This past weekend, I checked out a sento-related venue that’s been on my list for some time now. However, there was no bathing or sweating involved on this trip. At Miyano-yu, they’ve swapped the baths for coffee! While I decided to visit on a bit of a whim, Miyano-yu has been on my radar for quite some time. Naturally, I couldn’t help but be curious about a sento café.
After a quick look at Miyano-yu’s official website, one can see their commitment and understanding of communal bathing’s power to connect others, and its relevance in contemporary society.The description on Miyano-yu’s history page of their official website sums this up nicely:
“Overcoming the rough and tumble of the early postwar years, this place has continued to keep people connected as a place of communication in the community.
[…] in 2008, the 57-year history of the public bathhouse came to an end once and for all, but in 2021 MIYANO-YU opened as a new community place. We will take over the name of MIYANO-YU and recreate the role that public bathhouses once played as the center of the local community in the modern age.
Through various creators and events, we aim to become a new symbol of the city and a place for transmitting new culture that transcends the boundaries between “age and generation,” “locals and tourists,” and “Japan and the rest of the world.”
Personally, I found the transition between bathing and coffee to be brilliant. While public baths in Japan were born out of a necessity (keeping the public clean) they gradually evolved into an extension of the public sphere, similar to coffee houses in Enlightenment-era England. Even today, coffee-shops are still great places to catch up with old friends, go on a date, or just unwind. Linking two historic public spheres at Miyano-yu is a stroke of genius that taps in to what makes communal bathing (and sauna) so special.
At the helm is Emi Osato, the manager and general point-person for Miyano-yu, and she takes coffee very seriously. With a background at Sensing Touch of Earth coffee in nearby Asakusa, Osato brings her experience in the coffee world to match the impressive aesthetics of Miyano-yu.
Kenchiku Saikou Kikaku （建築最高企画）carried out the restoration of the building and oversaw the transformation into a coffee shop. The architectural firm, literally translating to Best Plan Architecture, specializes in restoring vacant, historic buildings with an emphasis on preserving their heritage and identity (such buildings are common in a country with a rapidly declining population). A project like Miyano-yu is seemingly right up their alley.
From the firm’s outline for the project on their website:
“The building owner, Suzuwa Jisho, requested us to change the use of the building from a public bath to a complex facility. The architectural reconstruction project was based on [the building owner] Suzuwa Jisho’s vision of “making the public bath a place that people can enjoy for a long time”. We valued this and limited the improvements to the facility to the bare minimum necessary for the change of use, providing the necessary hardware support to make this vision a reality.”
After visiting in person, I can testify to the integrity of the sento feeling intact at Miyano-yu. The dedication to preservation and innovation is impressive, making the results all the more enjoyable to experience.
My Experience:
In the quiet yet trendy Nezu neighborhood, the home of the famous Nezu Shrine, lined with ample trendy coffee shops around the corner hosts one coffee house that stands out among the rest. Sitting next a giant tower with “SENTO” written in English across the length of the structure, you might expect to see a public bath. This isn’t entirely inaccurate…. but fails to tell the entire story.
Just like its neighoring storefronts, Miyano-yu specializes in coffee, while maintaining the core structure of the old bath house. Miyano-yu preserves the aesthetic and role of the bath as a community space, while bringing it into the 21st century in perhaps the best way to attract 20-30 something customers and travelers: high end coffee and Instagram-able Japanese aesthetics.
Entering the store, the storefront is strikingly modern, with nothing loudly screaming “public bath” upon first glance (considering this is where food and drinks are handled, this is probably a good thing). However, upon further investigation, a repurposed shoe locker (ubiquitous of old school sento) next to a front desk-sized counter appears, revealing traces of the old bathhouse.Upon ordering your coffee, your table number will be held with the wooden sento shoe-locker blocks that seal and secure the locker doors.
The majority of the main café is inside what used to be the main bathing area. The tiles, windows, and even some of the washing stations are left intact. Instead of warm baths and naked patrons, you will find chatting customers (both locals and international guests) and lush greenery in this hip coffee shop.
The natural lighting of the sento turns out to be a great fit for a coffee shop. The expansive windows typical of old school sento (to let the humidity circulate) make for a great coffee shop atmosphere. Who would have thought!
Taking in your surroundings, relaxing background music that would fit in a Playstation 1 or Nintendo 64 game’s menu screen plays in the background. All of this merges in an eclectic yet cohesive and immersive, laid-back experience.
Oh, did I mention that the coffee is amazing? I honestly wasn’t thinking much about beverage quality when I walked into the shop. Frankly, I was overjoyed that a sento coffee shop existed, and would be happy with anything. That said, I was pleasantly surprised, bordering on shocked with the high quality of the coffee.
While I am not as much of a coffee enthusiast as I am with sauna/sento, I do know a bit about coffee (thanks to some friends more familiar with the craft), and visit roasters and shops around Tokyo every so often.
I went with a simple iced late (hard to mess up), and it really hit the spot. Visiting with a friend, they had an espresso and left just as satisfied as I did. While I didn’t try on my visit, Miyano-yu is known for its’ matcha latte. Upon my next visit, I am eager to give the drink a try. The matcha is sourced from the Shizuoka region of Japan, and is a testament to the attention to detail at Miyano-yu.
Located in Bunkyo ward, it’s about a 20 minute walk from Ueno Station, and only a 2 minute walk from Nezu Station. For the sento enthusiasts, coffee lovers, and curious Tokyo explorers, I can wholeheartedly recommend a trip to Miyano-yu!
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for my next article.
Sauna Sensei 