May 2016 – SENTO in TOKYO 東京銭湯

Hagoromo-Yu　羽衣湯　＠西新宿５丁目

Published on May 29, 2016June 11, 2016 by tokyosento 東京銭湯Leave a comment

A fairly large and popular local sento, within 5 minutes walk from Nishi Shinjuku go Chome station. The male and female baths switch on alternate days.

Address: Honmachi 3-24-20 ,Shibuya Ward, Tokyo
Business Hours:14:00-01:30 (from 13:00 on Sunday, closed Friday)
Nearest station: Nishi shinjuku go chome (Oedo Line)
Entrance Fee: 460 yen (adults)

Building 　 ★★★☆☆ Concrete, stand-alone
Bath 　 ★★★★☆ 41.4C, 42.6C water temperature
Painting 　 ★☆☆☆☆ Tiled walls, no painting
Amenities 　★★★☆☆

Soap, shampoo: available for purchase
Hair dryer: 20 yen for 3 minutes
Shoe storage, clothes locker: no coins required
Sauna: yen (includes towels)
Massage chair: 100 yen for 15 minutes
Washing machine (next to changing room): 100 yen

Entrance and Payment

The shoe locker area leads into a fairly large reception area where snacks, beer and soft drinks can be purchased. There is also a section with many Japanese language comic books (these are free to read).

After making payment at the reception desk, you will be given a key and directed towards the changing rooms.

Changing Room Facilities

3 hairdryers, massage chair, soft drink vending machine, TV and clothes lockers.

The changing area is quite large compared to most public baths. To get to the bathing area you must go up stairs (no elevators are available), passing a small room with a few washing machines.

Bathing Area

There are two large baths, with water temperature reported as 41.4C and 42.6C. The hotter bath didn’t feel so hot. It has a weak electric bath in one corner.

The cooler of the two baths contained three massage water jets.

A sauna is available for an additional fee for an additional 1000 yen – rather expensive even by Tokyo standards. As well as access to the sauna, this gives you access to a resting area where you can take a nap.

One final selling point of the bathing area is a small outdoor bath.

Clientele

As with most public baths, the customers are generally on the older side. However, this sento is allegedly popular with gay men of all ages (according to other sources). I didn’t see anything untoward when I was there.

[日本語]

住所東京都渋谷区本町３−２４−２０
最寄駅　大江戸線　西新宿５丁目駅から徒歩　５分くらい
営業時間　14:00ー25:30 (日曜日は、13時から営業）
定休日　金曜日
料金　大人460円　（サウナ別途1,000円）

建物　★★★☆☆　鉄筋の建物１棟が銭湯
お湯　★★★★☆　４０度より少し高い
壁絵　★★☆☆☆　タイル張り
設備　★★★☆☆　スーパー銭湯を思わせる充実した設備

・玄関を入ってすぐのスペースには、漫画がたくさん♫（HPには、蔵書の数2000！）
・サウナは、別途1,000円（高温サウナと塩サウナ）
・ドライヤー　20円３分
・下駄箱、ロッカーにはコイン不要

清潔感もあり、広々した脱衣場に、お風呂♪

入ってすぐの休憩所のようなスペースには、漫画2000冊！！

お風呂上がりにはのどごし500mlの缶が、200円くらいで販売されていました♪

お風呂に入る前から、上がった後のことが楽しみで仕方ありません🎶

男湯と女湯は、奇数日と偶数日で入れ替わるようです。

脱衣場は、１階。お風呂はいづこに？と脱衣場を出ると、お風呂は階段を上って２階でした。

夕方４時ごろ入ったのですが、お風呂は光もたくさん入ってきて清潔感もあって最高でした！

人気もすごくあるようで、結構人が多かったですよ♪

今回は、時間の関係上、サウナには入っていませんが、

次回は、ぜひサウナを利用したいものです♪(´ε｀ )

Visited:May 29, 2016

大星湯　Taisei-Yu @Akebonobashi

Published on May 21, 2016June 11, 2016 by tokyosento 東京銭湯Leave a comment

A fairly typical sento (public bath), located in this area for over 60 years. There isn’t much to distinguish this sento, apart from a claim that it is the first sento in Japan to have an onsite AED.

