Tokyo’s Century-Old Sento Sengenyu Set to Reopen After Community-Led Renovation

On a chilly morning in Nerima Ward, a group of local residents gathered outside the aging façade of Sengenyu, a public bathhouse that first opened its doors in 1927. They watched as workers began replacing worn tiles and installing new wooden panels, a scene that marks the start of a community‑driven effort to save the beloved sento.

The renovation comes after the third‑generation owner announced plans to close the bath due to the family’s advancing age and the deteriorating condition of the facilities. Under the Tokyo Public Bathhouse Succession Matching Program, a joint initiative of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo Public Bathhouses Association, the company Ofuro Works was selected as the new proprietor.

Ofuro Works will remodel the entrance, lobby, changing rooms and saunas, adding a natural‑wood interior theme and a modern electric heater supplied by Metos. Patrons will still be able to heat the sauna rocks manually, preserving the traditional experience. The project will retain signature elements such as the retro‑style bathroom with colorful tile art and the Shigaraki‑ware tanuki statue that stands outside the building.

In a partnership with students from Nihon University’s College of Art, the redesign includes a new logo and mascot based on the tanuki statue, allowing the university’s art community to leave a lasting mark on the space they have long visited.

Funding for the renovation will be supplemented by a crowdfunding campaign launched on Japan’s Campfire platform on November 1. The campaign seeks to raise 1 million yen (about US$6,375) and offers backers a towel, a t‑shirt and a behind‑the‑scenes preview before the bath reopens in early December.

Impact and Reactions

Local residents and university students have expressed optimism that the refurbished Sengenyu will continue to serve as a gathering place for multiple generations, a role that sento have traditionally played in Japanese neighborhoods. The project also highlights broader concerns, as the number of operating public baths in Tokyo fell from 628 in 2015 to 417 in 2025.