
The usual form of footbath, which is commonly done in resorts or spas, is different from the detox foot spa machines sold in the market today. Footbath have originated from a Japanese legend occurred about 1,600 years ago. It was narrated by a group of sickly people and monks who made pilgrimage.
One evening during that time, in a deep mountain, the group looked around to find a place to rest their exhausted bodies. They saw a hot spring streaming out of the rock where they decided to make their shanty for the night. Before sleeping, they placed their feet to the hot stream to relieve their fatigue. When they woke up the next morning, they noticed that they felt healthier than ever before. The group completed their pilgrimage, and they were informed by their physicians that their illnesses were gone.
This occurrence of miraculous healing power spread around from villages to villages. Thousands of people followed the same route of pilgrimage, and some doctors and renowned physicians found that footbath has something to do with healing. From then on, the term “footbath” or “Ashiyu” in Japanese was born.
Foot bathing works by soaking your feet in a shallow hot spring. If your feet become warm, then your whole body may become warm, too. You will feel relaxed just like you are taking a bath in hot spring. So it is not necessary that a full body bath is needed for hot spring effects or therapy.
Today, we know that the source of its healing power comes from the different kinds of mineral contents in hot springs.
Japanese claimed that it can help rejuvenate your health and remove fatigue and other stress-oriented illnesses (e.g. neuralgia, rheumatism, lumbago, poor blood circulation, hemorrhoids, fatigue, dry skin, bruise, frostbite, chapped hand, miliaria (or heat rash), allergies, pimples, migraine, insomnia, headaches, sinusitis, stiff neck and shoulders, sports injuries).
The recommended temperature is 35-38°C and about 10–15 minutes per treatment session.