[Tokushima City]“Motomachi-yu”– Welcomes you with “bandai” style! Recommended for “hot” bath lovers.

After passing through the noren (shop curtain), you will be greeted by a guard (bandai, who sits in a watcher’s stand) between the traditional men's and women's baths at Motomachi-yu. This public bath was rebuilt in 2015, and it has not only a simple bathtub, but also a variety of baths such as a silk bath, an electric bath, a water bath, and a sauna.The most distinctive feature of Motomachi-yu is the hot bath in the center, which is 42 to 43 degrees Celsius. It is relatively hot, but you will find yourself refreshed and invigorated after taking this bath. The parking lot fills up on cold days in search of this bath that warms the body to the core.

[Tokushima City] “Showa-yu”–Renovated retro cute and relaxing bathhouse

Showa-yu in Tsuda-cho was renovated in 2018. The picture on the wall in the bathroomshows a townscape of Tokushima with a legend of atanuki (raccoon dog) that was one of the strongest tanuki in Shikoku. This beautiful picture was painted by the designer's daughter. The bathhouse is equipped with a medicinal bath that changes daily, a water bath, and a sauna. Children are also welcome, with cribs and high chairs available. A place for adults and children to warm up together, the community's place of relaxation is evolving with the times.

*Throughout Japan, and especially in Shikoku, there are many folk tales and legends about tanukithat have been passed down from generation to generation.

[Tokushima City] “Yoshino Onsen”–A compact but all-inclusive public bathhouse in the city.

For a quick warm-up after work, head to “Yoshino Onsen,” which has a round sign with the word "yu (bath)" written in hiragana. This public bathhouse is equipped with a large bathtub, a compact sauna, and a cold-water bath. It is simple, but has everything you need. The retro hair dryers and massage chairs in the changing rooms are still in use. This is an old-fashioned local bathhouse that is sure to please retro lovers.

[Kamiita Town] “Yoshinogawa Onsen”–Sauna lovers will love it! Spacious bathhouse with open-air bath.

If you want to master the art of "Achieving sauna bliss," visit Yoshinogawa Onsen in Kamiita Town. You can enjoy a sauna and a salt sauna with a TV, a cold-water bath, and an outdoor air bath. As soon as you leave the sauna, you can go to the outdoor with an open-air bath, so it is recommended to soak in there and cool down slowly. Another nice feature is that the baths are open until midnight. This roomy place is also equipped with massage baths and electric baths.

[Naruto City] "Higashi-yu" - A public bathhouse that has been revived in 2021, hiding a sense of fun in everyday life.

Higashi-yu closed once in 2015, but in 2021, a former regular customer took over and reopened the business. The bath rooms are in the style often seen in the Kansai region, with a large, deep bathtub in the center. The deep bath is characterized by its ability to keep the body warm. It is also equipped with a sauna, a cold-water bath and a medicinal bath. In addition, this water bath has a slide! The former owner of the bathhouse was very thoughtful in wanting many people to enjoy the baths.

In this article, we present five selected public bathhouses. Have you found a sento you like?
All five bathhouses introduced here are sento public bathhouses, so you can enter for only 450 yen.
*Except for the sauna and open-air bath at Yoshinogawa Onsen.

Each of Tokushima's local sento public bathhouses has its own unique character.
When you come to Tokushima, please visit a sento that is beloved by the locals.