サウナの梅湯

A Refreshing Stop Before a Night Out On this day, I had a work gathering in the evening. Since I still had some time before the gathering started, I thought, “Why not take a bath first?” So I visited the public bathhouse “Sauna no Umeyu” in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto. Stopping by a bathhouse before a night out has become my personal routine. Kyoto still has many traditional public bathhouses, and Umeyu is one of the most popular among them. ⸻ A Bathhouse with a Nostalgic Atmosphere Even from the outside, Umeyu has a nostalgic feel. The large neon sign and lanterns create a retro atmosphere that’s worth experiencing. Once you pass through the noren curtain at the entrance, you’re greeted by the familiar atmosphere of a traditional Japanese bathhouse. The reception counter, lockers, and tiled bathing area all give off a Showa-era vibe, yet the place is clean and very comfortable. Many tourists visit as well, since it’s known as a place where you can experience Kyoto’s traditional bathhouse culture. ⸻ Relaxing in the Bath Inside the bath area, there’s a spacious tub where you can soak and warm your body at a relaxed pace. As I soaked in the hot water, the fatigue from work slowly melted away. The baths at a public bathhouse always feel different from those at home—the warmth reaches deep into your body. There’s also a sauna, so I took my time enjoying it. I completed three sets of sauna → cold bath → rest, which felt fantastic. ⸻ If You Want to Visit a Public Bath in Kyoto Sauna no Umeyu is a bathhouse loved by both locals and tourists. It’s a great place to stop by during sightseeing in Kyoto, and I also recommend it the way I use it—taking a relaxing bath before heading to a night out. If you’d like to experience Kyoto’s bathhouse culture, this is definitely a place worth visiting at least once.

Going to a Japanese public bath was one of the things I was really looking forward to on this trip. I’d heard that this bathhouse is popular with both locals and international visitors. It’s not very big, but it’s lively and has a great local vibe. The baths are nice and hot. It was my first time trying both the sauna and the cold plunge, and it was such an exciting experience. I’d definitely love to come back the next time I’m in Japan.

Excellent showa style public bath, very cheap and easy to navigate, a perfect way to end a long day of travel. Foreign staff though could be friendlier, especially if you are serving the first timer or those who new to this kind of establishment

A bright retro neon light guides you down the dark alley, towards a small bridge over a small canal. Walking in, you're greeted by Radiohead on the speakers and a very hip, modern type sento with a variety of really cool merchandise being sold too. It was my first sento experience and glad it was. It was a perfect mix of that old retro vibe meets modern & hip and so I didn't feel so out of place. The girl at the front desk spoke English and also handed me a very useful (and cute) comic with elephant doodles on the do's and don'ts of a sento. I've been to other sento's after this and 550 yen per entry is pretty cheap still for something so close to town and good facilities. 100 yen extra for towel if you don't have one. Even though there were lots of foreigners, it was also a good mix of locals and everyone was respectable (unlike some other places). I wouldn't be short of recommending this place to anyone.

My first public bath experience in Japan was really relaxing. The staff spoke English and even gave a simple guide on the do's and don'ts. Entry was ¥550 plus ¥100 for a small towel. There were three hot baths, a cold bath and a sauna. The locker room was also quite spacious.