Hot Springs and Bathhouses - Tokyo Intro: Experience #18 of 55

The Japanese love hot springs (onsen) and have developed bathing, dining, and relaxation at hot springs inns into a fine art.  The bathing aspect of it is shared with their communal bath houses (sento) which used to be very common before everyone had their own bathrooms.  Onsen are thriving these days while sento are declining in Japan.  However, there are more sento than hot springs resorts in Tokyo, so people go to hots springs resorts out of the city.

Odaiba Ōedo-onsen-monogatari in Tokyo is a bit of a hot springs theme park where you do get to try out a hot springs experience in the city.  Japanese hot springs have rules against showing tattoos, so check to see if they are permitted.  There are also many customs to follow before and while bathing, so check out the videos below.

Update: Ōedo-onsen-monogatari is closing in 2021 as their lease ran out and they even have to return the land to its original state.  Totally strange, but true.

There are numerous sento bathhouses in Tokyo.  Some of which are fancier than the others, and some are restored original bathhouses.  The originals might have the big iconic chimneys for the fires that heated the boilers.  Here is a link to some sento in Tokyo.
https://www.tsunagujapan.com/top-10-sentos-bathhouse-in-tokyo/

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