Test & review of sento Suehiroyu in Osaka (Japan)

To find out how a session in an Onsen takes place, it’s this way.As our bathroom is tiny and the apartment quite cold, we make a habit of going every other day to wash ourselves in an onsen or sento.As long as we do, we test a new one each time.Today it is the turn of the sento Suehiroyu which is next door.As usual we take off the shoes and put them in a small locker (no room is needed for the locker).A machine is used to buy the tickets.Everything is in Japanese but we are starting to get used to it, you have two main rates :

• For 440 yen you buy a single entrance ticket
• For 600 yen you buy a “kit” including the entrance, soap, shampoo, conditioner and towel rental.

As we already have our towel we take two single appetizers. We are having a hard time to find the key to buy soap and shampoo.The old lady at the reception is charming and tries to help us… in Japanese. Finally we give up the machine and buy her directly a soap / shampoo / conditioner “kit” for 90 yens.The sento is small, it is clearly a popular place where locals come to wash. It’s Sunday afternoon so it’s quite crowded.The sento is composed of 4 small baths:

• A hot jacuzzi
• A hot bath
• A cold bath
• An electric bath

I’ve been fooled again about the electric bath! I should have been wary because there was a small sign in Japanese.As this electric bath is less powerful than the last one I tried to stay a little longer. But definitely I find it very unpleasant.Just after me a Japanese guy walked into it and stayed there for a good 5 minutes. WTF!In addition to these 4 baths, there is a very small and very hot hammam. Small curiosity of the day, while I was inside, a local comes with a small basin of water, his razor, and decides to shave in the hammam.It’s true that the humidity of the place lends itself well to softening the hair but I wouldn’t have thought of it.A typical sento so perfect if your objective is to wash yourself. If you are looking for a sento / onsen where you can spend a long time to relax, you will find better elsewhere.Rates :440 yens the entrance.600 yen for the starter + towel + hygiene products90 yen for the purchase of soap, shampoo and conditionerCash payment onlySchedules: from 6 am to 1:30 am. Closed on Mondays.No visible indication of tattoos.