There had been something I'd wanted to try for about ten years.
But my embarrassment always won out over my courage, and I never got around to it.
What was it? Akasuri.
Akasuri is a relaxation treatment that uses special gloves, towels, and oils to scrub away the dead skin cells — the old grime — that builds up on your body. It leaves your skin completely smooth and clean. It originated in Korea, where it has long been a staple at jjimjilbangs (large Korean bathhouse complexes) and Korean-style saunas in Seoul. It spread to Japan after the war, and today it's a standard menu item available at super sento and onsen facilities across the country.
Hearing all that, you'd think: what a wonderful service. And I knew that perfectly well. So why had I gone years without trying it? The answer lies in the method. In general, the person performing akasuri is a woman. And you have to receive the treatment in a nearly fully unclothed state. On top of that, since akasuri targets the entire body, the area around your intimate zone gets treated too. For those reasons, I could never quite bring myself to sign up out of sheer embarrassment.
On this particular day, I made up my mind to go through with it and did thorough research beforehand on how the treatment typically works. One article mentioned that it's common practice to wear paper underwear (simple disposable briefs to cover the genitals) during the treatment, and that put me somewhat at ease — though that was just the general information. I also came across accounts saying that if the body reacted physically during treatment of the sensitive area, the practitioner, being a professional, wouldn't mind and would carry on as if nothing had happened. I'd selectively gathered every reassuring piece of information I could find and convinced myself everything would be fine.
I arrived at Nara Health Land around 10 in the morning. It wasn't too crowded at that hour. I went to the front desk and said, "Excuse me, I'd like to try akasuri..." They replied, "Akasuri starts from 11 o'clock — there's a dedicated reception on the second floor where you can make a reservation." I first completed the check-in for bathing and headed upstairs. There was indeed a dedicated relaxation reception desk, so I walked over and told the woman there, "I'd like to make a reservation for akasuri." She said, "The earliest available time is noon." I immediately answered, "Then — then, please book me in for that time." She asked, "Which course would you like?" and showed me the menu. There were so many options I couldn't figure it out, so I turned the question back on her: "This is actually my first time doing akasuri — is there a course you'd recommend for a first-timer?" She kindly replied, "In that case, the 40-minute course is perfect!" I said, "Thank you, I'll go with that, then." And just like that, the reservation was made. There was no backing out now.
Since I had over an hour before the treatment, I decided to enjoy the onsen and sauna first. The akasuri story has been taking center stage, but Nara Health Land is one of the largest bathing facilities in the Kansai region, with an exceptional lineup of saunas and natural hot springs. Once I got in, the quality was truly impressive. For one thing, nano water is used throughout the entire facility. Nano water refers to water in which normal water molecules have been further broken down and processed to an extremely fine level — on the nanometer scale (one nanometer being one billionth of a meter). Because the particles are so small, it has high penetration power and is known for easily delivering moisture to skin and hair. As for the saunas, paying an additional 330 yen gives you access to five types of sauna including a rock sauna.
In that spacious, liberating environment, I did three sets of sauna and cold plunge bath. I was feeling wonderfully settled into that state of totonou. Glancing at the clock, I saw the akasuri start time was approaching. I'd read that it's better to warm your body thoroughly in a bath before the treatment, so I soaked in the carbonated bath for about 15 minutes.
The moment had finally come to step into uncharted territory. It was time for akasuri. I headed to the dedicated room, but feeling a bit too self-conscious to just walk in stark naked, I put on the facility's lounge pants and opened the door. The woman in charge looked at me and said in broken Japanese, "You're Mr./Ms. [name], right? Why are you wearing pants? Did you not take a bath?" She appeared to be a genuine Korean. "No, I spent about an hour enjoying the hot springs," I replied. "Take your pants off and lie face up on the table," she instructed. "Does that mean... completely naked? Ha — won't I be wearing paper underwear?" I ventured. "You don't need that! Let's get started!" she said. At that point I thought, whatever happens, happens — I slipped off my pants, stripped down completely, and lay face up on the dedicated table. In an instant, a towel was draped over my groin. I felt mildly relieved.
She asked, "First time doing akasuri?" I answered, "Yes, first time. I'm a little nervous." She gave me a thorough explanation: "Your body will be so clean afterward! In Korea, akasuri is so common it's practically considered a massage." Then, with the words "Let's begin," some kind of special oil was applied all over my body. After that, she scrubbed me down using gloves and a towel. There was no pain — in fact, it felt good. After a while she said, "Want to take a look?" I lifted the towel covering my eyes and looked — and there was an enormous amount of dead skin, like shavings from a giant eraser. I was astonished that so much grime had built up on my own body. The treatment continued, and by the time it was over, my entire body was perfectly smooth. She even washed my hair for me, and I felt like I'd been reborn as a brand-new version of myself. I honestly regretted not doing this sooner — it felt that good.
I thanked the Korean woman who had taken care of me: "That was absolutely amazing — thank you so much!" She smiled and said, "Come again!" The feeling of refreshment was incredible, so I went ahead and got changed and decided to grab something to eat.
The food court inside the facility was crowded, so I opted for the lunch buffet instead. It cost a bit more, but comfort comes first. I filled my plate mainly with Japanese dishes, and finished off with dessert and coffee afterward. Starting the morning with sauna totonou, getting my whole body cleaned with akasuri, and then eating a satisfying meal — it was a perfectly blissful stretch of time. Feeling a little sleepy, I moved to the enormous recliner room and took a nap.
I slept for about an hour and woke up feeling completely refreshed. It was already 3 in the afternoon. Going for another sauna round was an option, but I was already more than satisfied for the day. Times like these call for heading home while savoring the afterglow, rather than tacking on extra sets. I paid up, got changed, and left Nara Health Land behind.
I'd shed a layer. Climbed one more step on the staircase. That's the impression this trip left me with. I tried akasuri for the first time, and it opened up a whole new world to me. It was also a good lesson to learn that akasuri is fundamentally done in the nude. Next time, I won't be walking into the akasuri room in my lounge pants, and with the mental ease I'll have, I might even ask for some additional treatments. With those thoughts in my mind, I drove my car back toward my home in Tokushima.
