{{nihongo, Ganban'yoku, 岩盤浴 is Japanese term for a popular form of hot stone spa. It is said to have originated in Japan. Body-sized stones, such as

granite Granite () is a coarse-grained ( phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies under ...

, are inserted into the floor and heated. Bathers lie clothed on the stones while their bodies gradually heat up. Like low temperature saunas, ganban'yoku are commonly advertised to have a

detoxification Detoxification or detoxication (detox for short) is the physiological or medicinal removal of toxic substances from a living organism, including the human body, which is mainly carried out by the liver. Additionally, it can refer to the period of ...

effect, improve the

circulatory system The blood circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the entire body of a human or other vertebrate. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, tha ...

and are good for the

skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different de ...

. A ganban'yoku room in a spa would typically be visited after the baths and would be in a clothing-on area with mixed genders. Many spa facilities, including

Spa LaQua A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring (hydrology), spring water (and sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa towns or spa resorts (including hot springs resorts) typically offer various health treatments, which are als ...

Tokyo Dome City , referred to as Big Egg City before January 1, 2000, is an entertainment complex in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. It also includes the world's largest roofed baseball stadium, known as Tokyo Dome (AKA "Big Egg"); an amusement park known as Tokyo Dome ...

have ganban'yoku rooms.

References

External links

About ganban-yoku
Bathing in Japan