a day ago
Japanese entrepreneur bottles up ‘healing' waters of ancient springs
In Japan, if one is stressed or troubled, a time-honoured cure is to head to an onsen, a hot spring, and have a soak in the company of strangers.
Until now, the joy of Japan's native spa culture could be enjoyed only in one of the 3,000 onsen establishments in the archipelago itself. Now, however, Naoki Mita, an entrepreneur, believes he can bottle the unique springs and export the experience.
Mita's company Le Furo has developed a method to extract the mineral content found in hot springs, concentrate it 10,000 times and store it in bottles or small tanks. Called Craft Onsen, it can be added to fresh water to recreate spring water, which has a range of purported health benefits.
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Le Furo wants to use that technology to open onsen facilities in Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Gulf, but with a twist. Instead of the enormous volumes of water used at onsen in Japan, the planned spas would be hammam-style steam baths. Customers would don spa wear instead of bathing nude as is the custom in Japan.
'The technology is very similar to a coffee machine,' says Mita. 'Instead of beans, we use pebbles and stones. We blend them and then change the pressure, temperature, and, most importantly, PH levels. Then we have high-density liquid onsen, which is our original technology.'
A volcanic archipelago, Japan is poor in natural resources but rich in geothermal activity, with about 28,000 hot springs, each with a unique mix of minerals from the local mountains and soil.
Certified by the environment ministry, many are tapped by municipal governments and open to bathers at onsen resort inns. With minerals such as iron, zinc and magnesium, the waters are believed to de-stress, beautify skin and help with conditions like neuralgia.
NORIKO HAYASHI FOR THE WASHINGTON POST/GETTY IMAGES
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Mita was working as an investment banker who dealt in natural resources like oil and gas. He happened to be soaking in a spring not long after the 2011 earthquake that devastated northeastern Japan when he hit upon the idea of commodifying traditional bathing.
Mita founded Le Furo in 2013 and has since established Craft Onsen factories and a steam bath spa in Tokyo's Azabujuban neighborhood. He wants to open more plants across Japan and get the Japanese government to invest in his company.
'I want to contribute to the country rather than my personal profit,' says Mita. 'We have few natural resources, which led to war in the past. I also want to contribute to global wellness and wellbeing, so I think onsen can become a natural resource.'
