Sand bathing - a unique health treatment in Ibusuki.

Throughout history, the Japanese have known how to utilize nature's gifts to improve both physical and mental health through methods such as bathing in the sea, hot springs, saunas, and forest baths. Among these, the hot sand bathing method in Ibusuki is becoming a trend due to its many unexpected health benefits.

Unlike other beaches, the sand on Ibusuki Beach is black and one of the hottest beach sands in the world. In some locations, the sand temperature can reach 85°C. Since the 1800s, the people of Ibusuki have used this hot sand to apply to their bodies, aiming to eliminate toxins through sweat, and to help alleviate ailments such as joint pain, asthma, and anemia. Gradually, this practice developed into a unique health care therapy that the Japanese call Sunamushi Onsen (sand bath).

Located deep within an active volcanic area, Ibusuki Beach is also situated at the boundary between deep underground hot springs and cold seawater. The interaction between these two water sources creates steam that brings various minerals and heat to the sand, which is very beneficial to human health.

In Ibusuki, sand bathing is available at many resorts along the beach, costing around $10 (approximately 230,000 VND). You can choose a spot right on the beach if the weather is nice and the tide is low; or experience it in covered tubs located right on the beach if it's raining.

To begin the sand bath process, visitors wear a yukata – a type of garment similar to a traditional kimono, but thin enough to speed up the transfer of heat from the sand to the body. Additionally, visitors are given two towels: one to wrap around their neck to prevent the sand from directly contacting their face, and another to wipe themselves after the bath.

After choosing a suitable bathing spot, the attendant will help you dig a shallow hole just the right size for your body, at the appropriate depth and sand temperature (the deeper, the higher the temperature). You lie down, and the sand will fill up to your chin, leaving only your face exposed. After about 10 minutes enveloped in sand at a temperature of 50 to 55 degrees Celsius, your entire body will be drenched in sweat. Toxins in your body are cleansed, all muscles are relaxed, and the mineral-rich steam from the sand, when inhaled, helps improve blood circulation.

After leaving the sand bath, visitors go to the shower to wash off the sand and soak in a hot mineral water bath. At this time, visitors are advised to drink plenty of water because their bodies have lost a lot of water through sweating. A small note: you should not take a sand bath after consuming alcoholic beverages and you should get out of the sand bath immediately if you feel too hot.

Today, scientists at the Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, have proven that the benefits of sand bathing are 3-4 times greater than those of regular hot spring baths. Sand bathing at Ibusuki Beach helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to all organs, removes toxins from the body, improves blood circulation, and thus refreshes both body and mind. Sand bathing is also considered a beauty treatment because the hot steam from the sand contains minerals that help rejuvenate the skin and reduce inflammation.

Many tourists, after experiencing hot sand bathing, have affirmed that lying on the beach, listening to the gentle sound of waves, and feeling their entire bodies buried in the hot sand helped them relax and relieve both physical and mental stress.

To date, sand bathing has become a popular activity among Japanese people, as well as a unique experience for foreign tourists visiting Ibusuki. Besides sand bathing, the town of Ibusuki boasts spectacular natural scenery, such as the iconic 924-meter-high Mount Kaimondake, considered the "Mount Fuji" of Satsuma. Visitors should also not miss the hot spring bathing experience at Unagi Onsen – a peaceful small village with many small hot springs run by individual families.

LH (Photo: Internet)