Address: 18-3, Ichigayadaimachi, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo
Business Hours:15:00-0:00 (closed Monday)
Nearest station: Akebonobashi (Toei Shinjuku Line)
Entrance Fee: 460 yen (adults)

Building 　 ★★☆☆☆ Apartment building
Bath 　 ★★☆☆☆ 40C water temperature
Painting 　 ★★★★☆ mosaic
Amenities　★★★☆☆

soap, shampoo: free
Hair dryer: 20 yen
Shoe storage, clothes locker: no coins required
Sauna: 500 yen (includes towels)
Massage chair: 100 yen for 15 minutes

Entrance and Payment

Shoe lockers are located at the entrance, and don’t require any coins. Payment is made at the reception desk.

The reception area includes some seating and you can buy ‘coffee milk’ for 130 yen.

Changing Room Facilities

The lockers in the changing room do not require any coins (just find one with an available key).

The changing area is fairly large, with several seats, a large sofa, a massage chair (available for 100 yen for 15 minutes), and a TV. As is typical there is a toilet and wash hand basin with hair dryer (available for 20 yen).

Bathing Area

The bathing area includes a sauna and cold bath. To use the sauna, you must pay an extra 500 yen at the reception. The cold bath was slightly warmer than usual, at around 22C (most sento have a cold bath around 16C to 18C).

The main bath is at a temperature of 40C. It includes an electric bath in one corner (this is a bath that gives weak electric shocks). According to Japanese people, the electric bath is a kind of massage, although I personally think it is uncomfortable.

This sento has a tiled mosaic of a sailing ship on the wall.

One thing to note is that this sento is very bright inside so you may feel that it is less clean than other public baths (we’re not sure if that’s really the case, since most baths are darker so you can’t really see if they are clean or not).

Clientele

It was fairly quiet when we visited. The other customers were mostly elderly (50s and up).

[日本語]

住所　東京都新宿区市谷台町１８−３
最寄駅　都営新宿線　曙橋駅から徒歩１０分くらい
営業時間　15:00ー24:00
定休日　月曜日
料金　大人460円

建物　★★☆☆☆　マンショんの１階
お湯　★★☆☆☆　４０度前後
壁絵　★★★★☆　モザイク画
設備　★★★☆☆　全国の銭湯で初めてAEDを設置

・学校の身体測定で使用したような趣のある体重計あり♫
・シャンプーとボディーソープも備え付けのものがありました！
・ドライヤー　20円（何分もつかはわからず）
・マッサージチェア　15分100円
・下駄箱、ロッカーにはコイン不要

♫地域密着型の銭湯♫

浴場に入ってまず目に入るのは、見事なモザイク画。思わず見入ってしまいました。

快晴の空に白い雲、波の穏やかな大海原に、大きなヨットが帆を張っています。

お客さんは、家族連れからおじいちゃんまで幅広く、1日の疲れを癒しに来ていましたよ。

お風呂は、水風呂、ジェットバス（備長炭）、電気風呂の３種類。

脱衣場には、ソファが設置されているので、

上がってからもゆっくりテレビを見ながら汗が引くのをリラックスして待つことができます♫

Visited:May 21st, 2016

梅の湯　Ume-no-Yu @Jinbo-cho

Published on May 21, 2016June 11, 2016 by tokyosento 東京銭湯Leave a comment

Located within a few minutes of jimbocho station, this sento (public bath) is on the first floor of an apartment building.

Address:Kanda Jinbocho 2-8-2, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo
Business Hours:15:00-01:00 (closed Sunday)
Nearest station: Jinbocho station (Shinjuku Line, Mita Line, Hanzomon Line)
Entrance Fee: 460 yen (adults)

Building ★★☆☆☆ Apartment building
Bath ★★☆☆☆ 42C water temperature
Painting ★☆☆☆☆ Tiled walls, no paintings
Amenities ★★★☆☆

Small towel, soap, shampoo: free
Hair dryer: 20 yen per 3 minutes
Shoe storage, clothes locker: no coins required

Entrance and Payment

Shoe lockers are located at the entrance, and these do not require any coins. You should remove your shoes before entering the reception area.

You will pay the entrance fee at the reception desk. If you need to borrow a small towel, you can do so for free (just ask at the desk).

Next to the reception desk there is a small seating area with brochures and advertising materials for other sento in Tokyo.

Changing Room Facilities

The changing room is very small so can feel crowded if there are few other people in there. The lockers do not require a coin (just find one with a key and check it isn’t is in use).

Apart from lockers, the changing room has a wash hand basin, toilet, mirror and hair dryer (coin operated).

Bathing Area

Soap and shampoo are located in the washing area (there are only a few bottles for the entire washing area so you may need to look around to find them).

