Sakaeyu Sentō — Local services in Tokyo

My First Japanese Onsen Experience (Featuring Mild Electrocution)

While visiting Japan for the first time, I decided I wanted to do more than just sightsee and eat my body weight in sushi. I wanted a real Japanese cultural experience. Enter: the onsen—a traditional Japanese hot spring bath - that promised relaxation, rejuvenation, and a bit more…

I’ll be honest, I was nervous. But curiosity won out. I removed my shoes at the entrance like a good guest, paid the fee, and stepped into the men’s area, with the confidence of someone who absolutely did not know what they were doing. ready to embrace the unknown… and also fully aware I’d soon be naked around 30 Japanese men.

Step one: bathe before you bathe. I found a poster with English instructions (thankfully featuring cartoons), squatted on a tiny plastic stool like a confused frog, and awkwardly scrubbed myself using a faucet and a bucket. I was the only foreigner there—surrounded by 20-30 silent, stoic Japanese men. The vibes were serene. The nudity was non-negotiable.

Then came the tubs. Rows of steaming options, each labeled in Japanese, with slightly unhinged English translations underneath. That’s when I saw it: “Electric Bath.”

Surely this was a mistranslation. Surely they didn’t mean actual electricity. Surely I wouldn’t willingly put my bare body into a bathtub wired like a toaster.

Wrong.

Did I stop there? Of course not…. I was too deep in the authenticity… I leaned into it—literally—and lowered my entire naked self into the tub. It felt like being gently tased by a very polite robot. My muscles twitched. My dignity fled the room. Somewhere behind me, a local probably snorted into his towel.

I can only imagine what it looked like: one lone American voluntarily electrocuting himself in the name of “authentic cultural experience.”

After I recovered from being lightly grilled, I tried a microbubble bath, the 47°C lava bath (mistake), and a cold plunge, which instantly resurrected my soul.

Final rating: 10/10. Highly recommend. If you’re brave enough to strip down in front of strangers, you’re brave enough to be electrocuted by spa water. Just… maybe skip it if you have a pacemaker. Or...

i am a known frequent visitor of this sento, as i dance and get sore and fatigued often and also suffer from chronic pain. i will say that of all the sentos in the area, this one is by far the best! for starters, it is tattoo friendly - some sentos are but a suprising amount still are not even as i write this in the end of 2023. the staff are really kind, and there are many regulars to the facility which creates a very welcoming atmosphere. i speak japanese but i have seen staff present instructions in english to foreigners who are worried about doing something “wrong.” spacious dressing room, and as for other amenities, hair dryers are ¥20 for 3 minutes, there is shampoo and body soap (no conditioner) available in the showers, and you can rent many items such as different sized towels at the front. i have never seen the facility anything but clean, the staff are constantly walking around tending to the areas. the sauna is lovely and has a tv you can watch (though it’s always japanese talk shows or dramas so foreigners won’t understand) as for the baths - some who aren’t used to hot baths might find the main baths a little difficult to be in for a period of time but the outdoor bath is very comfortable and doable for those not used to it. overall, great place and i love seeing more and more foreign tourists visiting! if you are unsure on where to go this...

This sento isn't very close to any nearby stations, but I highly recommend giving it a try if you want to experience a traditional Tokyo-style bathhouse. I personally think it represents the Tokyo atmosphere well, which feels very different compared to sento in other prefectures.

There's a global issue of gender inequality, and Japan is no exception. Salary gaps between men and women still exist, and on top of that, women also experience menstruation, which can make sauna culture less accessible. Because of this, many sauna facilities tend to prioritize the men's side.

That's why I deeply respect this sento for introducing a Finnish-style sauna with a real firewood stove—not an electric one—on the women's side. As a Japanese sauna lover, I feel the need to support and celebrate places like this.

This sento offers not only the nostalgic charm of the old-school Showa-era bathhouse, but also brings in the fresh spirit of the Reiwa-era. It gives me hope for a more inclusive sauna...