Sentou (public baths)

Hey everybody,

So if you've been paying attention to my comments on other posts (which dear god I hope none of you are bored enough to do) you've noticed that I've been going to the public baths almost every day.  For good reason:  Because they are amazing

Here's how it works:  You go in there, pay a mere $4 (government-mandated) which gets you unlimited time and a locker.  A bunch of old dudes are already in there.  There are two rows of seated showers, and I've taken the hint from all the old dudes and starting bringing shampoo, shaving kit, etc.  Shaving while sitting down, revolutionary.  Then you go get in the hot pool (42C) with jets and wonderfulness.  Then you go sit in the really hot (84C, yes that does indeed say eighty-four) sauna for as long as you can stand it (I am a wimp, so this is only like five minutes at a time).  And then you go dunk yourself in the ice cold pool and your blood rushes through your veins and you feel the heartbeat of the universe as you understand that it is one with your own.  You feel alive like you never have before.  And, if you're like me, then you go do that circuit a few more times

As I mentioned above, 410yen not free but it's certainly not breaking the bank.  In fact, I've been using it as an incentive to keep to my daily budget.  See, I make the cutoff point for my budget dinnertime.  That way I know I can burn every yen left on my favorite meal of the day; plus it means that if one or two drinks turns into three in the evening, I have the whole day the next day to make sure I'm on budget.  Soooo, if I finish dinner with money to spare, I get to head over to the sentou as a reward.  Hooray responsibility!

Anyways, yup, sentou is amazing.  Obviously I can't take a picture.  But here is a selection of artists' renderings:

Well, except for the talking, because it is Japan and no one talks in public.  But you get the idea.  It's so great

Cheers,

Noah out