A Japanese bathtub home (or sentō) has been a necessary a part of Japanese tradition for over a thousand years. Each day, individuals from everywhere in the nation head to the sentō to take pleasure in their bathtub.
Whereas that is widespread in Japan, a sentō is just not well-known to westerners. With increasingly more foreigners touring to Japan, it solely is sensible to get the phrase out about these unbelievable Japanese bathhouses. The one drawback is that many guests are nervous about visiting a sento since it’s required to be nude round strangers.
The fact is it’s not that dangerous, and when you let your nerves and timidity down, you’ll see {that a} Japanese bathtub home is a cultural expertise. Right here’s every thing it’s essential find out about visiting a Japanese sento.
A Information to Japanese Tub Homes and Sentos
1. What’s a Japanese Sento?
The brief reply is a sento is a Japanese public bathhouse often separated by intercourse and open to all.
2. Why Do Folks Go to Japanese Sentos?
Again within the day, most Japanese didn’t have baths of their dwelling, so that they went to public bathhouses to wash a couple of instances every week. These sentos have been primarily in each neighborhood so the native residents may bathe and socialize.
After all, now with trendy instances, most individuals have baths of their home however nonetheless benefit from the sento bathing expertise. Each sentos and onsens are crucial to Japanese tradition. Nonetheless, sadly because of the accessibility of baths, trendy tradition, and rising prices, sentos round Tokyo and all of Japan are closing.
3. What’s the Distinction Between a Japanese Sento and an Onsen?
In case you’ve researched Japan, you’ve probably heard of a Japanese onsen. They’re well-known world wide and generally is a spotlight of any journey to Japan.
There’s actually not an enormous distinction between a sento and an onsen, however there’s a distinction. Sentos are public Japanese bathtub homes with artificially heated water. Sentos are available in many sizes and shapes; you could discover jacuzzies, saunas, and chilly water baths, relying on the place you go.
An onsen is a pure sizzling spring fashioned underground. The water is heated by geothermal power. So if you end up in an outside bathtub, you’re most certainly at an onsen.
It’s vital to notice the distinction so that you don’t arrive at a sento anticipating a pure geothermal sizzling spring from the earth.
4. What Do you Must Deliver to Get pleasure from Japanese Sentos?
Not a lot! You’ll be bare! Nonetheless, you want a drying towel on your physique, and many individuals additionally carry a small wash towel. These are usually not offered freed from cost on the sento however are sometimes obtainable should you overlook yours for a small payment.
After all, when you have plans after your sento expertise, you’ll need to carry the belongings you want after you sometimes get achieved bathing. Underwear, garments, make-up… stuff like that!
5. What Facilities are Out there on the Sento?
Nearly all sentos can have a hairdryer within the altering rooms, and a few could have further gadgets like Q-tips and hair spray. Contained in the precise bathhouse, you possibly can look forward to finding physique wash and shampoo, and many who I visited even have conditioner.
If you’re like me and at all times want conditioner and fash wash if you bathe, carry these things with you. Many sentos have issues like razors and deodorant obtainable for buy as effectively.
6. Can I Put on my Footwear or Slippers Contained in the Sento?
It’s important to take off your out of doors sneakers on the entrance of the sento. There shall be a locker offered on your sneakers. Eradicating your sneakers at properties and bathhouses in Japan is widespread apply.
It is usually not widespread to put on slippers contained in the sento or altering rooms. Rest room slippers shall be offered on the entrance of the bathroom room.
7. How A lot Do Japanese Sentos Value?
There are 530 sentos in Tokyo alone. Nearly all of them are members of the Tokyo Sento Affiliation and cost ¥470 for admission. Some sentos could have a Japanese sauna, and people sometimes price further. If you need anything further, like a towel or drink, be sure to carry some change. As with most of Japan, be sure to carry money to pay. Most sentos will be unable to simply accept bank card.
Word* Some sentos you’ll pay immediately on the conventional attendant’s sales space, whereas some have a ticket merchandising machine the place you’ll buy the ticket after which hand it to the attendant.
