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If you made me sit down and make a list of things I found to be comforting (as opposed to things I’m afraid of because that list was not fun to make,) I’m pretty sure it would be a very normal list. My fleece blanket would be on that list, as would a hot cup of coffee. As I worked my way through things like a good lipstick and ice cream, I’m pretty sure “ramen noodle soup” and “a hot bath” would both end up on the list. They might even end up near each other on the list, as in have some soup and then lounge in the bath.
Yunessan Spa House in Hakone, Japan apparently wants to make my list a little shorter by combining ramen and the bath. That’s right. Reported in TIME, the spa house is now offering patrons a ramen noodle bath under the guise of a skin treatment. The baths consist of pork ramen broth and synthetic noodles. The spa house is known for its curious and beneficial spa baths and feature a green tea bath complete with giant teapot, a coffee spa, and a wine spa; but the ramen spa is special. It’s the collagen in the pork broth that the spa house owner, Ichiro Furuya, claims are good for the skin.
Furuya tells TIME, “Lately people are very concerned about having beautiful skin, and they know the effect of collagen, which is contained in our pork-based broth. At this bath, everybody can have fun and take advantage of the healthy elements of ramen noodles.”
Ramen noodle bath. What is this? I can’t even—I mean, sure. People have been taking baths in all sorts of things in the name of beauty for centuries. I guess when put into perspective, a nice soak in warm pork broth is preferable to the literal blood baths of Elizabeth Bathory. I could probably get behind the pork broth, but synthetic noodles? Are they like, sponges? Am I supposed to use them to slowly coat myself in more pork broth? I feel that would make me feel less like I’m in a bath, and more like I’m in a giant pot being slowly cooked up. Wouldn’t one need a bath after the bath? I know the smell of pork (especially bacon) can be amazing, but I don’t know that it’d make for a great “fresh-from-the-spa” scent. This just doesn’t sound relaxing.
I can think of one great use for a ramen noodle bath though. I think it’d be a great feature for one of those hilarious Japanese game shows. Get through the sushi gauntlet only to have to swim through the ramen noodle bath to get to bubble tea island! That sounds like it might be fun. I’ll sign up for that, but I think I’ll be keeping my baths ramen free.
Would you try the ramen noodle bath? Let us know in the comments below!
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