I was in the usual bath, in the usual position in the usual bathtub, setting the timer on my watch as usual, when I looked up. Then, there was a different sign on the wall in front of me.

"Take a tour of virtual hot springs!"

The gist of the article is that I once again tried out an initiative that was started during the COVID-19 pandemic!

Hmm, "You can enjoy Arima Onsen in Hyogo from the comfort of your living room..." Hmm? Wait, the best part of a hot spring is soaking in the water and enjoying the atmosphere. Is it something you can enjoy without soaking in the water? On the contrary, if there are bath additives that allow you to enjoy famous hot springs from all over the country, wouldn't it be possible to enjoy a hot spring in the bath at home? But would that be more fake than virtual?

What exactly is virtual? Is it the opposite of real? Is it virtual? Or is it fake?

When we say "virtual ____," we see many things, but it probably refers to experiencing a virtual world created by stimulating the five senses. In that sense, the experience of silky water, the scent that envelops the bathroom, and bath salts that give you the feeling of being in a hot spring through their effects may be a fine virtual hot spring. It's fake because it's not the real thing, but the convenience of being able to experience it at home, which the real thing doesn't have, is its biggest appeal.

As I was thinking about this, I came to an idea. The opposite of real is fake. However, I think virtual is the polar opposite, or should be. I think virtual ____ is a super-realistic experience that goes beyond reality.

Recently, a comedian was trying out virtual bungee jumping from space. That was funny, but I thought maybe they could polish up real bungee jumping. To make the descent feel more intense, they could pull from below, add sound effects like the rubber snapping, splash water on the bottom, or put on a removable wig before falling... But isn't that a virtual world? But it's not raw reality either. Yes, yes, this can be called virtual bungee jumping.

There seems to be still more to consider.

While I was thinking about this, the 10-minute timer rang.