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This onsen also runs a free shuttle bus every few minutes picking up from the Kurama station and back, otherwise it’s a 10 minute walk from the station. It’s a very simple bath house, one indoor pool and a lovely, simple rotenburo that looks out to the hillside of Kurama’s mesmerizing trees and sky. Many of these have also added outdoor baths (rotenburo) and saunas. In some, it is possible to enjoy the pleasure of a cold soft drink or beer after taking a relaxing soak.
March 10, 2023 Travel, Tokyo
When evening arrives, enjoy the impressive display of illuminated blossom trees scattered throughout the garden, from the comfort of your hot tub or relaxation pod. Your host will take you on a tour of the Bath House and you will soon realise that this place is bigger than you may have expected. After a recent renovation, many new spas have been added, including a special ‘Instaworthy’ hot bath located beautifully underneath a striking red Japanese Gateway (torii). The Japanese Bath House will transport you straight to Japan. As you enter the ‘Sparadise’, leave your shoes on the rack, be welcomed by your friendly host and wade your way through a hot ankle deep heated pool towards the reception area.
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Mixed-sex bathing was prohibited once again after Commodore Perry visited Japan in 1853 and 1854—drawing question to the morality of the practice. At ¥300 per adult, the cheapest prefectures to sentō baths are in Yamagata, Tokushima, Nagasaki, Ōita, and Miyazaki. Inside, between the entrances is the bandai (番台), where the attendant sits. The bandai is a rectangular or horseshoe-shaped platform with a railing, usually around 1.5 to 1.8 m high.
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Even the most old school bath house in Japan tends to have at least a few different types. But if you don’t have one, most onsen will offer rentals. Some even sell area-specific towels that make great souvenirs. If you have a small tattoo, you may be able to get away with a bandage or a bit of athletic tape, like at Solaniwa onsen, a spa in Osaka.
Immediately after World War II, resources were scarce and few homeowners had access to a private bath. Private baths began to be more common around 1970, and most new buildings included a bath and shower unit for every apartment. Easy access to private baths led to a decline in customers for public bathhouses, and subsequently, the number of bathhouses is decreasing. Some Japanese young people today are embarrassed to be seen naked and avoid public baths for this reason. ] Japanese are concerned that without the "skinship" of mutual nakedness, children will not be properly socialized. Onsen is bath that uses natural hot spring water, which makes them more sustainable.
In every sento, you will see rows of numerous shower heads with stools for washing. Near the showerhead, you’ll likely find soap and shampoo. It’s important to wash your body off here before entering the bath. There’s honestly not a huge difference between a sento and an onsen, but there is a difference. Sentos are public Japanese bath houses with artificially heated water. Sentos come in many shapes and sizes; you may find jacuzzies, saunas, and cold water baths, depending on where you go.
Luckily when I visited Hakkoda Hotel they had an empty bath that they let me use. Another difference is that onsen are usually located in more rural areas and are usually independent or part of a hotel, while sento can be found in both rural and urban areas. Onsen is also generally larger and more luxurious, while a Japanese sento is more modest. The majority of Japanese homes and larger apartments have separate rooms for the toilet and bathtub, and only the room with the bathtub is called the bathroom. Before you go back into the dressing room, towel off with the larger towel so that you don’t track water around.
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Of course, now with modern times, most people have baths in their house but still enjoy the sento bathing experience. Both sentos and onsens are very important to Japanese culture. Still, sadly due to the accessibility of baths, modern culture, and rising costs, sentos around Tokyo and all of Japan are closing. Originally, the difference between the two was that onsen use natural hot spring water, whereas bath houses heat the water artificially.
After that is a counter to pay your entrance fee, or two curtained areas if there is no entrance fee. Try to learn the kanji symbol for your gender, but you can also usually rely on the male curtain being blue and the female curtain being red. Some facilities only have one bath, so at these facilities you'd need to check the hours for men and the hours for women. Slated to open this winter, Sōku in Austin draws from both Japanese and European tradition. Natural bamboo elements will greet you as you drop into hot and cold pools, saunas, private soaking rooms, and showers that open to spacious Japanese gardens. The indoor-outdoor venue will also feature an open-air pool, juice bar, and café.
They therefore had to start charging a fee for entry to the bath house, and the sento was born. Almost all of them are members of the Tokyo Sento Association and charge ¥470 for admission. Some sentos may have a Japanese sauna, and those typically cost extra. If you want anything else extra, like a towel or drink, make sure to bring some change. Note that children cannot bring toys into the bath and splashing is not allowed.
There are many different layouts for a Japanese sentō or public bath. Most traditional sentō, however, are very similar to the layout shown on the right. The entrance from the outside looks somewhat similar to a temple, with a Japanese curtain (暖簾, noren) across the entrance. The curtain is usually blue and shows the kanji 湯 (yu, lit. hot water) or the corresponding hiragana ゆ. After the entrance, there is an area with shoe lockers, followed by two long curtains or doors, one on each side.
The following bath houses are just a little west of Shinjuku for a pleasant, easily accessed break from the hustle and bustle. I’ve been to over ten different onsens and sentos, and once you get over the fear of getting naked in front of strangers your first time, each one after that is a relaxing experience. It’s perfectly acceptable to walk around the changing room with a towel; once you enter the bath, it’s pretty normal to be naked from here on out. Remember to place your towel somewhere dry and away from the bathwater when in the bath, so you have it when you get out. It’s essential to take off your outdoor shoes at the entrance of the sento.
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