Public Bath Experience In Japan For Beginners

Public bathing is a long-standing culture of the Japanese, where they get naked, bathe with strangers, but are based on many rules of behavior.
Public bath experience in Japan for beginners
What is a Sento?
"Since ancient times in Japan, it is believed that bathing not only cleanses the dirt from the body but also cleans away the mental dirt that exists in the world," said Shinobu Machida, a leading researcher on sento - public bathhouse, explained.
Bath culture in Japan dates back to the 6th century. In the Buddhist teachings in Japan at that time, washing away dirt from the body is an important task for Buddhists.
Then, in the early 13th century, a public bath house with the name "Sento" was established

. By the 17th century, the number of sento in Edo (old name of Tokyo) had increased to 500 establishments.
Prepare for the experience
Enjoying a Japanese bath is a unique cultural experience. This can be intimidating the first time you enter But according to tourists, once you get used to it, Japanese baths are often addictive with uses: relaxing, healing, and re-energizing your soul.




Before going to the sento, if you are a meticulous person, put new clothes, towels, shampoo, soap in a small bag. But you can also go completely barefoot. Photo: Nippon.
The AP news agency assessed that: “There is nothing more relaxing after a tiring day of sightseeing than soaking in the public baths. And you can rest assured that you are experiencing authentic culture here ”.
A classic public bath will feature architectural features with chimneys and ‘noren’ curtains at the front door.
Chimneys, the hallmark of sento The towering chimneys of the public bath are easily recognizable in the distance.



They serve a dual role, venting from the bath and exhaust from the ovens used to heat bath water. Photo: James O Jenkins.
Steps to the bathroom
Pass through the curtain hanging on the front and you will reach the “getabako”, a shoe storage area. Find a compartment with a key ready to store your shoes.
At some facilities like Takarayu, bathers are responsible for their keys during their time here. However, at other facilities, the receptionist can do this for you. Photo: Nippon.
Sentos in Tokyo have a standard entrance fee of 460 JPY (about 100,000 VND, prices vary by district).



Pay at the front desk and you can buy whatever you need before proceeding to the changing room.
Shavers, toothbrushes, towels ... are all sold at the front desk. Photo: Nippon.
Pay attention to the men's and women's zones. Some places only divide a separate bathroom, but some places make a separate entrance right from the entrance.



A curtain called "noren" hangs from the door indicating the place for men or women. If you are a man, find 男 on the curtain; and 女 for women. If you cannot read Japanese characters, you can visualize it by the color of the curtains. Usually blue curtains for men and red or pink for women. However, color is not uniform in some places.
Best if in doubt, wait for someone to come in or out just to be sure. Graphics: AllAboutJapan.
After paying the entrance fee at the front desk, you'll switch to the changing room.



Usually there are lockers for you to store your valuables. You can also hand over valuables to the receptionist, having them put them in a safe.
Dressing room in a public bathhouse. Photo: AllAboutJapan.
Take off all your clothes and put them in the closet or basket provided by the staff here. Note, underwear is also prohibited while bathing. After undressing, go to the bathroom with a small towel (not a big towel) to wipe your body.
At this point, you should choose the pots and chairs at the entrance to the bathroom.



At sento, you need a clean bath before entering the hot tub. Photo: dokomosento.
Some bathrooms offer free shampoos and mouthwashes, meaning you don't need to bring them. Adjust your showerhead as needed, but be mindful of those around you. If the water is too hot, you can change the temperature accordingly.
Bathers often put towels on their heads to prevent them from getting wet. If you have a cold water tap, you can rinse the cold water to make the bath water less hot, as long as the bathers nearby don't object. Photo: Nippon.




According to a survey, the top three reasons for Japanese to visit public baths: Warm up in winter, wash off sweat in summer, rest and relax after a day of work.
Inside the shower area of a sento. Photo: AllAboutJapan.
The tradition of painting a mural of Mount Fuji in the main bathing area began in 1912, when the owner of the Kikaiyu public bathhouse asked the artist to paint something that made children happy. The artist is from Shizuoka, so he painted Mount Fuji. This became very popular and has spread to many sento in Tokyo since then.
Currently, only three artists are qualified to create these iconic images and they still make good money from their work.
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