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Hot Springs in the City

(©JNTO)

Japan's islands are the site of numerous volcanoes. The pressure and heat lying just below the earth's surface result in spectacular and dangerous eruptions from time to time, but they also have a much more pleasant effect, bringing naturally heated water to the surface in numerous locations. These hot springs, or onsen in Japanese, are among the top tourism destinations in the nation.

Thanks to the country's wealth of natural baths, the Japanese love to soak in onsen whenever they get the chance. This is more than just a simple cleansing experience, though: The long soaks in spacious tubs are a form of relaxation that hard-working businesspeople can't get in their cramped tubs at home. And nowadays these people don't need to head for the hills for an onsen experience. There are plenty of hot bath options right in Tokyo.

Tokyo, like all cities in Japan, has long been home to sento, or cheap public baths. Recently, however, these are up against competition from fancier establishments. "Leisure facilities" that offer much more than just tubs and wash areas are gaining fans as they appear in and around Tokyo. Let's take a look at the history of public baths in Japan's capital and see where the industry is heading today.

1. Getting Clean Cheaply

The entrance to a sento (©PANA)

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!

2. More than Four Centuries of Hot Water

A wall painting of Mount Fuji in a sento (©PANA)

There is historical evidence that suggests sento were in operation in what is now Tokyo as early as 1590. These baths were generally outfitted with rooms for customers to relax after getting clean, and they served as social gathering spots in those days. These early facilities, however, were steam rooms more like today's saunas; it was not until the 1600s that tubs for soaking made their appearance. Even then the tubs were rather small in size, a fact that illustrated the value of water as a resource back then. It was only in the Meiji period (1868-1912) that sento started being constructed along modern lines, with spacious washing and bathing areas and high ceilings.

The few surviving sento from the prewar era look almost like traditional temples or shrines. These wooden structures with high, peaked roofs are decorated with carvings and paintings of cranes, hawks, and other creatures signifying good fortune. The artistic quality of these old buildings is such that some people go to the public bath to appreciate the architecture, not to enjoy the waters.

The decor inside the baths is another sight to see. If you take a trip to a sento built around 40 years ago, you might be lucky enough to bathe beneath a huge image of natural splendor. These painted walls - which usually showed a landscape involving water somehow, most commonly a snow-capped Mount Fuji viewed above a rough sea - were a common feature of the bathing halls built some decades ago. But this tradition is on the decline now, as the number of craftsmen who can paint the pictures dwindles and no new artists step up to take their place.

3. A Healthy Habit, but Mind Your Manners

An up-market onsen from which bathers can see outside (©JNTO)

A long soak in a sento, or any kind of onsen, provides more than just hot water to soak the aches from your muscles. The waters that bubble to the surface bring all kinds of minerals that are effective treatments for different ailments. Bathers can pick and choose from springs infused with sodium hydrogen bicarbonate (an alkaline substance that makes skin smooth and supple), calcium sulfate (a sedative ingredient that eases the pain of sprains, bruises, cuts, and burns), and aluminum sulfate (an effective treatment for a number of skin conditions).

The baths in the Tokyo region are known to contain a number of substances that have percolated up from ancient seawater trapped in the water table. Tokyo onsen are rich in "fossil water," which contains silicate and boric substances that turn the water brown. The areas nearest Tokyo Bay - Ota, Shinagawa, Minato, and Setagaya Wards - are home to a number of sento where you can soak in this kuroyu, or "black water."

But mind that you don't just walk in and jump right into the tub. There are certain rules that must be followed in any onsen. Everyone shares the main tub, so keeping it clean is important. Before getting into the water, bathers scoop some of it out and rinse off their bodies. Washing, too, is done away from the main pool. Soap and shampoo are kept some distance from the tub, and after using them it's important to wash them off of your body entirely before heading back to the tub to soak. It's also important to sit down when washing to avoid splashing people near you with the spray from your shower.

If you decide to take a trip to an onsen, there are a few terms to keep in mind. Finding baths like these can make your bathing experience more memorable.

Roten-buro: This is an open-air bath. Soaking in hot water is always relaxing, but it can be extra-special when you do it while gazing at the forested hills and sky and listening to the birds of Japan.

Kashi-kiri-buro: This "reserved bath" is one you get all to yourself. Some onsen hotels offer rooms with their own tubs for private use; other establishments let you rent out a bath for 30 minutes or an hour at a time. These are especially popular with families and parents with young children.