There is a single large bath for relaxation with 3 small sections on one side. 2 of the small sections offer a kind of massage by shooting jets of water at you. There is also an electric bath that delivers low level electric shocks to anyone brave enough to try it (I personally find it uncomfortable and slightly painful but I believe it isn’t dangerous).

Unlike many other sento, this one does not have the standard Mount Fuji painting. The walls are tiled but appear to be clean so no major complaints.

The water temperature is on the warm side at 42C but bearable for a short duration. There is no sauna or cold bath.

Clientele

When we visited it became rather busy with upper middle-aged customers. This sento seems to be particularly popular with joggers so they will sometimes appear in groups.

[日本語]

住所　東京都千代田区神田神保町2-8-2
最寄駅　都営新宿線、東京メトロ半蔵門線の神保町駅　A2出口から２〜３分
営業時間　15:00ー25:00
定休日　日曜日
料金　大人460円

建物　★★☆☆☆　マンショんの１階
お湯　★★★☆☆　４２度前後
壁絵　★☆☆☆☆　タイル張りの壁、清潔感が気持ちいい。
設備　★★★☆☆

・フェイスタオルを購入しようと思ったら、無料で貸してくださいましたm(_ _)m
・シャンプーとボディーソープも備え付けのものがありました！
・ドライヤー　3分20円
・下駄箱、ロッカーにはコイン不要

神保町駅からのアクセスが抜群の梅の湯。

仕事帰りに、そしてマラソン終わりの汗を流しにたくさんの方が来ていました！

お風呂、脱衣場自体は決して広いとは言えませんが、とても清潔感があり気持ちいいお風呂でした。

加えて、電気風呂、ジェットバス、スーパージェットバスの３種類があり、とても癒やされます♪

僕はマラソンはしませんが、ランナーには嬉しいランニングシューズ置き場もあり、

ボディーソープ、シャンプーもあったので身軽に来ることができそうです。

そしてやはり、都心のど真ん中にありながら、駅から徒歩２〜３分という立地もいいですね。

Visited:May 19th, 2016

鶴の湯　Tsuruno-Yu　＠Sendagaya

Published on May 15, 2016June 11, 2016 by tokyosento 東京銭湯Leave a comment

This traditional Japanese sento (public bath) is located in a residential area, within walking distance of several train stations (Sendagaya, Yoyogi, Kokuritsukyogijo).

Address: Sendagaya 4-16-4, Shibuya Ward, Tokyo See on Google Maps
Business Hours: 3.30 pm until midnight every day, closed on Monday.
Entrance Fee: 460 yen (adults)

Building ★★★☆☆ Traditional wooden structure
Bath ★★☆☆☆ 44C or 45C according to the thermometer
Painting ★★★☆☆ Mt.Fuji overlooking a golf course
Amenities ★★★☆☆

Tebura set (small towel, body soap, shampoo): 120 yen
Hair dryer: 20 yen per 2 minutes
Shoe storage, clothes locker: no coins required
Washing machine: 200 yen

Entrance and Payment

You should remove your shoes and store them in an available shoe locker at the entrance. The male entrance is on the right hand side and the female on the left. After storing your shoes you will enter directly into the changing area.

Unlike more modern sento, there is a central booth between the male and female changing areas (this will be staffed by an elderly lady, and she has access to both the male and female changing areas). The entrance fee should be paid to the staff member that is occupying this booth, and you can also buy a ‘tebura set’ containing soap, shampoo and small towel (this is only necessary if you did not bring your own).

Changing Room Facilities

The lockers in the changing area do not require a coin – the staff member will give you a key if needed.

There is a small outdoor seating area with rocks and plants (it’s outside but enclosed by a wall for privacy).

Two laundry machines are available in the changing room, costing 200 yen for a wash.

There is a fridge containing ‘coffee milk’ drinks. It is traditional to drink one of these after taking a bath (cost is typically around 150 yen).

There is an air conditioning unit which was not on when I visited but will certainly be needed in the hot summer.

Bathing Area

The bath area is small with two baths: a larger bath with air jets and a small bath. Both baths are very hot, much hotter than the average sento in Tokyo. The larger bath was around 44 or 45 degrees according to the thermometer. The smaller bath seemed to be slightly hotter but temperature is unknown.

There is no free soap/shampoo provided in the bath area so buy a ‘tebura set’ or bring your own.

There is a large painting of Mount Fuji overlooking a golf course.

Clientele

Due to the very hot bath, this place is likely to be more popular with the older crowd.

However, a group of soccer players visited when we were there on Saturday afternoon. They didn’t stay too long, probably due to the high water temperature.