Robert Akiyama showcases 'apply-and-wash' bathing method in Japanese public baths

Rohto Pharmaceutical launched a campaign for its men’s body‑odor brand De‑Ou, promoting a new bathing routine called “塗り洗い” (apply‑and‑wash). The rollout began on July 31 at Togoshi Ginza Onsen in Tokyo, where talent Robert Akiyama demonstrated the method while naked, applying the charcoal‑gel cleanser directly to the skin and rinsing with a towel. The event included a talk session with Rohto’s marketing director and the deputy head of the nationwide public‑bath association, who highlighted the method’s benefits for reducing water use, avoiding foam splash, and targeting the aging odor compound 2‑nonenal.

The campaign will run in 198 public‑bath facilities across Tokyo and Osaka, aiming to shift male consumers from traditional “scrubbing” washes to the gel‑based “apply‑and‑wash” approach. Akiyama, a frequent patron of baths and saunas, shared his personal routine, noting that he has never used a scrub and relies on the gel to manage body odor and back‑pain issues.