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It’s that time of year again… when we get to see giant rodents soak blissfully in a hot bath!

Kay Nov 4, 2015
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In Japan, as many of our readers will no doubt be aware, we love to soak in relaxing hot springs. What we also love to do is to see giant rodents taking a hot bath!

Yes, it’s that time of year again when the capybaras at the Izu Shaboten Park get to enjoy their very own hot spring onsen. It’s been a tradition at the park now for over 30 years, and as far as we can tell, the public hasn’t tired of seeing the rodents looking blissful and relaxed in the warm water.

This year, the bathing ritual of the furry creatures will once again be delighting park visitors as the “Original Capybara Outdoor Hot Bath (Ganso Capybara no Roten-buro)” season begins November 21.

The capybara hot bath has for some time now been a popular winter attraction at the park in Shizuoka Prefecture, located on the Pacific Coast of Central Japan. Starting with the official hot bath opening on November 21 and until April 6 next year, the capybaras will be spending an hour from 1:30pm to 2:30pm in the hot bath on weekdays and an additional hour from 10:30 am to 11:30 am on weekends, holidays and during the periods of December 19, 2015 to January 5, 2016 and March 19 to April 6, next year.

During this time, the lovable rodents will be treated not just to a regular hot bath, but also to special baths prepared with hot spring water from different famous onsen or infused with various herbs, fruits and flowers including roses, orchids and marguerites on particular days. They’ll even get to enjoy a fragrant yuzu citrus bath from December 19, 2015 to January 5, 2016, following the Japanese tradition of placing yuzu fruit in the bath water on the day of the winter solstice. And if that’s not enough pampering, they’ll also receive Christmas cake-shaped feed between December 23 and 25, as well as heart-shaped apples for Valentine’s Day! Hmm … being a Capybara at Izu Shaboten Park is starting to sound awfully nice.

▼ Here are some adorable pictures from past hot bath seasons:

▼ Ahhh … that feels good! They really look like they enjoy being in the warm water.

▼ Seeing the whole family take a bath is simply too cute!

▼ And here they are in the traditional yuzu bath, a luxury even for humans.

If you visit the park this winter, the outdoor bath exhibit will feature a family of five capybaras: Ganmo, the two-year-old male; Kintoki, the two-year-old female; and three youngsters that were born this April, named Shiratama, Matcha and Azuki. Anyone who loves animals should have a great time seeing the look of bliss on the capybaras’ faces as they relax in the bath. We certainly hope they enjoy the soak as much as we humans do!

▼ And we’ll leave you with a promotional video of the park showcasing the capybara’s bath sessions. Enjoy!

Park information
Izu Shaboten Park
Address: 1317-13 Futo, Ito-shi, Shizuoka-ken 413-0231
〒413-0231 静岡県伊東市富戸1317-13
Telephone: 0557-51-1111
Open: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (March to October), 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (November to February)
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