A nice hot bath! Public bath tour in Naniwa

SPECIAL1 Public baths, pride of Naniwa Three public baths recommended by the editor

Get yourself to a public bath, a typical aspect of Japanese culture, if you have a chance to visit Osaka for sightseeing or on business. Public baths warm up the body and have a super healing effect. A big special feature before the real winter comes!
Experience Naniwa culture for ¥410 (a separate fee may required depending on the type of bath)

Cultural property and yet a public bath Gengahashi hot spring

Fusion of Art Deco and Wa!!

A public bath built around 1935 which became the first registered tangible cultural property certified by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. A Japanese house with stained glass, fish statue on the roof and Statue of Liberty greet the customers. You can enjoy five kinds of bath including a granite bath tub and an opal bath.

Two close replicas of the Statue of Liberty carry the “hot spring symbol ” instead of a torch!

Address:
Business hours: Closed 1-5-33, Hayashiji, Ikuno Ward
15:00 - 24:30
Mondays

● Gengahashi hot spring

 

Natural hot spring free-flowing from its source! Natural hot spring Terume Ryugu

Public bath of 53.9 degrees natural hot water springing from 1,500m underground. Don’t miss the oxygen room filled with twice-concentrated oxygen and steam.
Address:
2-3-35, Kosei, Minato Ward
Business hours:
15:00-24:00
(Sunday only 7:00-24:00)
Closed:
Thursday


● Natural hot spring Terume Ryugu

Public bath in American Village!! Shimizu Bath

A public bath in the center of downtown, extended business hours catering to lots of customers. Also, a sauna using natural mineral rocks and radon hot spring available (additional fee).
Address:
1-4-18, Nishi Shinsaibashi,
Chuo Ward
Business hours:
5:30-25:00
Closed:
Sunday


Minimum public bath rules you need to know

Are you a little anxious for your first public bath experience? Please keep the basic rules in mind.

Steps for using a public bath

  1. 1. Take off your shoes and put them in the shoe storage
  2. 2. Pay the bath fee at the front
  3. 3. Take off all your clothes in the changing room
  4. 4. Before entering the bath tub, pour hot water over your body to wash off most of the dirt
  5. 5. Enjoy various kinds of baths
  6. 6. Wipe your body down with a towel before exiting the bathroom

Basic public bath set to bring with you

  1. Towel, soap, shampoo, change of clothes, bath fee

 

SPECIAL2 Rokyoku performer Keiko Haruno

Unknown Osaka spots recommended by spirited Osaka natives

I met Mistress Yuriko Haruno, and became a rokyoku performer.

Ms. Keiko Haruno is from Tokyo. After becoming famous on TV, she encountered rokyoku and Mistress Yuriko Haruno the Second, which Keiko calls the “two luckiest things in my life”. Then she made her move to Osaka from Tokyo and made herself an apprentice. After her debut in 2006, she performs actively all over Japan with her base in the Kansai area.

The world of pétanque, so simple and yet so deep

I love things of minor taste…… the people whom I’m going to introduce now will be mad at me (laugh). The first is the commonly-called ”Koyasan Temple” near Osakako station. There is the Rokyoku tower where deceased rokyoku performers are enshrined. They have cherry blossom viewing in April and an Obon dance in August in their memory. There is also a rokyoku performance which is crowded with lots of people.

Rokyoku tower

pétanque bar “L’Espoir”Tel. 06-6484-0770

The other one has a totally different atmosphere. It’s the only pétanque bar in Japan, “L’Espoir” in American Village (☎06-6484-0770). Originally from Provence in France, pétanque is a simple game like boule where players throw metal balls. It’s very deep because it’s so simple! You can enjoy pétanque while savoring a delicious meal and wine. This is my favorite spot where I can’t help stopping by. It has such an at-home atmosphere.

Rokyoku – one of the forms of entertainment which began in the early Meiji era. It is a story telling session accompanied by Shamisen music.

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