BathTime Stories I

well, more like a product review!

Recently, I went browsing around in a store called Tokyu Hands and came across the bathroom section. I know, this is not the first time I've blogged about bathrooms here in Tokyo. I came across a product that basically called out to me, "For a hot time, buy me!" The name? Diablo Hot Pepper Bath. Uh huh.

Well, it doesn't actually say "uh huh" on the package but this product seemed so unique that I just had to buy it and try it! So, I bought it. On the back of the package was some Japanese text that refers to the restorative properties from using the product. There is a website for this product too! I had the text translated and I reproduce it for your amusement:

• 疲労回復(recovery from fatigue)

• 　肩のこり(stiffness of the shoulders)

• 　冷え症(sensitivity to cold)

• 　腰痛(backache)

• 　神経痛(neuralgia)

• 　うちみ(bruise)

• 　しっしん(moist tetter)

• 　リウマチ(rheumatism)

• 　しもやけ(chilblains)

• 　あせも(prickly heat)

• 　荒れ性(?)

• 　くじき(sprain)

• 　ひび(chaps)

• 　あかぎれ(chap)

• 　痔(hemorrhoids)

If the question mark wasn't amusing enough then the word chilblains definitely brings teh funny. Oh, and hemorrhoids, I won't even go there. Actually, I checked and it is supposed to be another word for frostbite. I don't know about you, but if I have frostbite, looking for a hot pepper bath is not on the top of my list! (hmmm. Maybe the one dictionary I consulted had it confused with frostbite You can't say you don't learn things when reading this blog!)

So, what was the "try it" part like? After opening the product, it looked like there was a big orange tea bag in the package. It definitely made the water warmer. There were some subtle hints of orange, which was pleasant enough. Once I got into the bath, it definitely made me feel like I had drunk hot sauce several hours before, and like I had eaten a really spicy Mexican mean about twenty four hours before that. It wasn't a burning sensation, it was more like, well ok, it was a burning sensation, but only for those areas that I alluded too. I splashed my face and my lips felt a slight tingle too. Feeling this tingle, I made sure not to get any water in my eyes. When I came out of the bath, my skin was not red or anything like that, but I did have an overall warm sensation that was more than skin deep.

Yesterday, I went back to Tokyu Hands and bought out the rest of the Diablo Hot Pepper Bath...