Taisho Ward - 大正区

Itoupia

Japanese Name: いとうぴあPrefecture: OsakaCity: Taisho WardAddress: 〒551-0023 大阪府大阪市大正区鶴町３丁目８−2Access: Bus from JR or Osaka Metro Taishō [JR・大阪地下鉄大正]Category: SentoPrice: Osaka Prefecture Public Bathhouse Association price or cheaper (sauna, if available, may be extra)Holiday: WednesdayHours: 15:00-24:00
Review: Large open sento very much showing it's 1980's heritage and feeling somewhat like it would double as a municipal building in case of disaster. Inside it has a terraced bath layout where the main bath is filled along the rear wall through a wide waterfall fountain and then the water sequentially runs through the baths till it reaches the main deep tub. There is also an extra hot tub which was strangely filled a bit lower than would be expected and a decent sized cold-water bath. The deep outdoor bath was broken and unfilled as were the two Shigaraki-yaki tub baths. Thankfully, the radon bubble bath, found in a separate room accessible from defunct outdoor bath, was bubbling and pleasant. There is also a popular and small dry sauna. My little rule that sento which play NHK on the TVs are friendly rule held true here also. Not worth making your way out here on purpose but if you are in the area, it’s the best option. Visit Date: October 2021

JOY Taisho

Japanese Name: ＪＯＹ大正Prefecture: OsakaCity: Osaka - TaishoAddress: 大阪府大阪市大正区平尾4-23-10Type: Sento w/ natural hot springWebpage: https://ucme8.crayonsite.net/Price: Osaka Prefecture Public Bathhouse Association price or cheaper (sauna, if available, may be extra)Holiday: TuesdayHours: 14:00-23:00
ReviewA hot spring sento that's very popular with local geriatric set in this hard working waterfront Osaka neighborhood. The two baths are on the first and second floors and change between men and women. Only the second floor bath has a rotenburo, in composition the first floor has a very large salt sauna. Make sure to check out the dangerous looking key for the door to that sauna. Large signs along the side of the walls here tout the "１００％天然温泉" in the baths. Only the cold water and carbonated baths are not filled with the spring water here. The effect of the spring water on your skin will become apparent a few minutes after getting out of the bath. In the water there is a slight slipperiness to it and a slight ferrous smell to the slightly brown tinted very hot water. The main deep bath is billed as a "flowing bath" and is always spilling over the granite walls that keep it in. In the corner are two awesome sunflower style jet baths. I also liked how many great places there were to sit in and out of the baths. I came here with my 2 year old and found that keeping an eye her was very easy but the water a bit too hot for a long bath.
Hot Spring DataType: Simple hot spring - 単純温泉Well Temperature: 48.1

Kouwa no Yu

Japanese Name: こうわの湯（旧：やまとの湯大正店）Previous Name: Yamato no Yu - TaishoPrefecture: OsakaCity: Osaka - TaishoAddress: 大阪市大正区千島1-23-85Type: Supersento w/ natural hot springWebpage: https://www.kouwanoyu.com/Price: ¥700Holiday: NoneHours: 10:00-24:30
ReviewThis has reopened as Kouwa no Yu and the new owners are doing a good job with the property. *Below is my review from when this supersento was owned and operated by Yamato no Yu. *
Old ReviewNot too special chain supersento in a residential shopping district.Yamato no Yu supersento never fail to be the McDonald's of bathing. This one is no exception. That's not to say the water is bad. In-fact the alkaline water felt quite good despite being heavily chlorinated.The feature bath had a nice waterfall that you could sit against with a few nice places to relax in. I quite enjoyed it to be truthful, but the rest of the baths were so-so. Some of the landscaping was just not there, bare dirt. The entire building was well used.Not worth going out of your way to and It's a long walk from Taisho station. The walk through a nice residential district of Osaka is enjoyable if you enjoy that. Otherwise, you might want to consider taking the bus if coming from the station.Decent water and a few good baths but crowded and showing signs of heavy use.
*Photo is from when this was Yamato no Yu*
Update 2018: Much better with the new management. They have a good Instagram account.
Hot Spring DataWell Name: Yamato Onsen - やまと温泉Type: Simple hot spring - 単純温泉pH: 7.9Type: Weak alkaline - 弱アリカリ性Well Temperature: 37.3Type: Hot spring - 温泉Osmotic Pressure: Low - 低張性

Sanko-Yu

Japanese Name: 三光湯Prefecture: OsakaCity: Osaka - TaishoAddress: 大阪府大阪市大正区三軒家東１－１６－９Access: Taisho Station / 大正駅Type: Sento Price: Osaka Prefecture Public Bathhouse Association price or cheaper (sauna, if available, may be extra)Holiday: SaturdayHours: 15:30-24:00
ReviewLocated down the street from Taisho station this beautiful sento was one of the first I came across as a student in Japan. I was walking around the area following a random route between some stations when I saw the red ゆ on the side of the building. At that time I wasn't yet brave enough to jump into any random sento, but I wish I had. Finding this place, which I now know as Sanko-Yu, again was quite fun.The exterior is one of the best in Osaka, the interior is retro all the way to the video games and washers in the corner.The Baths were very well laid out giving a lot of space. The main baths were connected in a cascading system going from electric -> shallow -> deep. The adjacent herb bath was a not as warm and comfortable. In front of the simple dry sauna (fee) was a long rectangular cold water bath that was brilliant on the hot afternoon I popped in for a soak.Surprisingly there also was a small, three person max, shallow rotenburo. Not much of a view other than straight up and not much to look at, but still it was a nice touch.Sanko-Yu is a great station close sento worth checking out.

