It can cleanse impurities and even beautify your skin – Here’s what the Japanese must do during the winter solstice!

▲A yuzu bath is a must during Japan’s winter solstice. (Photo / Sourced fromLmaga.jp)

Travel Centre / Comprehensive Report

December 21st is the winter solstice – have you eaten tangyuan? In Japan, they also celebrate the winter solstice, but for the Japanese, the essential activity on this day isn’t eating tangyuan, but rather “taking a yuzu bath” and eating pumpkin.

There are two main reasons why the Japanese take yuzu baths during the winter solstice. First, in Japanese, the word for winter solstice (tōji) sounds the same as “toji” (湯治), which means “thermal cure” or “hot spring therapy.” Additionally, the Japanese word for yuzu (柚子) sounds similar to “maru” (円), meaning “roundness” or “harmony,” and yuzu is believed to cleanse impurities, beautify the skin, and promote overall health. These factors have contributed to the tradition of taking yuzu baths on the winter solstice.

When this day arrives, many public bathhouses (sento) or hot spring facilities offer yuzu bath services. For example, the Arashiyama Station foot bath operated by Kyoto’s Randen tram line provides a foot bath experience, allowing visitors to enjoy the pleasures of a yuzu bath.