Who doesn’t love a bathtub to soak in after a hard day’s work? The problem with bathtubs is that they take up a significant amount of space, especially if you’re living in a small home. This means your regular showers also have to happen inside the bathtub.
Well, not if you have the Bathtope Foldable Fabric Bathtub. You heard that right. Bathtubs are now foldable. In fact, they have been since 2024.
LIXIL, a Japanese brand specializing in bathroom and kitchen fixtures, among other home-related products, launched this unusual bathtub in 2024, when its domestic water and tile business celebrated its 100th anniversary. Since then, LIXIL Corporation has expanded the lineup, including releasing its higher-end G-type model.
Inspired by traditional Japanese kimonos and origami, Bathtope replaces the conventional rigid bathtub with a removable fabric bath. When you fancy a good soak, simply set it up and fill it with water. When you’re done, drain it, fold it away, and reclaim your spacious shower area. Who knew a bathtub could behave like laundry?
But don’t picture yourself sitting in some oversized waterproof shopping bag. The bathtub is made from soft polyester fabric with a waterproof polyurethane coating. Once filled, the water’s weight tensions the ropes along its edges, creating a stable tub that gently supports your head and back.
Better yet, you can stretch out in its 1,600 mm (63-inch) length, even in a compact 1,200 × 1,600 mm (47.2 × 63-inch) bathroom. It also uses approximately 140 liters (37 gallons) of water, around 26% less than a comparable conventional bathtub.
There are five fabric colors to choose from, and three bathroom configurations: E-type, S-type, and the premium G-type. The latter, launched in August 2025, adds an elegant tempered-glass sliding door, integrated lighting, enhanced insulation, and upscale fixtures. Basically, it’s the business-class version of a bathtub that folds.
Of course, there’s a catch. Bathtope isn’t a portable bathtub you can simply toss into your existing shower. It’s part of a complete bathroom system, which means installation is involved. And for now, it’s available only in Japan [JP].
According to LIXIL’s published prices, the E-type starts at 605,000 yen (~US$3,832), the S-type at 935,000 yen (~US$5,923), and the G-type at 2,200,000 yen (~US$13,937), including Japanese tax but excluding installation costs.
Images: LIXIL Corporation [JP].
