ONSEN In Japan,
Ministry of Environment certifies onsen,
which efficacy and integrity are
recognized to be superior, as
“national health resort
onsen” and utilizes it as
dissemination activities so that more
people can familiarize onsen. Shima
Onsen is the commemorable first onsen
among more than 90 national resort
onsens, thus can be called as the onsen
with reliability proven by history and
records. Moreover, most sources of
Shima Onsen are natural seep, thus you
can expose the whole body to fresh water
with less oxidation. Temperature of
onsen is 50-80 degrees Celsius. You can
thoroughly warm up the core of your body
and indulge in a moment of bliss.
Majestic scenery surrounding open-air
bath also becomes a feast for the eyes,
thus it has huge popularity as a
retreat. Shima Onsen is written as
in Chinese characters. It means
the number 40000. It is said to be named
as “forty thousand Onsen,”
meaning that the effect of full
onsen heals 40000
diseases. There is originally a
culture of “Toji” in Japan,
meaning cure in onsen. Many people used
to heal fatigue of body and mind by
staying at onsen for one week to one
month up to the 1970s. Supposedly
,It is due to the combined effect of 5
elements. Those elements
are; Then,
I introduce the detail of these five
benefits. Quality of Shima
Onsen is “sodium-calcium chloride,
sulfate onsen”, of which main
components are sodium chloride, calcium
chloride, and sulfate ions. As it
contains abundant sodium ions, you can
taste little salt with a little
lick. When taking onsen, a large
amount of sodium chloride components
cover the body like a veil, and bring
perspiration like sauna. As moisturizing
effect can be available as well as
waste discharge, you can enjoy the
efficacy to become beautiful moist
skin that is an eternal yearning
of women. Besides anti-aging effects,
improved efficacy of skin
disease-relation is also known, such as
abrasions, burns, atopic dermatitis,
heat rash, and eczema. In
addition, minerals such as calcium and
magnesium are also abundant. If bathing
thoroughly, nourishing ingredients
penetrate into the body, and work for
relief of symptoms of neuralgia and
arthritis. Relaxing effect of negative
ions loosens entrenched body, and also
contributes to fatigue, such as muscle
pain and joint pain. By
warming the body in onsen, blood
circulation is improved and metabolism
increases, and you will see the effect
preeminent in terms of both beauty and
health. Customers from abroad often ask,
“Why do Japanese people enjoy
taking this kind of hot water in such
hot summer season?” I think this
is because Japanese know by instinct the
utility of thermal effect. Please try to
observe the situation when Japanese get
into a bathtub. Most people get into
bath with really pleasant voice, such as
“Fu ~” and “Ha
~.” Buoyancy acts when
entering water, such as a pool not
limited to onsen, you feel like the body
became lighter. This buoyancy releases
from gravity, muscles loosen, and that
leads to relaxation of body and
mind. It is said that
“legs are the second heart”
as about one-third of the total blood
volume gathers to legs, and this blood
is sent back to the heart. When bathing,
blood vessels become narrow in water
pressure, blood is pushed toward the
heart, and as a result, the flow of
veins in the lower extremities is
improved, thus circulation of blood and
lymph also become active. I feel that
positive impact given by changing
environment effect to body and mind is
very strong. You may have experienced
that you got refreshed by leaving a home
land and placing oneself in a different
environment. Starting with Shima Onsen,
many Japanese onsen are located at
scenic places full of the nature, this
changing environment effect is
especially outstanding. Traveling from
overseas to Japan itself is already
changing environment effect! By
the way, Shima Onsen is renowned as
“drinkable onsen,” and there
is also a way to enjoy drinking onsen
water as well as bathing. If you go to
drinking onsen spots that are installed
in some places at the onsen town, you
can drink onsen water with rich
nutrition. As components can be directly
absorbed through digestive organs, there
is a profound effect on improving
disease of constipation, loss of
appetite, and gastrointestinal system
diseases. It is said that there is also
the effect on other illness, such as
diabetes and gout. Origin of the
onsen name, “onsen that heals
forty thousand diseases” is not a
fake. Many people from all over the
country visit on a regular basis for
onsen treatment purposes. While eating
good food, please come and experience
the culture of onsen recuperation
imprinted in the DNA of
Japanese. Take Shima Onsen with
rich effects, heal fatigue from the
journey, and enjoy your trip to
Japan trip to your heart’s
contents. Follow the news at1:
“Pharmacological
effect”.
2:
“thermal effect.”
3:”Buoyancy
effect” and “pressure
effects.”
“buoyancy
effect.”
“pressure
effects.”
4:
“Changing environment
effect.”
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: Suan Sunandha Rajabhat
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: Center of Excellence in Elderly
Care