Test and review of the Sento Shimizuyu in Osaka (Japan)

To find out how a session in an Onsen takes place, it’s this way.
As usual, we take off our shoes at the entrance (no need for a locker room).
No automatic machine for buying tickets, you ask directly to the lady at the reception desk.
The reception is a little cold, at least that’s our perception.
440 yen the entrance, 30 yen the soap, 20 yen the shampoo.
The locker room is non-smoking, which isn’t often the case with the popular sentos, which is a good thing.
Small curiosity, the baths are above the checkroom, so we take the elevator to get there.
The sento Shimizuyu is a little bigger than the neighborhood sentos we have done so far.
Otherwise it’s quite classic: an electric bath, a jacuzzi, two hot baths, a cold bath.
A pleasant sauna and a radon bath are also available.
CAUTION however, the use of these two spaces requires an additional fee. No indication understandable by a foreigner mentions it so I took advantage of it for free… It was Anh who told me at the exit, on the women’s side, someone warned her that she couldn’t go.
Information taken later, a supplement of 240 yen must be paid.
The locals seem very amused to see a stranger here.
As soon as I arrive, while I’m sitting on my little plastic chair, an old man sits down next to me to type the chat with his few words of English. It’s kind of funny to think that he came very naturally while I’m completely naked washing myself.
A few minutes later, a small group of 5 or 6 people fully tattooed, from top to bottom, arrives.
I find myself by chance with one of them in a bathtub, and he immediately begins the conversation in Japanese. Obviously I understand absolutely nothing.
Here’s the basic conversation:
Him: ラドン付き ?
Me: ????
Him: 施設内全 ?
Me : ????
Lui : English ?
Me : Yes, I speak english !
Him: American?
Me : No, I’m French, from Paris.
Him: Paris?
Me : Yes, Paris
He seems to like it, he turns to his friends who are in the bath next door to explain to them that I come from Paris. It makes them laugh a lot.
Him : Enjoy Japan ?
Me: Yes, I love Japan!
Again he turns to his friends to translate, they are all very happy.
Anyway, it wasn’t great conversation, but it was fun and great fun. Imagine the scene there too, if I had met those guys in the street with patibular faces, tattooed from head to toe, I would probably have changed sidewalks. There we are laughing, in a bath, completely naked.
At the end, in the locker room, I meet again my little old man from the beginning who says goodbye and explains that I am welcome if I want to come back.
What a welcome!
Rates :
440 yen the entrance
240 yen extra for the sauna
30 yen the soap
20 yen shampoo
Cash payment only
Schedules: from 6am to midnight. Closed on Sundays.
Tattoos OK.