Tokyo bathhouse, musicians provide relief to quake victims

[AsahinaKimi]

The bathhouse is lit by candlelight during a concert for victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Before he turned over his bathhouse in Tokyo's Ota Ward to a group of musicians on Tuesday night for a charity performance, proprietor Kazuyuki Kondo gave a brief and somber warning:

"Follow the directions of the staff in case there's an aftershock, and watch that you don't turn on the faucets by accident. You might scald yourself."


Tokyo bathhouse, musicians provide relief to quake victims


After nearly two weeks of clearing wreckage and cooking at evacuation centers in the disaster-weary Tohoku region, the musicians returned to Tokyo to perform, give accounts of their trip and raise donations for victims in the north.

"A lot of people are depressed by what's going on," says Kondo, the third-generation operator of the Hasunuma Onsen bathhouse. "I want cheer up the locals here. But I also want to do what I can for those farther away, even if it's to turn a bathhouse into a stage for one night."

http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201104130383.html
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Its nice to see this kind of caring after a disaster of such magnitude.

[Wednesdays]

1. Ooh, now that sounds cool!

...I mean, pleasantly hot!

Yeah, everyone in Tokyo needs some stress relief about now, and the onsen is the best thing.

[Art_from_Ark]

2. Here's a web page describing the facility

http://www4.kcn.ne.jp/~t-yoko/26-tokyo/26-hasununal.html

430 yen for a relaxing spa-like experience (including "electric bath" and "jet bath")
Open every day except Tuesday, 3p.m. to 1.a.m.

[AsahinaKimi]

3. oh wow...

I so much wanta soak in that;


How hot is it? I have heard these onsens get pretty warm. I miss the days of long, soaks in the tub. I remember going to a hot tub place once, in San Francisco, and for one hour it was 40 dollars! Yikes, I am sure the prices are higher now. I loved the name of the place too, it was called "Floating World". It probably no longer exists.

[Art_from_Ark]

4. It's actually not too far from where I am right now

Maybe I'll go check it out when I have some spare time.

The water doesn't seem to be all that hot-- less than 70 degrees F as it comes out of the ground, if I'm reading that table correctly.