Magic Onsen Showa Bath

The finish line of my Tokyo public bath rally (88 baths) is finally in sight, so I'm off to another bath tonight. Today, I'm visiting Showa Bathhouse, about a 15-minute walk south from Nakano Station. This is my 84th bath. Many public baths these days have saunas (though I'm not a fan of saunas), and they also have well-fed cold baths, so I'm hoping that alternating between hot and cold baths will stimulate my circulation, which has slowed with age. Tonight's bath is a warm binchotan charcoal bath, and it's the best! And this bathhouse is also famous as a "magic bathhouse"! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see it tonight, but it's an extremely rare bathhouse where a professional magician shows off his skills.♨️ The (presumably) proprietress at the reception desk was also incredibly helpful, saying, "If you let me know in advance between 3:30 PM and 4:30 PM, I think I can schedule a session for just one person!" Next time, I'd definitely like to combine the bath with a magic trick. What's more, after paying the ¥550 admission fee, I received a ¥30 gift certificate. I've been to over 80 public baths in Tokyo, but this was the first time I'd seen this special offer! Unfortunately, the standard coffee milk was sold out, so I settled for a canned coffee (¥140), but I was grateful to be able to get it for ¥110... Public bath rally aside, I'd definitely like to visit again. (20251219)

"Tajima Magic Hot Springs' Time Bomb Sauna" Tajima Magic, a top magician and consecutive World Magic Championship winner, is the third generation of his generation at Showa Baths. If the timing is right, he apparently performs magic tricks. Sauna fee: 100 yen. A gift certificate for 30 yen off. A voucher for your next free sauna. A truly generous offer. In front of the bathroom is a snow-covered Mount Fuji made of fine tiles. The mirror in the shower area is a lovely heart shape. The water temperature can be set to slightly hot, standard, slightly lukewarm, or lukewarm, but there's not much difference. They're all normal. When viewed from the changing room, the sauna has a time bomb-like object taped to the small window! From inside, it just looks like a clock. It's surprisingly rare to see a clock in a sauna room. This is a stone-style sauna, and the seating area doesn't have a sauna mat. I sat down on a puzzle-type sauna mat. The temperature was quite nice. The cold bath was large and used natural well water. It was smooth and very nice! I wish there was a rest area, but it seemed like a popular public bath.

8 minutes from Higashi-Koenji Station Ome-kaido seems to be on higher ground, so you'll have to walk down to the bathhouse. The road is poorly maintained, as it was once a field turned into residential areas. It's narrow, winding, and even has stairs in places. Once you reach the bathhouse, you can feel the ambiance of the Showa era. The sauna is small, but the admission fee is only 100 yen. It's a busy place, so it can be a challenge, but it warms you to the core, and the cold bath is groundwater, so it's not too cold—it was fantastic. Regulars range from local seniors to young people, including fashionistas, but I've never seen anyone in the Monmon style bath. That's a real difference from Shinjuku. The baths are also well-equipped. There's plenty of body soap and rinse-in shampoo in the washing area, so it's not a problem. The quality may be a bit lacking. I feel it's good value for money. There's even a tiled image of Mt. Fuji. I highly recommend this bathhouse.

Near Nakano Ward, there's a charming, old-fashioned public bathhouse. The water is clean, the massage is great, and the temperature is perfect. They offer basic shampoo and shower gel. Just bring a towel (you can actually buy one). Contrary to online claims of 1000 yen a month, it's 5400 yen for 10 bath passes (valid for a year). It's mostly frequented by locals, and it's quite nice. The sauna is an extra 100 yen. A hairdryer costs 20 yen for 3 minutes (enough to dry your hair). If you want to experience authentic public bathhouse culture, this is a great place to wash away your fatigue! It might even improve your sleep quality.

Located in a residential area, this bathhouse is known to those in the know for its magic shows. Of course, not every day. They have a full range of baths: hot, standard, slightly lukewarm, lukewarm electric bath, and a sauna. The changing room had a pleasantly gentle fragrance. The front desk gives you a 30 yen voucher. It can't be used for the bath fee, but it's valid for all other items. PayPay is also accepted!