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[pocket onsen] with “Special reserve hinoki aroma oil”

This idea would enable to enjoy the relaxing properties and atmosphere of a japanese bath even people who do not own a wooden bathtub.
(After trying it, If you like the experience you can get the real thing …!)

The use is very simple!
Just pour few drops of the “Special reserve hinoki aroma oil” included in the kit on the orbs and place them in the hot water.
You can use the orbs over and over again.
Since they are only 3, you can easily store them on a shelf in your bathoom.
This project was developed in indiegogo, you can google for “pocket onsen” to find out about the process.
Choose the pouch color according to the sample below:
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The pocket onsen comes in a high quality paulownia wooden box with the Bartok iron brand. Ideal for a gift!

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Bartok design Japan Co. is member of:
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ofuro for london artist

We had the privilege to build this ofuro for a famous London based artist.
The tub is in asnaro wood and has a high base to conceal the drain.

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The ofuro is equipped with a removable internal seat.

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Here are the specs:

material: japanese Knotless (quartersawn) Asnaro wood bathtub

sizes: L1500mm x W750mm x H850mm (ext. dim.) 735mm(deep)

details: T-shape corner, wooden dowels, no top frame (t42mm planks) – sloped bottom
natural oil apron, Iron brand at front top-right

accessories include an Asnaro wood traditional cover 770x214x18 (7pcs) and Hinoki traditional stool (300x180x200H)

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hinoki reserve (250 y.o.) oil

This oil was developed thru a crowdfunding campaign run in the fall of 2014.

Please take a look here for the campaign page: http://www.igg.me/at/pocket-onsen

As of january 2015 I have about 200 bottles on stock and out of it I think I will keep about 50 for myself. Once it is finished I do not know yet if I am going to produce it again. If you are interested to try it or test the difference, please hurry…

The oil can be used in the bath (we recommend to pour on hinoki orbs or wood blocks and place in the water) or in your aroma diffuser.
The aroma is very different from normal hinoki, I would describe it as spicier and milder at the same time.
You can purchase it thru Paypal or contact us.

– HINOKI ESSENTIAL OIL – RESERVE (250 years old)


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hinoki essential oil

Hinoki oil is obtained by steam distillation of hinoki wood trunk pulp.

On the left you can see our small size testing drum which holds 500g of wood chips.
Steam is made go thru the wood chips like a large perculator. The steam then condensate in water with some oil content in emulsion (see in the picture on the right.)
No addictive or chemical is used. After reiterating the process 4 times, the yield is about 1% which means that 1Kg of hinoki contains about 10ml of essential oil.

HINOKI ESSENTIAL OIL

hinoki-oil

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hinokitiol + hinoki oil

Hinoki aroma oil is the beloved delicate, citrus-scented quintessential japanese essential oil.
But ironically it does not contain hinokitiol. (The name originates from the fact is was first isolated in Taiwanese hinoki, on the other hand it is widely contained in hiba cedarwood)

Hinokitiol is the miraculous terpenoid with high bactericidal power. It is even effective on penicillin resistant nosocomial infections such as MRSA, and it is all natural!
We provide hinokitiol powder in you can add to the oil (in 5%, 10%, 15% concentrations) for enhanced skin care and skin healing performance.

PRODUCTS LINE:

We sell 100% pure japanese hinoki oil (extracted thru steam distillation of the trunk heartwood) in 10ml bottles. We also offer bottles of pure hinokitiol crystals in 1.0g　bottles.

INSTRUCTIONS:

To contain the costs and to provide always fresh stock, we discontinued the pre-mixed hinoki oil + hinokitiol but offer the 2 products together in a value package.
You can prepare easily the enriched hinoki oil at your home.

  1. Remove the drip cap from the hinoki essential oil bottle
  2. Cap it and warm up the oil in bain marie
  3. Pour the hinokitiol powder inside with the aid of a small pad or toothpick and mix it with the hinokitiol to obtain the desired concentration. Adding 1g of hinokitiol to 10ml of hinoki oil would give you a 12% hinokitiol solution. About 6 times the concentration present in hiba oil.

