JAPAN'S BEST-DESIGNED SAUNASQ&A
How have the saunas at sentō bathhouses changed through renovation?
Some sentō have enlarged their sauna rooms and added places to rest. Kairyoyu turned a storeroom under the stairs into an outdoor rest area, and Bunka Yokusen turned a car park into a semi-outdoor lounge.
Fewer taps, a larger sauna
In Kairyoyu's 2022 renovation, the cold bath was moved to enlarge the sauna room, and the storeroom under the stairs became an outdoor rest area.
In exchange, the number of taps (karan) at the washing area went down from 16 to 11.
A car park, now a lounge
Bunka Yokusen finished its first semi-renovation in 12 years in March 2023. The men's sauna room was enlarged into the storeroom next door.
The former car park was made semi-outdoor and turned into a lounge for the men's bath.
What is a karan?
The hot and cold water taps at the washing area of a sentō.
Kairyoyu reduced the number of karan in exchange for a larger sauna and outdoor rest area.
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