Tokyo public bath crisis

There is a crisis of “Reduction by half” in the Tokyo public bath, and 45% of them are under discussion to close the business.

This is Asakusa, crowded with foreign tourist.

At the center, there is “Jakotsu” public bath that draws the natural hot spring, and foreign tourists keep coming here.

Jakotsu public bath

The tourist from New Zealand who has used the bathtub says, “Hot spring is available in New Zealand also, but the atmosphere of the public bath is exceptional”. He spoke with a smiling face, “I like Japan”.

Originally lot of overseas customers visit “Jakotsu”. The overseas famous tour guide published this bath, after the decision of holding the Olympics during the month of September last year and hence the visitors increased further. As of now, more than 40 people are visiting on some day.
The vending machine of the bathing ticket is displayed in English, Chinese, and Korean (Hangul) language in addition to besides Japanese language.

The shop owner is also enthusiastic and says, “I want the overseas tourists also to enjoy the goodness of the hot spring in Japan”.
However, that fact is that most of the public bath are in a severe business environment.
There were 15,696 public baths in the whole country in the year 1980, and it was reduced to 4804 by the end of March last year.
The trend is same at the metropolitan, and as per the metropolitan government there were 2687 public baths in the year 1968, and not it is 699 only by the end of March last year, almost 1/4th at the time peak number of baths.

The average number of users per day was 530 persons in 1968, and it was 19 last year, again it has fallen to 1/4th.
Based on the survey taken during the autumn of last year, 291 bath owners have said “Schedule to close the business”, “Anyhow we are going to move out of business”, and it has risen to 45%. Among them 90 bath owners have said that they will close the business within 5 years, and that is before the opening of the Tokyo Olympics.

The average expense for one bath like the fuel etc. was about US$200,000 (21.37 million yen), and the income is about US$6700 (680,000 yen).
When asked for the successor, more than 60% of the bath owners said “Not available”, and the present condition is that the number of public baths would reduce by half before the Tokyo Olympics when lot of tourists come to Japan.
The public bath is a facility that shows the proficiency of the good old Japan from the viewpoint of foreigners, but the fact is, in Japan every house has got the bathtub, and with the exclusion of the public bath lovers, most of the people are not going to the public bath.
 
Even I have not been to a public bath for a few years now!
If you are thinking that is there any measures necessary for the country.
If asked that if the public baths are necessary for the actual life, then we get an excuse. A preferential treatment may be required as it is not an essential item.
For those who want to experience the public bath in Japan at least once.
Please visit to Japan sooner.
Movie related to public bath
THERMAE ROMAE II will be screened this year.

Movie THERMAE ROMAE II

It is comedy of the bathhouse of the ancient Roman times, and the bath in the present Japan.
Focusing on the common key word of bathing culture, a bathhouse design engineer of the ancient Rome makes time travel to the present Japan, gets the culture shock of the Japanese bath culture.
It is a production that makes you laugh based on taking a very serious action.
The previous sequel of the movie THERMAE ROMAE was screened in 2012 and was a big hit.

Movie THERMAE ROMAE

This movie is also very interesting and do not miss it.