8. Can You Put on a Bathing Go well with within the Japanese Sento?
No. Bathing fits are usually not allowed in sentos. It’s customary to be absolutely bare contained in the bathhouse. Foreigners ought to adjust to this Japanese customized. Belief me, nobody cares that you’re bare or shall be “wanting” at you. This has been a cultural norm for tons of of years, and the Japanese are used to bathing bare, amongst others. Don’t fear, in a Japanese sento, everyone seems to be equal – each social standing, form, dimension, and age!
In case you “strive” to put on a showering go well with within the sento, I promise you that you’ll really feel extra awkward than being bare. It’s not going {that a} Japanese particular person will say something to you, however they won’t be happy on the within.
9. Are Japanese Sentos Separated by Intercourse?
Each sentos and onsens are separated by intercourse virtually instantly after coming into the institution. A blue curtain sometimes represents males’s bathtub entrances, and the ladies’s entrances are marked with a pink curtain. In case you get confused, ask the entrance desk attendant, and they’re going to level you in the appropriate course.
10. Are Tattoos Allowed on the Sento?
Tattoos are usually not widespread in Japan, and it was as soon as thought that should you had a tattoo, you have been a member of the infamous Yakuza. Subsequently, sentos and onsens banned tattoos from the bathhouse.
Nonetheless, instances are altering, and most sentos homeowners are aiming to be extra accepting of tattoos. Now round 90% of the sentos in Tokyo gladly settle for these with tattoos into their premises to create a heat and welcoming atmosphere for everybody.
If tattoos are usually not allowed, you’ll know on the entrance as there shall be indicators.
11. Do I Need to Wash First?
Sure. It’s important to scrub your physique first earlier than stepping into the Japanese bathtub home. In each sento, you will notice rows of quite a few bathe heads with stools for laundry. Close to the showerhead, you’ll probably discover cleaning soap and shampoo. It’s vital to scrub your physique off right here earlier than coming into the tub.
It might appear intimidating, however it’s not exhausting! Simply sit (don’t stand) on the stool and activate the showerhead and start washing. Keep in mind that it is best to flip the water off when not utilizing the bathe head to keep away from losing it.
It’s not needed to scrub your hair should you don’t need to. Simply guarantee that when you have lengthy hair that it’s not touching the bathwater. Deliver hair ties so that you just pull it up right into a bun when enjoyable.
12. What’s the Small Towel For?
When having fun with sento, you’ll discover that most individuals can have a small towel with them. That is for laundry or no matter you need it for. Don’t put the towel within the water of the tub. When having fun with the tub, the towel needs to be positioned on high of your head.
13. Can I Stroll Round with a Towel?
It’s completely acceptable to stroll across the altering room with a towel; when you enter the tub, it’s fairly regular to be bare from right here on out. Bear in mind to position your towel someplace dry and away from the bathwater when within the bathtub, so you may have it if you get out.
14. When Are Japanese Sentos Usually Open?
Each sento is completely different, however most open at 3 pm and keep open till 11 or 12.
15. Can I Deliver my Cellphone or Digital camera into the Sento?
Telephones and cameras are usually not permitted in a Japanese sento or onsen – persons are nude and need their privateness. Word that I’ve images of myself within the sento on this submit, however I used to be within the sento earlier than opening hours and had particular permission from the homeowners to take images for the aim of this text.
16. How Can I discover Sentos Round Tokyo and the Remainder of Japan?
Typing in “sento” to Google maps will yield many outcomes for sentos round Tokyo or wherever else that you’re in Japan. You’ll know that you just reached the sento if you discover the Noren hanging outdoors the doorway.
This can be a curtain that’s hung on the entrance of buildings in Japan when they’re open. The sento image is an oval with three curved strains rising out of it (for warmth). See the picture above!
17. Are you able to Speak in a Sento?
Sentos are a spot for dialog and socializing (though not loud ones). Nonetheless, should you aren’t with a buddy and also you don’t communicate Japanese, likelihood is you may be conversing with nobody. However don’t be stunned if different persons are having low-key conversations round you.
18. How Sizzling is the Water?
Among the sento water can get critically HOT. In a single Japanese bathtub I used to be in on the Kumano Kodo I couldn’t stand it for greater than 5 minutes and needed to exit. In case you begin to really feel lightheaded, it’s very important to get out of the water and both go within the cooler water for a bit or name it a day.
