Omitama City Shiki Health Center

On Thursday, October 31st, I participated in a "Cooking Class for Men" sponsored by Omitama City. Today's menu included pumpkin croquettes, sauteed mushrooms (shimeji, enoki, and shiitake mushrooms), and corn chowder. They all looked beautiful and were delicious. On Wednesday, December 4th, the third menu included double-cooked pork, vermicelli salad, and pan-fried dumplings. I learned how difficult it is to wrap and pan-fry dumplings while still looking good. On Saturday, July 12th, with guidance from a dietary improvement promoter for healthy men's cooking, I made deep-fried chicken, chilled tofu with tomatoes and myoga ginger, cabbage and carrot vegetable soup, and fruit amazake (sweet sake). They were all delicious. On Friday, December 12th, I participated in a cooking class for men. Today's menu included mapo tofu, bang bang chicken salad, and wonton soup. They were all delicious.

I went to the inaugural Yogurt Summit on October 20, 2018! I parked my car at Ibaraki Airport and took the free shuttle bus to the Shiki Health Center. Yogurts from all over Japan were gathered there, and I could sample and buy them! There were free activities like commemorative photos on Yogurt Mountain, a yogurt foot bath, and a yogurt musical. The stage featured comedy acts by Uji Koji and Kaminari, as well as a segment on yogurt-tasting, making for a fun day! I bought yogurt from Aizu, Fukushima and Furusato Village, Aomori, and both were rich and delicious! I received a pamphlet at the entrance, which included information on sightseeing and food in Omitama, and that was great too! I would like to go again next year if it's held again!

I visited for the first time today, and the receptionist told me that the indoor bath was out of order. Since I'd spent about an hour getting there, I had no choice but to leave my luggage in the large hall, wash in the cold wash area, and then go to the open-air bath. There was no hair dryer in the changing room, so I had to let my hair dry naturally. The large hall was noisy with karaoke, so I quickly left. There were about 20 office staff near the exit, but none of them said hello. I was surprised to find such a facility; normally, there should be a discount on the price. Also, was this facility aimed at nearby residents? I wish they would take better care of customers from outside the city.

There are many regulars with tattoos at the baths at night. There are people with tattoos all over their backs that make me think they might be gangsters. There have been times when I've seen them yelling at children, which is unpleasant and scary. They have a sign that says tattoos are prohibited, but even though the receptionists know it, they don't stop them. I would like the management to take action, such as checking ID and adding people to a blacklist.

The sauna is small and the cold bath is warm. In the Japanese-style room, you pay 200 yen per song, and the jerk makes a lot of noise without any consideration for the people around him, which is unbearable. Since Omitama City's Kotobuki Onsen will be privatized from the beginning of 2019, Shiki Health Center, which is open to seniors in Omitama City for 100 yen, will probably be crowded.