Last Updated: Nov 8, 2023

Embrace the Mizuburo

Hot & Cold Cycles in Japan’s Onsen

This story was originally published on donnykimball.com and has been syndicated here on Medium

Contrary to what most of you think, producing content about off the beaten path travel in Japan is actually more of a side hobby for me. Sure, it does take an enormous amount of my time and yes I do make money from being a creator but my role as a freelance marketer is my true professional identity. Though it certainly seems like I am living my best life as I traverse the countryside, the reality is that I am glued to my laptop screen most of the time trying to make my clients’ ads work. As you can imagine, the dual stress of living as a creator cum marketer can add up and one of the only reprieves that works for me is the mizuburo.

For the uninitiated out there, know that mizuburo literally means “water bath” but here you need to understand that the H2O being referenced is specifically cold water. Why on earth would one want to plunge themselves into a frigid bath? Well, if you’ve been following what a lot of people in the alternative health space are doing (such as Dr. Paul Saladino, Joe Rogan, etc.), you’ll know that there’s all sorts of benefits to cold-induced hormesis. As great as these are though, the benefits of a cold bath for me are more mental. After all, it’s really hard to worry about why that one ad campaign just isn’t converting and whether…