Morians Kiodo, a firm based in Iruma City, Saitama Prefecture, is known for developing a new kind of heat pack that is powerful enough to heat food without having to use a flame. It’s certainly a welcome invention for both outdoor adventurer types and people who happen to be experiencing power outages.
Now, the same company has utilized their technological prowess to create user-friendly hydrogen gas-emitting bath kits, which can be easily administered in the comfort of your own home. So easy, in fact, that our ace Japanese reporter Yoshio decided to–wait for it–test out the water for himself!
Japanese people love visiting natural onsen (hot springs) to relax and detoxify in the restorative waters, so it comes as no surprise that one of the latest trends in Japan is the DIY hydrogen bath kit for home use. The kits, which can be bought on Amazon Japan for 3,500 yen (US$29.33), include seven pure (99.99%) hydrogen-producing packets and a plastic dispensing container. According to the directions, each packet will emit 16 liters worth of hydrogen gas over the span of five hours. Also, there’s no need to worry about clean up–you can easily dispose of the packets in your household plastic trash after use.
So what’s the big deal about this whole hydrogen thing, anyway? According to some studies, hydrogen supposedly acts as a powerful antioxidant to combat harmful free radicals, which may cause cellular damage and lead to aging, diseases, or even cancer if accumulated in your body. Hydrogen molecules are exceedingly tiny, so they can easily permeate and be absorbed into the skin. Other beneficial side effects include increased blood circulation (which consequently raises body temperature) and an increase in metabolism.
With all those potential health benefits, our Japanese reporter Yoshio was eager to try out a hydrogen bath for himself. To his delight, the process of creating a hydrogen bath at home was also much simpler than he anticipated. Let’s now take a look at how you too can easily make your very own hydrogen bath using one of the above-mentioned bath packets.
▼The front and back view of a hydrogen bath packet
▼Simply tear open the packaging and insert the hydrogen packet into the dispensing case…
▼…then drop it into the bath water! Small weights are attached to the underside of the case, so it should easily sink to the bottom.
▼Almost immediately, the container will begin emitting hydrogen bubbles.
▼Oo-la-la! How do those bubbles feel, Yoshio?
▼An important point is to always keep the vessel fully submerged.
Here’s a custom-made video in case you want to see the bubbles in action:
So what’s Yoshio’s overall verdict? He reports that, while he was in the water, the hydrogen gas bubbles tended to cling to his skin and cause a pleasant tingling sensation. After he emerged from the bath, he felt refreshed and comfortably warm.
Yoshio advises that since the bubbles continue to emerge for approximately five hours, it’s a shame to use a packet just on yourself. Consider sharing the same bathwater with your family or friends (Japanese-style – i.e. showering before taking a dip!), to get the most out of those five hours. Or perhaps you can use a packet during a quiet, bromantic evening at home–maybe it’s the perfect solution for these guys come Valentine’s Day!
Source: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun
Images & video: RocketNews24