Photo: DaniloAndjus (Getty)
Remember when former NBA All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire casually conducted an interview with ESPN while sitting in a tub of red wine? It was among the oddest things we’d ever seen on the internet, which is saying something. But perhaps the former New York Knicks star knew something we didn’t, because a luxury resort in Japan is now offering craft beer baths to its guests.
Travel and Leisure took a pilgrimage to Misugi Resort in the Kansai region of the country, where they stumbled upon the jacuzzi bath full of brew. Dubbed “Ninja Beer,” the Hinotani Onsen at Misugi Resort claims the beer bath is filled with booze sourced from local black rice and grain farmers, along with ancient natural springs, not only to give it a distinct taste but to provide unique health and recovery benefits. Think of it as a craft version of “Vinotherapy.”
“The yeast in the beer gives you very smooth skin and the hops have an antibacterial power that’s also good for your skin,”Youki Nakagawa, Misugi Resort co-owner and brewmaster, said. On top of that, the C02 in the beer is good for blood circulation.”
Both men and women are can take a beer bath but are not allowed to do so at the same time. Thus, the resort uses a rotation schedule, which allows for one gender to cleanse themselves every other day. However, if you have any tattoos, it’s best you avoid the beer bath altogether because body ink is often associated with Japanese Yakuza gang culture.
Guess this gives a completely different meaning to drinking your own bathwater.