Public baths have been closing in Tokyo at the rate of 100 a year for 10 years now. If the 7 withing walking distance of my studio 5 have closed since I came to Japan.
OK, for Americans it is probably an unbelievable pain in the ass to go out of the house, and walk 10 minutes down the road to take a bath. America has been so rich for so long people pretty much forgot what communal feels like. The culture was dieing out in most of Tokyo before I arrived, pack up your kit and walk down the street, meet your neighbors in the bath. Kids playing, making noise, having fun with their friends, time for a little talk with neighbors, if you were feeling rich a bottle of soda, or juice, or even a beer when you were done. Then back out in the rain, or cold, or like tonight - a beautiful new moon in a clear autumn sky, and walk home and go to bed.
There is a difference between luxury and convenience. A unit bath in your own little cement shell apartment is convent . A big old public bath steamy hot, a painted Fuji on the back wall, with neighbors, kids, enemies and friends is a great luxury that soon people will only be able to read about, those that still have the inclination to read.
This is the old sento closest to my old house, now turned into an art gallery. I wonder what will happen to HatsunenoYu.
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