"When Was the Last Time I Went?" With Fewer Visitors, 80% of Japan’s Neighborhood Bathhouses Disappear in 50 Years

Increase in Home Bathrooms and Rising Fuel Costs Rapidly Reduce Sento in Japan
Korean Bathhouses Also Decrease by 3,248 in 20 Years

Neighborhood bathhouses, known as Sento, are rapidly disappearing across Japan. Over the past 50 years, the number of Sento has dropped by more than 80%, as bath facilities have become common in households, facilities have deteriorated with age, and fuel costs have risen.

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Widespread Home Bathrooms, Aging Population, and Rising Fuel Costs... Japan’s Sento Down 80% in 50 Years

On the 21st, the Asahi Shimbun, citing the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s 2024 Hygiene Administration Report, reported that as of this year, there are 2,730 Sento operating nationwide in Japan. This represents a decline of more than 80% over the past 50 years.

By region, Yamagata Prefecture no longer has a single Sento remaining. In contrast, Aomori Prefecture, which is rich in hot spring resources, recorded the highest ratio nationwide, with 22.4 locations per 100,000 people, followed by Kagoshima (15.8 locations) and Oita (11.52 locations).

National bathhouse associations cite the expanding provision of bathrooms in private homes, the aging of business owners, and deteriorating facilities as the main reasons behind the steep decline in Sentos. In addition, as Sento are subject to legal limits on bathing fees, it is difficult to raise prices as freely as large-scale bath facilities do, which further aggravates management difficulties.

As the financial struggles persist, more regions are increasing bathing fees. In August, Tokyo raised the adult bathing fee cap from 550 yen to 600 yen. Hokkaido plans to implement an increase to 550 yen, up by 50 yen, starting in October.

Recently, rising global uncertainty has led to soaring prices of heavy oil, the main fuel source for Sento, along with increases in overall costs, resulting in more Sentos shutting down. As of April, only 1,493 Sentos were registered members of the official bathhouse association.

Nonetheless, the total number of public bathhouses, including jjimjilbang, saunas, and large-scale super bathhouse complexes (Super Sento), stood at about 23,600 as of 2024, with no significant change compared to the past.

Experts interpret this trend as a shift in which traditional Sento are disappearing, while a diverse range of bathhouse facilities tailored to changing times and consumer preferences are taking their place.

Neighborhood bathhouses (Sento) in Japan have decreased by 80% over the past 50 years. Yonhap News Agency

Decline of Korean Bathhouses as Well... Down by 3,248 in 20 Years

A similar trend can be observed in South Korea. According to recent data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, among businesses classified under public hygiene, the number of bathhouses was 5,656, down by 3,248 from 8,904 in 2000.

In metropolitan areas and major cities, even as bathhouses decrease, alternative spaces such as gym showers and residential bathrooms are widely available, which can be seen as a simple market realignment.

However, in rural areas where available facilities are relatively limited, concern is growing that bathhouse closures could lead to gaps in basic hygiene infrastructure, rather than simply a decrease in industry numbers.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.