Taishō-yu

Japanese Name: 大正湯Prefecture: OsakaCity: Taisho WardAddress: 〒551-0031 大阪府大阪市大正区泉尾１丁目３０−１１Access: Osaka Metro or JR West Taishō Station - 10min walk / 大阪地下鉄・JR西日本大正駅Category: SentoPrice: Osaka Prefecture Public Bathhouse Association price or cheaper (sauna, if available, may be extra)Holiday: MondayHours: 15:00-22:00 (Weekend & Holiday: 6:00-22:00)
Review: Again, you never know what kind of experience you will have when you enter a sento and after all these years and all these baths, I am still amazed by what I found. Let’s begin with the oddest item. In the men’s and women’s sides, hanging from the roof are round speakers the size of those sugidama connected to the TV running the NHK evening news. This also relates to another thing I have noticed over the years: if your sento is playing NHK they are a more community minded establishment and generally more friendly. This one had a unique sign above the entrance to the baths asking everyone to combat arson and fires. I thought this odd till I noticed the award from the Osaka fire department commending this sento on its efforts to promote disaster awareness in the community. Moving on, this sento has the best koi pond (at least in the men's side) that I have ever seen! In old sento designs there is an inner garden for both men and women’s sides. Typically, they contain random detritus, a decent garden, nothing, or the toilet (in a separate room of course). While I have seen koi ponds at different sento this one was top notch with some real honkers in there. In the baths I was brought back to the Gengabashi style Osaka sento with the slabs of granite making islands on the floor. Sadly, Gengabashi is closed as of this writing. However, Taishō-yu appears to be equally historic and worth the same amount of commendation for the preservation of history so a good alternative. There are only a few baths in the small space this sento has and only the faucets on the outside wall here work so you might have to squeeze in with your neighbor as I did. Not a big problem. The fountain filling the baths is unique and the electric bath was brilliant. There is a small, single person sized salt bath (rinse off before entering the other baths please) in the corner too. A cold-water bath is missing but you can use the kakari basin if needed. On the dividing wall is one of the best mosaics I have seen of a Picasso-esque lady holding a cup of coffee with cacti in the background. As my home is in the desert southwest of the USA it was the first sento mosaic that displayed a landscape from my corner of the world, and I loved it. Lastly, make sure to check out the sinks and basin containing them in the changing room. This place is living history but please do be respectful and responsible if you make your way out here.Tattoos and smoking seemed to be allowed.During COVID they are closing at 9pm. Visit Date: March 2021

Tsurumachi-yu

Japanese Name: 鶴町湯Prefecture: OsakaCity: Taisho WardAddress: 〒551-0023 大阪府大阪市大正区鶴町２丁目１３−３Access: Bus from JR or Osaka Metro Taishō [JR・大阪地下鉄大正]Category: SentoPrice: Osaka Prefecture Public Bathhouse Association price or cheaper (sauna, if available, may be extra)Holiday: TuesdayHours: 13:00-22:30
Review: From the outside you’ll notice the white wall design that makes me think of the ocean along with numerous Osaka public hygiene awards up to the year 2019 but inside its hoarder house with piles of manga all over the floor and haphazardly shelved along the walls. If Ron Watkins ran a sento it would look like this. That is NOT a complement! Baths are fine but somewhat broken. Cold bath is merely tap water temperature and the hot baths seemed a bit cool. The bath design was interesting, but it should tell you something when I think the best bath for water temperature, quality and aesthetics was the cold water kakari basin. It was calm, quiet, and relaxing, however due to the messiness I would avoid this one. Visit Date: September 2021

Yupopo

Japanese Name: ゆぽぽPrefecture: OsakaCity: Osaka - TaishoAddress: 大阪市大正区南恩加島6-5-5Type: SentoWebpage: http://yupopo.jp/Price: Osaka Prefecture Public Bathhouse Association price or cheaper (sauna, if available, may be extra)Holiday: ThursdayHours: 13:00-25:00 (Sunday 6:00-25:00)
ReviewVery fun, child friendly sento built in large open space on 4 floors. My daughter enjoyed the rotenburo the most, but I think that was because she was having fun making silly faces at some other kids. The cold water bath, also outdoors, had a great fresh smell to it that was really relaxing. All of the washing areas were spread around the baths on angles and in corners. It makes washing off fun having your own little area. There is also an bath with ultrasonic waves being sent through it which, according to the sento's website, is good for your metabolism. The two different bathing areas change everyday.

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