The end of the shitamachi street stands one of the social centers of the community. The Sento or public bath is the hub of a Japanese community. In the past, many homes were not equipped with baths or showers. For a nominal fee, people bathe in this establishment. With the advent of new phones equipped with showers or baths withing homes, the sento has become a rare sight.
As we pass through the noren, we pay the attendant sitting atop of the elevated bandai. Incidentally, the fee for use of the sento is set at 470 yen in Tokyo. The service is treated as a public utility and is regulated by the City. As such, the fee is nominal.
Men enter to the left. Women enter to the right. The large room is divided in two by a tall wall that separates the bathing areas.
The large baskets are for use by customers to store their clothes.
The front are a of the sento is equipped with shower/sink fixtures. Seats are often provided. One must wash and scrub down first before entering the bath at the end of the room. The baths are for soaking.
Common in sento is large mural. This one is of Mt. Fuji.
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