What is -yoku?

"What is a new word you learned today?" "Yoku," was the answer from one of the participants at the Nihongo-yoku pilot. This made me very happy.

「浴」 (yoku) isn't a standalone word. It means "bathing" and needs a partner. Japan has a deep bathing culture: daily ofuro at home, communal sentō, relaxing onsen trips. Bathing isn't just cleaning, it's a ritual to wash away the day's stress, refresh body and mind. That's why so many -yoku words exist, each a mindful immersion.

The most common are:
「日光浴」 (nikkōyoku) – sunbathing.
「海水浴」 (kaisuiyoku) – seawater bathing (beach time).
「温泉浴」 (onsenyoku) – onsen bathing.
Trendy now:
「森林浴」 (shinrinyoku) – forest bathing, coined in 1982 by a government official to promote nature therapy. It's not hiking, it's slowly absorbing the forest's phytoncides to boost immunity and calm the mind.

More fun ones:
「泥浴」 (doroyoku) – mud bathing,
「砂浴」 (sunayoku) – sand bathing (hot sand therapy),
「酒浴」 (sakayoku) – sake bathing (rare spa soak),
「牛乳浴」 (gyūnyūyoku) – milk bathing for silky skin.

This ritual mindset—fully immersing in an experience—reflects how Japanese think about wellness. That's how I invented Nihongo-yoku. I'll help you immerse in Japanese language and culture, to express yourself naturally, just like a good bath refreshes the whole you.