Japanese Ofuro Baths

Our Handcrafted Traditional Wood Ofuros

Expertise: You've found the premier builders of traditional ofuros outside of Japan. Our tubs are made one at a time using traditional and modern techniques. Let us help you choose the perfect tub for your amazing bath. Give us a call.

Wood choice: We stock two woods - Port Orford Cedar (known as Hinoki in Japan) and Alaska Yellow Cedar. Hinoki is the classic traditional material for the ofuro. Hinoki has a wonderful lemon aroma that fills the room. Alaska Yellow Cedar (AYC) is actually a cypress and has a beautiful fine straight grained yellow/blonde color and is used extensively in Japan. The wood used is of the finest grade - vertical grained, quartersawn heartwood, properly dried and free of defects. On a custom basis - other woods may be available. More on Hinoki, Yellow Cedar, and green harvest methods.

Shape choice: We make ofuros in three shapes: Rectangular, Circular, and Elliptical. Rectangular tubs are for indoor use and are always shipped assembled. Circular and Elliptical tubs can be installed oudoors or indoors and can be shipped as a kit or assembled. We can help you decide what will work best for your situation.

Size choice: We make several sizes do custom work as well. In general the ofuro is a small but deep tub. Very deep. Twenty two inches or more. That is about twice as deep as the average American bathtub.We get the steaming hot water up over your shoulders! Most of our tubs are designed for a single bather.

Room design: A traditional Japanese ofuro room is a sanctuary with a showering and washing area - open in design with a waterproof floor and a central drain. The soaking tub is adjacent and placed to enjoy a natural view if possible. The washing station usually has a wooden stool and bucket. The Japanese style of bathing begins with a leisurely and thorough washing outside the tub using plenty of soap and shampoo and hot water. Next the bather slips into the crystal-clear, steaming hot water for a completely relaxing quiet soak. See our photo gallery for some design ideas! We also recommend "The Japanese Bath" by Bruce Smith. Give us a call to discuss other design considerations.

Diagram Description Hinoki Ofuros: This is the classic and traditional ofuro. Hinoki or Port Orford Cedar (POC) has is light brown in color, medium desity and hardness, has a lovely citrus lemon aroma that fills the air during a bath. This is the traditional material for the ofuro. Our POC is sustainably harvested from salvaged logs. Since POC is limited in supply it is more valuable than our other woods. Three shapes and numerous sizes to choose from! Our Alaska Yellow Cedar Ofuros: Alaska Yellow Cedar is a great choice for an ofuro. The grain is incredibly fine and the wood has a smooth buttery quality. AYC is used in Japan for tub building and has a long history as favorite of boat builders. Our AYC is sustainably harvested on a very small scale. We only make a limited number of these tubs each year. Three shapes and numerous sizes to choose from!