- A Basket to carry your stuff 2) A large towel 3) Scalp scrubber 4) razor and shaving cream 4) toothpaste and tooth brush 6) Nylon scrub towel.
Note:
Bathing in public hot baths in Japan can be a deeply satisfying and therapeutic experience for everyone. Japanese bathes houses are called S-E-N-T-O or super sento or community baths.
How to bathe:
Start by removing all of your clothes including watches and jewelry - wigs and toupees. Then, you’ll enter the main bathing area. There should be small plastic buckets and stools along the wall, grab them and find a spot with a shower.
It is not a good manner to shower while standing, so you should sit down on the tiny plastic stool and wash yourself down with hot water. Some expensive sento will have free soap, shampoo, and conditioner - I prefer to use my own.
In Japan, “RINSE” is “CONDITIONER” and I don’t know what it’s this way. Shampoo and rinse is how it is called in Japan. After thoroughly scrubbing your body down and rinsing all the soap off start with the indoor bath. The bath water should be at around 32C. Ease into the water and acclimate to the temperature before moving to the outdoor bath.
Personal opinion:
I pace myself. I will sit in the water for about 5 minutes first. Then I will get out and cool down. I will repeat this action several times until I feel I have had enough. A typical routine for me would be to do 3 sets of 12 minutes in a dry sauna, and enter the water about 5 times at 5 minutes each.
Remember* *** if you use the dry sauna make sure to rinse off your sweat before entering the cool water.
Top picture is called a sleep bath. You lie down on your back while water runs underneath your body. I love to take a light 20 minute nap here.
Outdoor high PH bath!
Water jet baths!
Single pot baths
Lunch break with cold beer and soba
at the top: Other types of aromatic baths like lavender
Nylon exfoliation towel for removing dead skin cells before bathing.
Enjoy!
Most public bath houses charge anywhere from around 300 ~ 1000 yen for day-use. Larger and more luxury ones charge around 2300 yen ( $25 USD )