19. Are Japanese Sentos Intimidating?
Your first sento or onsen expertise could also be slightly intimidating, however you’ll begin to chill out and really feel proper at dwelling after a couple of minutes. They’re meant to be enjoyable for guests, and after your nerves settle down about being bare in entrance of others, you’ll quickly fall proper into the swing of issues. Don’t fear should you don’t do one thing completely the primary time, however in saying that, most sento customs are just about widespread sense.
The primary issues to recollect are not any bathing fits, wash beforehand, and preserve your towel out of the bathtub.
20. How Does a Typical Sento Expertise Go?
A typical sento expertise will go one thing like this:
Step 1: Enter the sento and take away your sneakers. There shall be lockers to position your sneakers. Some sentos even have umbrella holders, go away the umbrella right here.
Step 2: Pay for the sento both with the attendant or on the merchandising machine
Step 3: Enter both the mens or ladies’s altering rooms. Undress utterly and prepare for sento! Put your belongings within the offered lockers.
Step 4: Enter the bathhouse together with your bathing gadgets. End up a bathe spot with a stool.
Step 5: Wash your self earlier than coming into the tub. You probably have lengthy hair you possibly can wash it or tie it up so it’s not within the bathwater.
Step 6: Benefit from the sento! Some sentos can have a number of baths ranging in temperature. You may additionally discover that there’s a Japanese sauna or out of doors bathtub as effectively.
Step 7: When you find yourself achieved dry your physique off and prepare to go away the sento.
Step 8: It’s typical to take pleasure in a glass of chilly milk, chilly espresso, beer, or different refreshments after sento. Yow will discover these for buy outdoors the altering rooms the place you entered.
21. Why Ought to You go to Sento as a Foreigner?
A part of the enjoyable about touring in Japan is immersing your self in a very new and completely different tradition. Japanese bathtub homes (sentos AND onsens) are each distinctive to Japan, so to journey to Japan and never go to one can be a mistake.
I’ve been to over ten completely different onsens and sentos, and when you recover from the worry of getting bare in entrance of strangers your first time, every one after that may be a enjoyable expertise.
Moreover, as talked about earlier than sento numbers are down, and sadly many are closing store. As vacationers, it’s essential to assist and provides again to the neighborhood you’re visiting, and going to sento does simply that. Each sento I’ve been to is completely satisfied to see foreigners stroll by their doorways and desperate to share their tradition!
Plus, don’t you need to sit and ponder your enjoyable journey day round Japan in a calming atmosphere?
22. What Sentos Must you Go to Whereas in Tokyo?
I visited 4 completely different sentos whereas in Toko, and every one was distinctive in its personal approach.
Mannen-Yu
This sento is tucked away at the back of Koreatown down a quiet road. Like most sentos in Tokyo, Mannen-Yu is household run by Nobuyoshi-san and Satsuki-san. The within is trendy and glowing clear. The homeowners advised me the sento has simply been refurbished. There’s a sizzling bathtub, tepid bathtub, and chilly bathtub on each the boys’s and girls’s sides.
Hasunuma Onsen
Hasunuma Onsen is attractive and brings you again to a unique period in Japan. That is one other third technology owned household sento and onsen. Right here yow will discover a carbonated spring, chilly bathtub, sauna, and sizzling spring bathtub (watch out – it’s actually sizzling)! This onsen is on the best way to Haneda Airport, so it’s a wonderful place to cease earlier than or after your flight.
Kairyo-Yu
Kairyo-Yu is a particularly trendy sento that matches the type of close by Shibuya station. Upon coming into this sento you’re feeling as if you’ve stepped into one other world. The art work on the partitions depicts scenes from Shibuya and is enjoyable to have a look at as you take pleasure in your bathtub. There’s additionally a chilly bathtub and sauna right here.
Inari-Yu
This sento is among the oldest ones in Tokyo. In-built 1930, Inari-Yu is a timeless Japanese bathtub the place you possibly can soak within the heat waters whereas admiring a portray of Mt. Fuji on the wall.
This sento has retained the appeal and character of its early 1900s look, however the rest room has been utterly renovated. That is the one sento I visited that also has wood buckets and a Japanese-style backyard with carp.