“Korean-style akasuri” on Japan’s spa menus: discovering seshin in Korea

01

Korean-style scrubs in Japanese spas

Akasuri is the Japanese word for scrubbing away dead skin. Adding “Korean-style” ties the treatment to Korea’s approach. Nagakute Onsen Gozarasse in Aichi, for example, lists Korean-style akasuri courses on its menu, and Ofuro no Osama in Konandai, Yokohama, advertises an authentic Korean-style scrub.

These spas show that Korean-style exfoliation has become a treatment of its own inside Japanese bathing spaces.

02

Japan has its own history of bathing help

Professional bathing help is not new to Japan. Traditional sento once employed male attendants called sansuke, who washed and scrubbed guests’ backs, as the Tokyo Sento Association’s history of the bathhouse explains. The two traditions share some functions, but their histories are not the same thing.

In Japan, treatments sold as Korean-style akasuri usually start with a soak to soften the skin, then exfoliation with a dedicated mitt or towel. Some courses add a shampoo or body care. Not every bathhouse offers it, so check availability and booking first.

03

Choosing seshin on a trip to Korea

Korean-style scrubbing may already feel familiar to some Japanese travellers. That does not mean everyone in Japan sees akasuri as a uniquely Korean tradition.

In Korea, the useful question goes beyond “what is a body scrub?” to “what kind of experience do I want to book?” A scrub in the shared bath of a neighbourhood bathhouse feels very different from one in a private room. Japanese-language help, advance booking and what the course includes also shape the choice.

• Where it happens: a shared bath area or a private room
• How it goes: soak time, scrub, then any extras
• What is included: shampoo, face mask, oil massage
• Language and booking: Japanese help, booking ahead or walk-in

04

Private-room scrub shops Japanese travellers like

These one-on-one scrub shops in Seoul are booked ahead and popular with Japanese visitors.