In the Land of the Rising Sun, wood is a widespread material rich in tradition. Its use plays an important role in daily life, both as a material for building houses and for a variety of everyday objects. The different climatic conditions of the Japanese islands, which stretch over 3000 km, between cold polar winds and subtropical ocean currents, cause very different growing conditions on the various slopes. This has led to the development of indigenous tree species with very special woods, which are particularly suitable for certain areas of application.

The German architect Bruno Taut noted in his treatise The Japanese House and its Life, which he wrote during his stay in Japan in the 1930s: " ...  the aristocrat in the forest however is the Japanese cypress, called hinoki. It is strong and of soft, gentle beauty without any particular emphasis on its grain, and gives the house, shrine or temple a delicious fragrance that lasts for two years and more. This wood is the noblest and most expensive and is therefore not considered for mass use."

In the Japanese home, the bathtub has a depth of about 60 cm so that a seated person can immerse up to the shoulders. Traditionally, the tub is made of one of the particularly water-resistant autochthonous wood species hiba - hinoki - koyamaki - nezuko - sawara. Another fundamental characteristic of these original Japanese woods is that when they come into contact with warm water and steam, they release pleasant fragrances and create lasting olfactory sensations.

The special goboku woods, five of the typical tree species of the Kiso and Aomori regions, have different properties that have an equally positive influence on well-being and health. However, these characteristics are emphasised differently in the individual woods; it is therefore advisable to carefully select the ideal wood species, depending on individual concerns from an aesthetic and functional point of view.

At this point, we should also mention the art of bonsai, in which the cultivation of goboku trees, which are customary in Japan, is very popular. For the harmonious representation of natural elements in miniature form, hinoki and hiba are particularly suitable tree species, of which there are countless beautiful bonsai-specimens.

Thanks to the fitoncides they contain, such as hinokitiol, which belong to the terpene family (volatilising substances), these woods emit a characteristic and long-lasting fragrance with a relaxing and antibacterial effect, similar to the Japanese concept of "forest bathing" (shinrin-yoku or breathing in regenerating forest air).
These essences also contain alfa-pinenes, alfa-cardinol and borneol - substances which have a relaxing effect on the body, especially when tired. In addition, they strengthen the brain-alpha-waves, lower the blood pressure and help to loosen the asthmatic secretion of the mucous membrane (in asthmatics). The special scent of these woods helps to relax body and soul and gives a pleasant feeling of well-being.

For the functional and beauty preservation of the tub, only a few and simple rules have to be followed. The special goboku needle-leaf woods are characterised by a special resistance to water. The manufacture of the bathtubs is based on a manual processing technique developed over many years of experience by selected craftsmen. Due to the natural wood, one can enjoy a pleasant sensory perception when touching and seeing this ecological material - especially when one considers that the body is completely undressed during bathing. The therapeutic benefits of warm bathing in Japanese wooden tubs have been proven many times by scientific studies, which have confirmed the beneficial effect on the organism of the chemical agents dissolved in the water.

In terms of visual appearance, the use of natural wood also corresponds to the aesthetic concept of wabi-sabi, the Japanese perception of beauty based on the acceptance and contemplation of the transience and imperfection of things.

It is impossible to describe the concept of wabi sabi in words, it can only be felt. For those who are more interested, we recommend reading: Leonard Koren, Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers, 2008, and Beth Kempton, WABI SABI The Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life, 2019.