Read Me: Some Notice for Enjoyment at Public Bathhouse "Sento"

Hi everyone who want to go or is going to Japan,

Have you had a experience to take in a hot spring? Did you like it? As you may know, There are lots of hot spring spots in a town in Japan. In addition to them, There are  lots of public bathhouses, are called "Sento" or "Super Sento" in Japanese. 
- "Sento(銭湯)": Cheaper bathing fee from JPY400 to 500 depending on area. 
- "Super Sento(スーパー銭湯)": Bathing fee over around JPY700 and many types of bath in many cases.
At this time, I want to let you know some notices to not bother others who come  there. Those notices are not difficult or complicated requirements. And then, I will show you some things what I want you to know for enjoyment of Japanese public hot spring and bathhouse.

Building of Japanese bathhouse "Sento"

I guess that you would see such a poster as below at public bathhouse in Japan. The poster describes some notices to take a bath there. (Please follow the notices even if you don't see any poster like this.)

1. Taking off your underwear before getting in a bath/bathtub: People is supposed to take a bath naked. None of Japanese does it.
   
2. Washing yourself well before getting in a bath/bathtub: To keep water in a both clean. 
   
3. Keeping your towel out of bath/bathtub: To keep water in a both clean.
   
4. Turning on a shower while you need it and turn it off when you don't use it: To save energy and for eco-friendly.
   
    
5. Washing your clothes is prohibited: Use too much space at washing area and too much water.
   
    
6. Wiping water off your body before going to a dressing area: To keep a dressing area clean, not to soak wet the floor of the area. Some of Japanese do it, unfortunately.

Then, there are other posters for that like the following.

And other things what I want you to know are the followings.

1. You many want to take 2 towels (bath and face towels) and some bath goods such as soap, shampoo and others when you go to a public hot spring or bathhouse in a town, because those goods are not provided for you for free of charge there.
   
   
   
   
2. Pay attention to which room is for men or women. In most case, navy is for men, and red is for women. "ゆ"="Yu" on the picture mean hot water. 

   

   
   

3. Taking your shoes off before get into a dressing area. There are shoe boxes with a key at the entrance of a bathhouse. (Normal type key <Left> or wood type key <Right>)

   

   One type of shoe box

   

   A Wooden Key

   
   

   

   A Common Metal Key, as you know

4. Enjoy a beautiful artwork of something related to Japan on the wall of bath/bathtub.

   

   Beautiful artwork of Mt. Fuji on the wall of bath/bathtub

5. Cool your body with a bottle of cold milk or coffer-flavored milk. I have one of them at each time I go to a bathhouse. almost all bathhouses provide them and the tool to open paper lid of them. I love both of them, but I prefer coffee-flavored milk, if anything. Please try them!!

   

   A bottle of milk

   

   A bottle of coffer-flavored milk

   
   

   

   A tool to open a paper lid 

I think that taking a bath is one of Japanese culture. So I want you to have a experience to do that. You must enjoy and feel relaxed!! There are really lots of bathhouses in Japan, especially in Tokyo. You can google "銭湯"="sento" and find some bathhouses out nearby. Search them and experience one of Japanese cultures in Japan!

Enjoy your trip in Japan! And see you in the next article of the blog!! 
"The ordinary for Japanese" must work to spice up your trip!