SENTO

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Recommendation of public bath20.03

Refresh yourself in mind and bodywith the old-yet-new experience ofa “sento” public bath
A public bathhouse, or sento, in the Edo period was used
as a salon for ordinary people to enjoy after bathing.
This unique Japanese means of public communication was bornhere and is alive today.
Stepping into the unique architectural style reminiscentof a traditional shrine, you can get a wonderful experiencethat is different from daily life alongwith Japanese history and traditional culture.
Through a sento experience, you can add spice to ordinarydays, and it will surely rejuvenate your mind and body.

The history of sento
Kofun period

Buddhism was brought to Japanand public baths were built in temples.

6th century

Heian period

Bath houses appearedin Kyoto.

9th to 11th centuries

Kamakura period

Temple baths were opened
to the public free of charge.

12th to 14th centuries

Edo period

Bathtubs like those of today appeared.
Public baths became familiar tothe common people andformed a social field for
drinking tea or playing shogi.

17th to 19th centuries

Meiji period

Public bathhouses were built ina form nearly identical to that of today.

19th century

Characters

1Roy (age 29)

Sen (age 75)

A Dutchman, he came to Japan forbusiness negotiations as a manager
in a consulting company. His hobby
is running and has an interest inJapanese architecture.

A regular sento customer who
shows Roy the rules for his first
visit to the public bath.

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Roles and effects

Pre-check

Effect: Cleansing the body,refreshing the mood

Wash

Warm up

It’s effective for cleansing the body andremoving dirt from your body and your hairafter a day of work. It also offers the effect ofrefreshing the mood.

Effect: Recovery from muscle fatigue,
recovery from tiredness, relaxation,
alleviation of sleep deprivation
We can expect the effects of recovery frommuscle fatigue and recovery from fatigue whensoaking in the tub to warm the body. Soaking ina large bathtub will help lift your mood as well.
According to a survey by the Tokyo
Gas Urban Life Research Institute,people who soak in a bathtub every
day, even those who sleep less than
5 hours on weekdays, experience
less dif f icul t y falling a sleep thanpeople who soak less than one time
per week (see diagram).
Source: Tokyo Gas Urban Life
Research report 2019.11

Experience difficulty
falling asleep

3Money (for bathing fee, milk, etc.)
Towel for body-washing(this is easy to forget!)Towel for drying off
Your favorite shampoo,
rinse, body soap, etc.
Spare clothes

About 18%
Take a bathalmost every day

Shower cap and hair band

About 31%

A willingness to enjoy the sento♡

Take a bath less thanonce a week

Effect: Communication

Interactfor heading out to enjoy the sento(for persons with long hair)Note: Some facilities may supply some of these items.
Please ask the bathing facility in advance.

Having a chat at a sento may deepen someconnection with the community.

4Place your shoes in the shoe rack

Pay the fee at the deskDon’t leave your shoes out. Please placethem in the shoe rack.

The bathing fee is paid at the desk before
entering the sento. Shampoo, soap, and otheritems can also be bought at the desk.

MaleFemale

Mixed bathing exists overseas but men’sbaths and women’s baths are separated inJapan. The men’s bath and women’s bath aremarked by cloth curtains at the entrances.

Place your clothes in a locker or undressing
basket after undressing.

Place your valuables in a locker
with a lockPut the locker key on your wrist

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Place your clothes in a locker
or basket

Arrival at sento
There are rules of etiquette to follow when arriving
at the sento and entering the tub. First up are the usageof the shoe rack, pre-payment, and undressing.
5Please keep any valuables locked in a locker

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Male and female entrances
are separatedPut the locker key on your wrist and enter
the washing area.

The right time for bathing
Warming up in a bath decreases blood flow to the stomach, which may cause indigestion.
If you have just had a meal, rest for an hour before bathing.
If you are planning to have a meal after your bath, rest for about 30 minutes before the meal.

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The floor is slippery, so walk slowly.
The washing area is slippery.
Running is prohibited! Watch your step.

Wash yourself before
entering the bathtub
Before entering the bathtub,pour hot water over yourself. This step, calledkakeyu, rinses off sweat and dust.

Sit down in the shower.

Wash the stool and washbowl after use

Sit down on your heels or on a stool
when using the showers. Please don’t stand andshower, as this will splash your neighbors.

After using them in the washing area,
wash and return the stool and washbowl
to their original spots.

Wash yourself before soaking in
the bathtub. This is kakeyu.
It’s an etiquette of enjoying
the bath.