You can apply the oil directly on the skin (try first a small amount) or place few drops in water used for washing or in the bathtub. Remember that oil becomes soluble in water when mixed with ethanol (ethyl alcohol). Please purchase separately ethanol at your drugstore.

hinokitiol-+-hinoki-oil

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movie star ofuro – sold out!

sorry, sold out!

This ofuro was used for the video we made for our Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign.
See here for more details: http://www.igg.me/at/pocket-onsen

I spent inside some 30 minutes (no water of course) and I can say it was so comfortable and energizing at the same time that it was sad to get out…
BTW, I am 175cm and sitting with my back straight I could keep straighten my legs.
A perfect fit. It`s like returning to the womb… Yes, I am serious!

Anyway, here are the details:
size: L1230mm x W750mm x H660mm (external dimensions) 555mm(depth)
quality: knotty natural Hinoki wood bathtub.

  1. K grade tub (knotty cut) : 360,000. JPY
  2. Packaging: 1430x950x860 wood box: 38,000. JPY
  3. Pick up and delivery to Tokyo port: 13,000 JPY
  4. Transportation: to be quoted

All the knots are either sealed or replaced by a wooden dowel.

front side:

For the payment, we accept Credit cards thru PAYPAL or contact us for wire transfer the information to our bank account in Japan.

Click here: (outlet140707.pdf) to download a dimensional drawing in acrobat format.

back-side:

inside:

a complex bathtub for california

The order was coordinated by a skilled architect.
It is always stimulating and challenging to work with designers.
In this case they wanted to achieve a sleek cantilevered bench in front of the tub, in a U shape. The details were very refined, some too much for my down-to-earth compliance-minded grumpy carpenter…
Anyway we could find a satisfactory solution for all the parts and the tub/options will be beautiful and durable at the same time.

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The tub has a wide top ledge and an apron. We prepared the blocking so that the apron planks can be mounted on site to match perfectly the tilework

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From the picture it is difficult to explain, but the bench board thickness will cover exactly the horizontal joint of the apron planks

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The back of the tub will be inset in the masonry ledge

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Inside the tub is a removable bench

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Some of the over 30 parts cut to size to build the bench in front and to the left of the tub.
Project specs:
* japanese Knotless (quartersawn) Hinoki wood bathtub
* L1680mm x W1225mm x H762mm (ext. dim.) 648mm(deep)
* L-shape corner , no top frame (t47mm planks) – flat bottom

ofuro for the south of France

It was particularly pleasant to deal with our client this time.
His questions were binary and the decision process was complex but progressive.
It took just 20 days for deciding the details, producing, confirming and getting the tub to the customs.

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material: Knotless Hinoki cypress wood
L900mm x W720mm x H720mm (ext. dim.) 610mm(deep)
glass coating @ apron, wooden dowels. Iron brand at top-right
The drain plug is replaced with a spherical type one.

accessories include:
* Hinoki wood traditional cover 740x225x18 (4pcs)
* Asnaro wood stool (330x220x300H)
* Sawara wood ladle with handle (180D 290H)

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Since the tub is going to a location far from Paris, the local shipping cost was quite expensive. I thought it would be nice to arrange a kind of “collective shipment” for all people on the Cote d`Azur interested in owning a japanese ofuro…

si quelqu’un est intéressé s’il vous plaît laissez-moi savoir!

cover for acrylic bathtub

We received the request from a japan lover who previously purchased from us some bath accessories to produce a cover to match his acrylic bathtub.

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The client supplied us a paper template and we could produce the matching tub split in 3 sections.

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The cover can be flipped over and used as a bench.

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reference from switzerland

Dear Iacopo
The bathtub is very beautiful (wonderful craftsmanship!) and we enjoyed a fantastic first bath yesterday evening.
The feedback from the carpenter: very nice selection of planks!
All the best from Japanese heaven
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