| A common sight around Tokyo is the sento,
a public bath hall that lets people soak for a relatively low price - usually
under 500 yen. Many of the cheapest apartments in town come with no bath of their
own, so plenty of people make use of the sento out
of necessity; but these baths are just as popular with others who have a tub at
home but prefer the relaxing soak in the larger facilities. In their heyday Tokyo's
sento numbered as many as 2,600; their number has been declining ever since as
more apartments and homes have been built with baths, but there are still some
1,100 sento in operation today, according to a 2002
survey by the Tokyo metropolitan government.
The traditional sento is split into men's and women's
sides. Each of these areas is divided into a section with showers where you wash
your body and a tub for soaking after you get clean. Some sento
have tubs with medicinal waters and sauna rooms in addition to the simple hot-water
baths. It's also common for them to have towels, soap, and shampoo on hand, so
you can walk in straight off the street without bringing a bathing kit from home.
But be sure not to bring your bathing suit - that's not welcome in these public
baths!
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