The ofuro or bathtub is an important part of Japanese culture. It’s not just about getting clean (you do that before you enter that bath) its about relaxing and contemplating the events of the day. I hope to someday have one in my home. Over at Amazon you can pick up a book on them, “The Japanese Bath” is a book by Bruce Smith and Yoshiko Yamamoto and is packed with history, color photos of the baths and even why the selection of the wood used to build them is so important. Priced at $14.95, it is an easy buy. Once you see the baths you will know why these are part of their society.