Tokyo used to have at least one public bath (sento) in each of its numerous neighborhoods, but their number has greatly dropped in past decades. Recently, the popularity of sento has increased a little, with the larger baths offering entertainment, dining and relaxation under one roof, and the smaller, nostalgia-imbued ones allowing bathers to be brought back to the good old days.
Tokyo is not a place where onsen water surfaces naturally, but thanks to modern boring and pumping technologies, it is now possible to get access to naturally heated water virtually anywhere if you bore deep enough. As a result, several larger bath complexes featuring hot spring water have appeared across central Tokyo.
Large bath complexes
Oedo Onsen Monogatari
Short walk from Telecom Center Station in Odaiba Hours: 11:00am to 9:00am (entry until 7:00am) Closed: Early closure at 23:00 once per month for cleaning Admission: 2720 yen (2180 yen after 18:00). Additional 216 yen on weekends and holidays. Additional 2160 yen overnight fee after 2:00.
Opened in 2003, Oedo Onsen is a hot spring theme park in the Telecom Center area in Odaiba which reproduces the atmosphere of the Edo Period. Here you can enjoy various types of indoor and outdoor baths which are fed by hot spring water pumped from a depth of 1400 meters. Restaurants, massage, games and other entertainment, as well as overnight stays are available.
LaQua
In Tokyo Dome City (near Korakuen, Kasuga and Suidobashi stations) Hours: Daily 11:00am to 9:00am the next morning Closed: A small number of irregular closing days Admission: 2850 yen (extra fee on weekends, holidays and after midnight)
Opened in 2003, LaQua is a popular relaxation oasis not far from Tokyo Dome in the center of busy Tokyo. It features real hot spring pools, saunas, relaxation space and various massage and beauty services. The hot spring water is brought to the surface from a depth of more than one kilometer.
Niwa no Yu
Short walk from Toshimaen Station Hours: Daily 10:00am to 23:00 (entry until 22:00) Closed: A small number of irregular closing days for maintenance Admission: 2070 yen (weekdays), 2370 yen (weekends), 2470 yen (special days), 1500 yen (after 6pm except peak seasons)
Niwa no Yu is a hot spring bath complex a short walk from Toshimaen Station in northwest Tokyo. The oasis in the city features a large Japanese garden, a variety of hot spring pools, a sizable indoor pool, saunas, relaxation and massage areas, as well as dining options. The natural hot spring water is pumped up from a depth of over 1400 meters underground.
Small bath houses
Oshiage Daikoku-yu
5 minute walk from Oshiage Station (exit B2) Hours: 15:00 to 10:00 the next morning (from 14:00 on Saturdays and 13:00 on Sundays) Closed: Tuesdays Admission: 460 yen
Established in 1949, Oshiage Daikoku-yu is an atmospheric, gender-separated sento in a neighborhood not far from the Tokyo Skytree. The public bathhouse has outdoor baths albeit with high walls. The classic interior has wooden flooring in the changing area and a tiled mural in the bath area. Chilled drinks and icy poles are sold in the small lounge area outside. Large and small towels are available for rent, and simple amenity kits can be purchased at the counter. Communal body soap and shampoo are not provided.
Atami-yu
Short walk from JR Iidabashi Station (west exit) Hours: 15:00 to 25:00 Closed: Saturdays Admission: 460 yen
Located in the picturesque backstreets of Kagurazaka, Atami-yu is a sento where the waters are heated by burning wood since the public bath opened in 1954. Both the exterior and interior feature classic, almost vintage, decorations creating a time slip to the past once you step past the threshold. Large and small towels are available for rent; however, amenity kits, soap and shampoo are not provided.
Minami Aoyama Shimizu-yu
Access: Short walk from Omotesando Station (exit A3) Hours: Daily 12:00 to 24:00 (until 23:00 on weekends and national holidays) Closed: Fridays Admission: 460 yen
Shimizu-yu in Minami Aoyama can be found in a quiet lane off the main road in the upmarket Omotesando-Aoyama district. The modern public bathhouse is located on street level under an apartment building with a small coin laundromat beside. There are a number of baths and also background music to create a relaxing atmosphere. Large and small towels are available for rent, and simple amenity kits can be purchased at the counter. Communal body soap and shampoo are not provided.