Hinoki-buro: These tubs are made from the wood of the hinoki, or Japanese cypress. The aromatic wood adds its scent to the water, making for a most relaxing bathing experience.

Yakuso-buro: These baths contain a bag filled with medicinal herbs or other ingredients. Steeping these leaves and roots adds their essence to the water, making the bath effective for treating any number of ailments.

4. A Guide to Tokyo Bathing

People relax in an onsen "leisure facility." (©PANA)

If you're in Tokyo and you want to give the sento experience a try, there are a number of places to go. Some of the better-known options are Azabu Juban Onsen in Minato Ward; Hachiman Onsen in Shinagawa Ward; Unoki Natural Onsen and Rokugo Onsen, both in Ota Ward; Setagaya Ward's Soshigaya Onsen 21; and Takaban no Yu, located in Meguro Ward. And with more than a thousand to choose from in the Tokyo area, a walk around almost any neighborhood will turn up more baths to choose from.

There are also a number of onsen "leisure facilities" in town offering much more than just a bath. These come complete with everything from sauna rooms to massage services, offering total relaxation to their customers. They can cost a little more than the average sento, but more and more people think they're worth it. Some of these luxury facilitiesare described below.

5. O-Edo Onsen Monogatari

The entrance of O-Edo Onsen Monogatari (©O-Edo Onsen Monogatari)

Located near Telecom Center station on the Yurikamome Line, this onsen - whose name means "the tale of the great Edo hot springs" - is the perfect destination for people who want a traditional Tokyo experience. The interior of this onsen looks just like a neighborhood in the Edo period (1603-1868), and the staff uniforms are kimonos. Customers can choose from 18 patterns of yukata cotton robes to wear during a visit, and restaurants serve Tokyo specialties like sushi and soba noodles. English-speaking staff and English signs make this an easy place for foreign visitors to enjoy. (Open 11:00 A.M. to 9:00 A.M.; 2,827 yen for adults, 1,575 yen for children.)

6. Toshimaen Niwa-no-Yu

Take the Oedo Line or Seibu Ikebukuro Line to Toshimaen station; this facility is right next to the Toshimaen amusement park. Children 12 and younger are not admitted, which makes for a quieter bathing experience. Also adding to the quiet is the 4,000-square-meter Japanese garden surrounding the bathhouse. A soak in the roten-buro while gazing at this garden is enough to make you forget you're in one of the world's largest cities. English-speaking staff are on hand. (Open 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M.; 2,250 yen for adults, 315 yen for swimsuit rental.)

http://www.toshimaen.co.jp/niwa-yu/niwanoyu.html (site is Japanese only)

7. Heiwajima Onsen Kurhaus

The Keihin Kyuko Line brings you to Heiwajima station, where you'll find this fully outfitted spa. The facility is split into men's and women's sections, and there are 12 different kinds of bath to choose from. Especially popular among these is the roten-buro using seawater drawn up from the nearby depths of the Pacific Ocean. (Open 10:00 A.M. to 8:00 A.M.; 1,700 yen for adults [1,900 yen on weekends and holidays], 800 yen for children.)

http://www.ll-heiwajima.com/kur/top.html (site is Japanese only)

8. Tokyo Dome Natural Onsen - Spa LaQua

This onsen is right next to Tokyo Dome, located in the middle of the city and accessible from three stations served by six train lines. Hot water bubbles up from 1,700 meters below the earth's surface to the Tokyo Dome City development, which attracts huge crowds on weekends with not just baths but a hotel, shops, restaurants, a baseball stadium, and an amusement park. Check out the Spa LaQua English website (www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/e/laqua/spa.htm) for more information. (Open 11:00 A.M. to 9:00 A.M.; 2,565 yen for adults, 1,785 yen for children; children aged 6 and under not admitted.)

9. How to Take a Bath in Japan

1. Take off your clothes in the changing room.
2. Before getting into the tub, rinse your body using a bucket.
3. Soak in the bathtub briefly to warm up.
4. Get out of the bathtub, and wash your body and hair using the showers provided.
5. Rinse off soap and shampoo well, and get in the bathtub for your main soak.
6. Wipe yourself off before coming out to the changing room.
7. A cold drink after your bath is a great way to round off your experience!