The famous Arima Onsen hot-springs of Japan can be brought live in your bathroom with the goodness of virtual reality. Yes, this is what the volunteering inns from the Japanese wonderland intend to do.
With the idea to allow people in their self-isolation, due to the ongoing pandemic, to experience the excitement of bathing in the traditional hot-spring baths, some Arima inns are broadcasting a series of VR videos.
Fasten VR headset and take a dip in your bathtub
Dubbed the Arima Hot-spring Bath VR tour, it has been filmed in various bathing sections and then uploaded on YouTube. According to the press release, the inns that have volunteered to give us this experience include Arima Sansoh Goshobessho, Takayamasou Hanano, Taketoritei Maruyama, Goshboh, Motoyu Ryuusenkaau.
Now if your inquisitiveness is increasing, let’s understand how this works. To enjoy the hot spring bathing experience, you just need to soak in your bathtub wearing a pair of 4K resolution VR headset and choose the hot spring bath scene from a list of videos on YouTube.
The experience and beyond
Per the press statement, immersed in virtual reality a viewer will not just experience the hot spring visually but the surrounding sounds as well. Along with hearing the thermal waters flowing, the viewer will also hear subtle sounds of cherry blossom and feel as if he/she is right there in the hot-spring while actually being comfortable in a bathtub at home.
The idea of this VR tour is to help people heal and increase the efficacy of quarantines. This gesture is not going to be limited to just the abovementioned volunteering inns. In fact, more names are going to join in and create videos. Also, other hot spring areas of Japan are being approached to collaborate and add their own bath’s VR videos.