Sento saunas in Kobe, Japan
SPA専 太平のゆ
SPA-sen Taihei no Yu is a large bathhouse on the Tarumi waterfront whose open-air baths and restaurant look out on the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge and the sea. The men's sauna has auto-löyly every 20 minutes and staff löyly sessions at 15:00, 19:00 and 22:00; the women's sauna has self-löyly with daily aroma water. There is also a mist sauna, a cold bath, bedrock baths and outdoor chairs for cooling down. Open until midnight every day.
水木湯
Mizuki-yu is an old sento near Shinkaichi in Hyogo ward that manga artist Shigeru Mizuki, creator of GeGeGe no Kitaro, once used. Its high-temperature sauna is free with entry, and there is a cold bath, an extra-hot bath and an electric bath, with face towels lent free. Open 14:00 to 23:00; closed Sunday.
湊河湯
Minatogawa-yu is a bright, spacious sento near Minatogawa station in Hyogo ward, known for strong shower pressure and free toiletries, cleansers and towels for hire. It has a free steam sauna, a cold bath, a medicinal bath, an electric bath and an open-air bath. Open 13:00 to 23:00; closed Tuesday.
湯あそびひろば 二宮温泉
Ninomiya Onsen is a sento seven minutes' walk from Sannomiya station that stays open all night, from 14:00 until 10:00 the next morning, every day. Its facilities include a high-temperature sauna (extra charge), a cold bath, a popular carbonated bath, a medicinal bath and an open-air bath. On weekends it is busy with runners and hikers.
湯あそびひろば 芦原温泉
Ashihara Onsen is an all-night sento in Minatogawa, Hyogo ward, open every day of the year from 14:00 until 10:00 the next morning. Its high-temperature sauna runs at around 100°C with a cold bath beside the door, and a separate low-temperature bedrock sauna; free crushed ice is handed out to eat in the sauna. Bathers also get a natural-onsen open-air bath and ten kinds of jet bath. Entry is ¥500, or ¥700 with the sauna.
湯あそびひろば森温泉
Mori Onsen is a sento two minutes from JR Konan-Yamate station in Higashinada, fully renovated in 2006 after the earthquake and popular with hikers from the Ashiya Rock Garden. It has a high-temperature sauna (extra charge), a recently renovated cold bath, and an open-air bath. Open 14:00 to 0:30, with a Sunday morning bath from 7:00 to 10:30; closed on the first, third and fifth Tuesday.
萬歳湯
Manzai-yu is a family-run sento in Shin-Nagata, open since 1945, known for very hot baths, oden sold in the lobby, a daily medicinal bath and a high-temperature sauna for a small extra charge. There is also a cold bath and an open-air bath, and regulars chat over beer in the lobby afterwards. Open 13:00 to midnight; closed Tuesday.
SPA専 太平のゆ
SPA-sen Taihei no Yu is a large bathhouse on the Tarumi waterfront whose open-air baths and restaurant look out on the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge and the sea. The men's sauna has auto-löyly every 20 minutes and staff löyly sessions at 15:00, 19:00 and 22:00; the women's sauna has self-löyly with daily aroma water. There is also a mist sauna, a cold bath, bedrock baths and outdoor chairs for cooling down. Open until midnight every day.
水木湯
Mizuki-yu is an old sento near Shinkaichi in Hyogo ward that manga artist Shigeru Mizuki, creator of GeGeGe no Kitaro, once used. Its high-temperature sauna is free with entry, and there is a cold bath, an extra-hot bath and an electric bath, with face towels lent free. Open 14:00 to 23:00; closed Sunday.
湊河湯
Minatogawa-yu is a bright, spacious sento near Minatogawa station in Hyogo ward, known for strong shower pressure and free toiletries, cleansers and towels for hire. It has a free steam sauna, a cold bath, a medicinal bath, an electric bath and an open-air bath. Open 13:00 to 23:00; closed Tuesday.
湯あそびひろば 二宮温泉
Ninomiya Onsen is a sento seven minutes' walk from Sannomiya station that stays open all night, from 14:00 until 10:00 the next morning, every day. Its facilities include a high-temperature sauna (extra charge), a cold bath, a popular carbonated bath, a medicinal bath and an open-air bath. On weekends it is busy with runners and hikers.
湯あそびひろば 芦原温泉
Ashihara Onsen is an all-night sento in Minatogawa, Hyogo ward, open every day of the year from 14:00 until 10:00 the next morning. Its high-temperature sauna runs at around 100°C with a cold bath beside the door, and a separate low-temperature bedrock sauna; free crushed ice is handed out to eat in the sauna. Bathers also get a natural-onsen open-air bath and ten kinds of jet bath. Entry is ¥500, or ¥700 with the sauna.
湯あそびひろば森温泉
Mori Onsen is a sento two minutes from JR Konan-Yamate station in Higashinada, fully renovated in 2006 after the earthquake and popular with hikers from the Ashiya Rock Garden. It has a high-temperature sauna (extra charge), a recently renovated cold bath, and an open-air bath. Open 14:00 to 0:30, with a Sunday morning bath from 7:00 to 10:30; closed on the first, third and fifth Tuesday.
萬歳湯
Manzai-yu is a family-run sento in Shin-Nagata, open since 1945, known for very hot baths, oden sold in the lobby, a daily medicinal bath and a high-temperature sauna for a small extra charge. There is also a cold bath and an open-air bath, and regulars chat over beer in the lobby afterwards. Open 13:00 to midnight; closed Tuesday.