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“I love my bath, iacopo!”

This was the title of a very kind whatsapp message from a customer.
We live for these few but precious dew drops!!
But the real treat was coming in the following messages:
Two wonderful photos that I post here and a heart-warming message (see down at the bottom)
But first, let me here briefly comment on the photos:
1) the ofuro is installed with an angle (not parallel to the walls).
2) the reason for this is not a whimsy design concept: see the second photo!
3) yes! the ofuro has this direction so you can see outside the window
4) but the real “coup de genie” is that the ofuro is not fixed! You can move and rotate it.
You can look out of the window when it is sunny and turn to the natural white wall for a relaxing meditation when it`s raining outside (or just to the opposite…＼(^o^)／）

Basically, there is a deck under the ofuro that hides a waterproof pan with floor trap. so the drain socket of the tub can be made to discharge the water anywhere as long as it is on the duckboard.
Isn`t it a revolutionary idea?

Client endorsement：
‘An ofuro bath is a major investment but rest easy, you have come to the right place. My Bartok experience proved first-class throughout, combining outstanding craftsmanship with impeccable service – all from the other side of the world! A rare thing in this day and age and a tonic for the soul.

But don’t just take my word for it. Speak to Iacopo and his team to see for yourself.
Go on, take the plunge! Invest in a beautiful, wooden work-of-art. You will never regret it.’

I. from France

All best wishes

Dear Iacopo-san,
Please be informed that the Japanese Bathtub successfully arrived yesterday afternoon.
The wooden box (package) couldn’t enter thru the door. So, together with DHL, we removed the package and carried the bathtub into our house (see photo).
Thanks a lot!!!

Actually it looks great also in the living room!
Maybe you can move it over from time to time to bathe while enjoying the garden view!

The picture was so cute and the ofuro looks so much at home overlooking the garden of this light-filled house that…
I could not resist asking the (a little puzzled) owner If I could share the photo here.

A part for the jokes, using a flexible hose to drain the ofuro in a safe place, I think it would be so nice if the ofuro can be moved around from the living to the inner garden and enjoy every angle of this beautiful house!

My dream was to one day have a Japanese soaking tub so when my husband and I decided to build our own house with a Japanese aesthetic, I was so pleased to find your website with my dream tub! A true work of art.
We had many delays and my poor tub sat on the back porch of our rental for almost 3 years.
I would proudly show it off to my friends and would take it into the house during the very cold winter nights.
Now it has a proper home in our master bath and every time I bathe I feel like I am in heaven. There is nothing like being embraced by water up above the shoulders and breathing the other worldly aroma of the wood. The worries of the day disparate as I am transported to a timeless place of peace.
Thank you for building it with such loving care and attention.

R.R.
robinolivereich.com
https://www.instagram.com/orangegreyhound/

What a lovely comment we have received!
And soooo beautiful photos! Thank you R. san!
We are glad the long odissey of R.`s ofuro blossomed into an happy end and also the fact that if properly wrapped to prevent dehidration, also a kadomaru bathtub can remain in perfect conditions after 3 years of storage!

And I think the orange/gold of the sawara tub is strikingly beautiful coordinated with the antrax of the tiles and the fresh green of the outdoors.
Dear R.: I must say we are very envious of your new house!

Sending in a photo of our sweet and compact tub. We love it and use it multiple times a week!
T from Seattle

another picture kindly participated by a client and friend!
in the title, I tried to play around with the title of a famous movie…
It is a kind of corny sense of humor.
Japanese would call it “dajare” or oyaji-gag (middle age father`s gag)
Is this a sign I am getting older?

Hi Iacopo,
I hope you’re well.
I’ve only just seen the ofuro-jiman contest email you sent earlier this week so I’m probably too late, but I thought I’d send you some photos of our ofuro anyway, in case you’d like to post them on Bartok’s instagram account?

As you may recall, we extended our house in London and created a new Japanese style wet room on the ground floor, complete with one of Bartok’s sawara ofuro and hinoki stool and bucket. I spend most Sunday evenings soaking in the wonderful ofuro! The view from the ofuro of a maple tree through the timber slatted screen helps me feel a little closer to Japan!
Best regards,
S.T.

Photo credits: Agnese Sanvito @agnesesanvito

An early bird testimonial from Switzerland for our “ofuro jiman” contest!
There is no comment but the pristine conditions of the 9-year-old ofuro do not need further comments!

Thank you and … enjoy the hot water!

Thank you Iacopo-san for all your hard work! We have finally finished our bathroom remodel and here are pictures of the finished product. Thank you for the wonderful #ofuro !!
MM from Oregon, USA

well, there is no special relationship between our lovely Australian client and Cicero.
But when I saw this photo, I could not help remembering the quotation: “si apud …OFURUM… hortulum habes, nihil deerit”

Which roughly translates in: “if you have a small garden near your ofuro, you do not need anything else”

And I am sure that Cicero would have loved the natural greens and browns of this space!

(PS: actually, Cicero was talking about a library and not an ofuro (;^_^…)

I am very grateful to Iacopo and the craftsmen at Bartok Design for helping me to realize a dream I have had for many years. I bought my ofuro 18 months ago from the outlet corner.

Since it was delivered to our home in Canberra Australia, we have built a new home in Victoria county. I was able to design my new bathroom specifically for my ofuro, with an opening door so that I can recycle the clean water onto the garden.

The photo shows the door opening onto what will be my small Japanese-style garden courtyard, opening onto the rest of the garden.
In hindsight, it may have been better to wait until our plans for the new house were at least finalized to buy the ofuro, but we were not planning to move when I bought it.
It has been a wonderful blessing to have over the last very stressful 18 months. It has survived being wrapped in plastic, put in storage, and being left in my mother’s garden (full of water)  for several months. After a good clean and sanding it has come up very well and I’m sure I will enjoy it for many more years,
A.