Hakusan-yu Rokujo — Attraction in Kyoto

Great, inexpensive bath house. About 600 yen. There are some unspoken rules (listed below) that you find out by seeing, being told, or getting glared at until you get it (being told is kind). Here they are: wash your entire body and hair before getting in the tubs and wash the stool you were using to wash up sit on a mat in the sauna and put a towel/rag on the mat so your bum doesn’t make contact don’t put your head under the waterfalls. Instead, use your hands to gather the water for your face. don’t dunk your head under water. Instead, use the bowls to pour water on your head. if you sit on the bench in the garden area, use the bowl to rinse it off twice bc your bum made contact with it. You can gather water from the nearest inside pool (not the outside pool).

There were some comments about feeling unwanted and there were moments I felt the same but other moments I felt helped. Some people probably just don’t want you there. But there’s nothing we can do about that. Some women left the tub or sauna as soon as I walked in. Maybe they were just finished…try your best to be humble and respectful and it will be ok. Other women were very helpful. Tapped me on the shoulder to say “no” and show me what to do instead. Their English is limited so I’m positive it’s not meant to be rude but to be helpful. They want to help you fit into the environment and that is a gift really. Saying a respectful “thank you” I felt...

Came in around 11:20PM and the reception was still operating. Clear red and blue curtains for the female and male sides respectively. It is a separate gendered sento, not an onsen. Didn’t managed to get any English Instructions like the other reviews said, but the entering process was easy.

Put your shoes in the locker at the entrance and take the numbered wooden piece with you to lock it. Go to the counter and pay for the fee (at the time it was 490yen, optional to rent towel for 100yen, with 100yen deposit) Enter and enjoy :) Upon exit, return the rented towel to the counter for the deposit. (wring dry please!) Push your wooden key into the locker at the entrance to retrieve back your shoes.

Did not face any difficulties otherwise. Shampoo and body soap was provided, conditioner was not. Was a very clean sento with also a very interestingly enough, a green tea pool? From what I can assume it could be that. But I may be mistaken, I couldn’t read the Kanji. On top of that, they had the hot and cold pools and also a hot dry sauna. Each of the pools had water jetstreams inside the water for massaging your back and legs. Which was definitely very nice to use after a long day of walking...

A nice public bathhouse. Great place to relax after a whole day of travelling.

The temperatures are extreme here. You have your hot water baths, you have your freezing cold showers, and a baking hot steam room where I couldn't stay in there for more than two minutes. But the Japanese guys handle them with casual ease, they're obviously more used to it than I am. Ha ha. ^_^

Once you're in, you never want to leave because you're so relaxed. And clean.

The overall cost I think it was about 100 yen, which is very good, for that price you are given a towel and a shampoo.

Make sure you bathe before going into the hot baths. Familiarise yourself with Japanese etiquette before going in.

Yes it's a sento because it's not a resort or a spa. It's a public bath house which is pretty much the same thing. It's a nice walking distance from plenty of hotels and restaurants nearby. It's nice to take a stroll around the streets of Kyoto to get there. It feels authentic.

Overall, this is a lovely bathhouse. I...