Japan’s public baths, also known as sento, are not only a place to take a dip and relax, but also to connect with people in your neighbourhood. Most are adorned with painted scenery to enjoy while you bathe, too.
In the lead up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the traditional Mt. Fuji murals of four Tokyo sento have been re-designed by five Japanese artists: illustrator Ichio Otsuka, graphic designer Daijiro Ohara, manga artist Mari Yamazaki and outsider artists Takeru Aoki and Kiyomi Hoshi. It’s part of the Tokyo Sento Festival 2020, which is part of the Tokyo Tokyo Festival Special 13.
The murals of all four sento – Hachimanyu (Yoyogi Hachiman), Hidamari no Izumi Haginoyu (Uguisudani), Bentenyu (Kichijoji) and Konparuyu (Ginza) – have been repainted with the theme of contemporary Tokyo in mind, while the project was supervised by professional sento mural painter Mizuki Tanaka. At Hachimanyu, for example, you can enjoy manga artist Mari Yamazaki’s mural ‘Ancient Balaneion no Yu’, depicting a Greek scene showing athletes and bathing goddesses.
You can also win tenugui towels that have been designed exclusively for the festival. Between July 23 and August 8, you can get your hands on the Olympics version created by Mari Yamazaki, and from August 24 to September 5, you’ll have the chance to snag one of the Paralympics towels with an outsider art motif by Aoki and Hoshi.
In order to get your towel, you’ll need to collect stamps, available at 500 participating public bathhouses in Tokyo, and submit your completed sheet at one of the sento in this list. Not sure whether your local sento is taking part? Just look for the Tokyo Sento Festival 2020 noren shop curtains and flags at the bathhouse.