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.

Free hot spring below the Gero hot spring bridge

The Gero hot spring is a famous hot spring that can be said as one of the three major hot springs in Japan, besides the Arima hot spring and Kusatsu hot spring.

Here there is a popular hotel such as impressive old building of Yunoshimakan.

http://www.yunoshimakan.co.jp/

This time, I am not introducing the popular hotel in the hot spring street, but will introduce you the spot where you can enjoy the Gero hot spring at free of charge. 

The place is just beside the river that flows at the center of the Gero Street. 

It is such feeling to see from the bridge.
Is it bit shameful during the daytime?
I used to enter causally. 

The good point is that anyone and at any time can enter this place at free of charge.
The hot water is quite the same because the source of the hot spring for the hotel and this hot spring are the same. 
Do you think that the recommendation of bath in hot spring street at the night seeing the neon lamps as a pretty good atmosphere?

If you take a hotel at NAGOYA, it is about 1½ hours by the rental car.
Do you like to try?

Official site of Gero hot spring.
http://www.gero-spa.com/

Super Sento - Public bath

Super Sento is a modern and large scale facility of the Sento introduced last time, and at present more Japanese people are enjoying the Super Sento than the Sento.

The reason is that the entire family can slowly enjoy, they can enjoy the food at the restaurant in the building after taking bath, and they can slowly relax at the big rest room.

The charm is the number of baths, sauna, and open air bath, and after all, most of the Sento (Public bath) are heating the water, but Super Sento uses the hot spring of nature by drawing the water from the underground.
Earlier people were not able to enjoy the natural hot spring unless they travel to various other places in Japan, and the greatest charm is that it is readily available at Super Sento.
Conversely, the problem of rapid reduction in the tourists of the hot springs at various places in Japan has occurred, to the extent that they were able to enjoy the hot spring at Super Sento.

Sento - Public bath

In addition to standard Japanese sightseeing places such as Mt. Fuji, Asakusa, and Akihabara, the public bath called as “Sento” in Japanese language is popular among the foreign tourists. Sento is the public bathroom in Japan.

While the usage by the Japanese people has reduced, the “Naked socializing” from the olden days is reflecting in a fascinating way, to the extent of including it in the group tour for the foreigners by the travel agents.
In Tokyo, there is a public bath that is popular to the extent in which 20~30 foreign tourists visit it in a day, and it has gained popularity as a new tourist spot.

However, there is also some peculiar manners for the public bath.

◇It is not shameful
Bathing is by naked in the public bath. You may feel slightly shy, but all are bathing naked and you will not feel shy at all. From the past it is a custom that you get more intimate with your friends by taking bath together in the “Naked socializing”. Moreover, laughing and making fun about the body of your friend must not be done at all and it is not permitted.

◇Neatly fold the removed clothes
The basic manners is to neatly fold the removed clothes. This is not only for public bath.

◇Let's enter the bath after washing the body thoroughly.
Before getting into bath let us wash our body by scrubbing with the body towel using hot water in the wash basin, though it is ok if you don’t wash using the soap. Washing the back of the body of your friends and companion is also good thing.

◇Let's not waste the hot water and water
Excessive use of soap and shampoo leads to waste of hot water and water. Turning the shower towards other person is also a breach of manners.

◇Do not turn over or carry the towel to the bath
It is everyone's etiquette to take care of the cleanliness of hot water because the bath is used by many people. Do not put the towel in the hot water bathtub. Let's not dive in the bathtub and drink the water in bathtub as it may lead to accident and sickness.

◇Do not walk around the dressing room with wet body
When the floor is wet, it becomes slippery, and elderly person may fall down and hence let’s wipe the feet and body at the doorway of the bathroom when leaving the bath. When you let the body in wet condition for long time, you may catch cold.

The Japanese people enjoy the public bath while keeping all this in mind.