
They were sticky or just meaningless and we continued to recommend just – pure love – to take care of the tub.
But yes, we finally found a product we can recommend for cleaning and rehidratating the wood. It is an oil base product from the same line as the ones used for aromatherapy.
See our product page for specific information and use instructions.
Japanese people do not use hiba oil for clenaning wooden bathtubs but it has amazing applications in our everyday life. Here below are some detailed information about Hiba oil:
We were requested to supply hinoki timber (rough saw cut) to be used by the local joinery to build doors and furniture. At first we offered a quote in cultivated hinoki from Yoshino (Nara Prefecture).
But – HEY! – the client required all the wood to be quarter sawn to match the coordinated bathtub color and grain.
We checked our stock and asked all our dealers and acquaintances but it is difficult to obtain such quantity of natural timber of such quality and knotless on 4 sides…!
Finally we agreed on a smart solution. We were provided a detailed order of all the small pieces and parts needed for construction. This allowed us to better optimize small cuts we had and to be able to offer better lumber for a much – much lower cost.
Each piece was marked with a number which refers to a detailed list and to the drawings.
It was hard work, but when the reasult is so satisfactory, we forget all the fatigue.
Our client was so kind to send us the photo of installed asnaro bathtub so we are glad to publish it here!
The asnaro wood paneling creates a warm atmosphere, a kind of “other world”, a natural corner.
I am sure here you can forget the cold of central european winters and re-energize body and mind…
I think the local contractor made a great job and the spout was partially recessed inside the wall as planned. Afterall no matter how our cultures may be different, working with wood and loving wood is definately a common heritage.
The tub has been mounted, around is a wide hinoki duckboard.
The stone floor, the ceiling beams…
I can see everywhere passionate details and feel a magic atmosphere…
I am really overwhelmed by the emotions looking at these pictures.
It is central Italy but really feels like Edo period Japan. This is not just because the materials are original, but because the spirit, the concept of the project is authentic.
https://bartokdesign.com/wp-admin/options-reading.php
In the end, when man respects nature and put care and love in his acts, even different cultures touch and become one. I am sure that people entering in this ofuro will understand something more of the real essence of humanity.
These are pictures kindly provided by the client.
A rural house in central Italy has been remodeled into a japanese culture center.
Watch up for more details at this link:
http://www.wabisabiculture.org/
The heavy tub is being unloaded on site.
Here we are packaging a tub to be shipped by ocean freight.
* One layer of polyethylene sheet to prevent dehidratation and dirt.
* Solid veneer construction for the custom crate to avoid the need for fumigation or (time consuming) custom inspections/quarantine.
Luckily we did not have any problem or damage claim at all so far.
Preparing the material for a new tub going to NY.
These are asnaro planks. The top kamachi border will be 100×60.
The tub going to paris is ready to be packaged and shipped.
It is a really nice tub, I am almost sorry to see it go…
We are now working on a large asnaro tub with a 260mm wide border!
Commonly, large top frame borders like in your case are done laminaing 2
planks, anyway we had a beautiful piece of asnaro in the warehouse, so the frame will be done in one piece!
It was probably ment to be a cut for a beam or daikoku-bashira (main column) but at present there are not many chances to use expensive wood even for temples or shrines…
The lumber was 360×360 straight cut! This means that the 1/3 central segment of the tree was almost half meter square at the base. The tree had probably a diameter of 1200 to 1500mm !!
We could get our kamachi in one piece and also most of the planks for the sides from the same piece. This means the tub is going to be all straight cut!
PS:
Please do not ask us to provide such lumber for your project. This stroke of luck does not happen more than once a year…