Unusual Japanese Trend Uses Food-Scented Bath Powders to Turn the Tub Into a Soup Bowl

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When you want to relax in the tub, you might include a scented bath bomb for the ultimate in rejuvenation. Lavender, peppermint, roses—those all seem like solid, soothing choices for a nice soak. In Japan, however, some people have a different idea of a spa day. They forego essential oils and instead opt for savory-smelling bath powders modeled after popular cuisine.

At first glance, the packaging for this spa product looks deceptively like food. It depicts tasty-looking dishes that represent each of the six different scents. Bathers have their choice of miso soup, ramen, gyudon, curry, Korean hot pot, and Japanese yakisoba. Rather than being paired with noodles, however, this inedible powder is sprinkled into a tub of water and creates the appearance of broth—making the bath its own soup bowl.

Before partaking in this unconventional spa trend, we imagine that bathers would want to eat first. Otherwise, sitting in a “broth” tub is certain to make them hungry for a piping-hot noodles!

These bath powders are currently being sold in the Village Vanguard online shop.

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Village Vanguard: Website
via [Rocket News 24]

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled "Embroidered Life" that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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