While yudedako (茹でだこ) literally means 'boiled octopus' — referring to the red, flushed appearance after a hot bath — the feeling it evokes is one of deep, full-body relaxation. The Japanese bath (ofuro) is not for cleaning. It is for restoration. The feeling after — loose, warm, completely unhurried — is one of the most profound forms of self-omotenashi available.

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