Toraya AkasakaAzabu, Akasaka, Roppongi

2023.10.08

Toraya] Exhibition “First Time at a Public Bath” Held

Toraya Tokyo Midtown Gallery is currently holding a special exhibition on the theme of public bathhouses from September 8, 2023 (Friday) to January 24, 2024 (Wednesday).

Sento (public bathhouses) have long been a popular place to relax and communicate in a small way on a daily basis. There is also the custom of enjoying seasonal baths such as iris and yuzu baths in hopes of good health and longevity, and it is a part of Japanese culture that can be seen in common with wagashi (Japanese sweets). This exhibition is an introduction for those who are not familiar with sento (public bathhouses) and for visitors from overseas. We hope you will experience the comfortable and warm world of sento.

＜Highlights of the exhibition
What is a public bathhouse?
We explain the history of sento and how to enjoy them, such as “When did sento first exist? A day in the life of a sentou” and “its role as a public place” are also explored. We also reintroduce how to enter a sento.

Bathroom Icons Sentou Paintings
Sento paint, a type of wall painting often seen in bathhouses in the Kanto region, especially in Tokyo. Mizuki Tanaka, one of only a few painters in Japan, has painted an original sentou painting for this exhibition. The work will be transferred onto a 3-meter-long cloth and displayed in the gallery. Enjoy the feeling of bathing with a view of Mt. You can also watch a video of the production process.

What do you know about sento? Sento terminology!
Words such as “kalan,” “ogama dryer,” and “miya-zukuri” may sound familiar, but their meanings are often unknown. Words related to sentou are explained on an exhibition table that resembles a bathtub. The wooden buckets floating in the hot water are a treat to behold.

(From the official Toraya website. https://www.toraya-group.co.jp/news/20230807)

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