Let’s enter the bath
Undress in the changing room before entering the bathing
room. Here are some other tips on etiquette in a sento
to ensure safe and comfortable use of the bath for everyone.

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Following manners so thateveryone can enjoy the bath iswhat etiquette is all about.

Leisurely soaking in hot water
will improve the circulation of theblood and relieve muscle fatigue!

Is that so. That’s good to know!

8Keep your towel outsideof the bathwaterDon’t put your towel into the bathwater. Instead,place it on your head. This prevents a rush of theblood to the head.

Soak leisurely
Breathe deeply and experience the great feeling ofthe bath.

Enter the bath quietly.
Don’t talk or sing loudly in the bathtub. Bathe
quietly.

Tie up hair longer thanshoulder length
If you have long hair that extends past yourshoulders, tie it up with a hair band or cap.

In my country, people mainly takeshowers. A tub of hot water isunusual for me!
Is that so.
Did you know that people in Japan
like soaking in baths?

Let’s soak in the bathtub
Finally it is time to soak in the bathtub.
Leisurely enjoy the spacious tub.

9How much do people in Japan
like taking a bath?
About 90% like soaking in the tub.
Some people bathe with family
every day! (Survey: Tokyo Gas
Urban Life Research Institute)10

Spending time after the bath
When you’ve warmed up in body and mind,
it’s time to leave the bath. How you spend the time after
your bath is a part of the enjoyment of the public bath.

Head to the dressing area
after you dry off your body and feet
Before heading to the dressing area, dry off yourhair, body, and feet with your wrung-out towel.

Take a little breakEnjoy the afterglow on the chair.
Take a seat and bask in feeling of warmth.
This is a nice time to chat with the other bathers.

Let’s drink some water

Check your locker for forgotten items

The body loses a lot of moisture in the bath fromperspiration, so be sure to drink some water.

After changing clothes, check your locker
and basket for any forgotten items.
Clean up any waste.

Wow!
Milk in a bottle! That’s unusual!
You can bring back your milk bottle
when you’re done with it and use it
again and again.

It’s so environment-friendly! It’s
similar in my country! It’s a part ofnormal life in Japan.
Yes. Japanese like to enjoy
eco-friendly lifestyle.

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Sento trivia
Why are many sento
decorated withpictures of Mt. Fuji?

1The Mt. Fuji paintings are said tohave originated in the sento Kikaiyu
in the Kanda-Sarugakucho districtof Tokyo in 1912. Because Mt. Fuji
was popular as a symbol of luck, itcame to be painted on the walls of
many sento, particularly in Tokyo.

Why do people
place their towel
on their head?

2Placing a wet towel on your head as
you get in the bathtub has the effectof keeping your body from heating
up and your head from becoming
overly hot. It also blocks drips ofwater from the ceiling.

Recommendation of“bathing education”
To help us to develop better mental and physical health through bathing,we will learn about the effects of bathing,
how to bathe, and how to enjoy bathing.
We call this “bathing education.”
Bathing every day to warm both body and mind
will give you energy and spirit for the following day.
Why not visit a public bath once in a while andexpand your enjoyment of bathing?

What is the meaningof “Kerorin” written
on washbowls?

3Kerorin is the brand name of ananalgesic. An advertising agency at
the time suggested advertisementson plastic tubs. Back in 1963,
hygienic plastic tubs were rare andwere much appreciated.

Why do so many
sento have milk?
Bathing Culture Research Institute ®

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At a time when baths andrefrigerators were not widespreadin ordinary households, milk companies
sold bottled milk to sento that had
both baths and refrigerators, and milk
became a staple feature of sento.

The Bathing Culture Research Institute,a gathering of companies involved in bathing,offers ways to make daily bathing richer and more enjoyablein the form of “Suggestions for ‘bathing education’.”Representative: Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.

How is the chimney
cleaned?

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A cleaner uses a broom to clean off
the ash and debris that accumulate
inside the chimney, with a clean
towel covering the face.

What is the relationshipbetween the furoshiki(“bath cloth”) and sento?

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Bathing Culture Research Institute website
http://www.toshiken.com/bath/

During the Edo period, bath items
such as towels, yukata robes, andyumaki bath wrappings werewrapped in a cloth that resembled
those laid on floors of sento, whichis thought to have led to the word
“furoshiki” (“bath cloth”).

Note: There are various theories about these pieces of trivia.

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