Elegant, hidden, modern.
Tattoos Okay? No
Sauna? Yes
Price? $
Should I Bring Toiletries? Some. Body wash and shampoo provided.
Best For? Those looking for a luxurious, bathing forward experience for a reasonable price.
Nearest Station? Hatchibori Station (Hibiya Line)
Tucked away in Tokyo’s wealthy Minato ward, Minato-Yu is one of the classiest neighborhood baths in the city. Thoughtful aesthetic choices combined with extensive bath options make Minato-Yu a destination to visit.
Aesthetics
Minato-yu excels in this department. The entrance looks like if Team Lab designed a speakeasy entrance leading to a sento. “Unassuming” and “sparkling jade” don’t sound like they would go together, but Minato-yu makes it work.
Once the automatic, secretive door opens, you find yourself in a cozy lobby. Similar to most local sento around Tokyo, albiet a bit nicer. The small hallway leading into the locker room is a highlight of the venue. Using the same sparkling jade motif as the front door, the hallway sets the tone for the venue, emphasizing that while this is a public bath, that doesn’t prevent if from being luxurious.
Thankfully, this idea doesn’t stop at the hallway. The baths don’t pull any punches either. With a black tile finish complimented by a grey tile and wood exterior, the baths fulfill the luxurious image provided by the entrance and hallway of the venue.
Culture/vibe
Minato-yu is, as the name suggests located in the Minato ward of Tokyo. This is widely known as one of the wealthiest parts of the city. Despite how nice Minato-yu is, it is still a public bath. The wealth of the community is on full display here, and you can clearly see the contrast between a lot of dying public baths around Japan and Minato-yu. While many baths houses are dated, near empty, and thirty years overdue for a renovation, Minato-yu the complete opposite. Modern, lively, and state of the art, Minato-yu reflects the affluence of the neighborhood it resides in.
What I really appreciate about Minato-yu is despite how nice it is, it’s still priced at a standard sento rate (520 yen for a bath, an additional 500 yen for using the sauna). When I feel like I want to treat myself to a slice of luxury and don’t want to break the bank, I have found Minato-yu to be a great compromise.
Despite how luxurious the venue is, it has a certain subdued nature that I find comforting. Maybe the secretive door found on an unassuming side street contributes to this, but I found myself really able to mentally disconnect from the outside world and let any thoughts from the outside world pass me by here. Much like a zen garden, finding a small aesthetically pleasing space to pause and relax in a relatively busy area can really add a sense of peace to the day.
Facilities
The baths are a highlight of the facility, and stand out above all else. I appreciated the variety at Minato-yu, with the left side (typically men’s) of the venue hosting four different baths: one cold bath, a jaccuzzi, a warm bath (with sections for a jetted bath and electric bath attached) and a hotter bath nearby (pictured below). The warm bath water felt especially nice, with the circular jacuzzi coming in at a close second (found behind the left circular wall pictured below).
The right side (women’s, except on Sunday’s) (pictured below) is a touch smaller. No circular jacuzzi bath), but it compensates with a better sauna.
Women’s bathing area
The sauna differed between sides, with the mens (right) side sauna being an infared sauna, and the women’s being a stone sauna. The men’s sauna is sufficient, but nothing to write home about. It’s a nice addition and pairs with the cold plunge well, but isn’t a definitive part of the experience.
The women’s (left side) sauna however, is a different story. Thankfully, I was able to go on a Sunday where sides are switched and try it myself. A larger stone sauna, the heat is hot without being suffocating, and is located right next to the cold plunge pool. A bit more spacious and a higher quality heat, the stone sauna definitely wins out from its counterpart.
Limitations/shortcomings
Each side is fairly different. Thankfully, both have strengths. As mentioned above, one side (typically the women’s) has a better sauna, the other has better baths. That said, in a bathing focused facility, the side with better baths wins out, creating a discrepancy between the two sides. The “better” side with more baths is currently men only except for on Sunday’s, so keep this in mind when visiting. There is conflicting information on the website about if the baths rotate weekly or just on Sundays. It currently appears like the rotation is just on Sundays for now, but if anything changes, I will update this section accordingly.
Additionally, while the sauna on the men’s side certainly isn’t bad, I think the baths certainly outshine the sauna here. It’s still a solid sauna, but if you’re on the fence about using it or not/on a tight budget, I would just go for the baths. The bathing here is top notch, and you can have a great time just using the baths. That said, it’s certainly not a poor quality sauna. Not sure why the sauna varied so much between sides, but it is something to note.
Verdict:
Minato-yu is a unique, modern public bathing experience that is worth a visit, especially if you want to focus on bathing. Minato-yu’s aesthetics are top-notch, and the low price point make this an even more enticing option in the otherwise expensive Minato-ward of Tokyo. For those wanting a bathing-forward experience and luxury on a budget, pay Minato-yu a visit.
Food Pairing
Menya Kokoro
A chain of maze soba restaurants, I always treat myself to Menya Kokoro whenever I visit Minato-yu. This was my first introduction to maze soba, which is a Taiwanese style dry noodle dish typically served with vegetables, raw egg, and meat. Menya Kokoro serves the dish with a spice blend that always hits the spot. Dishes are relatively affordable here at around 1000 yen (around $8.00 USD). While it is a chain, I often find Minato-yu’s proximity to Menya Kokoro as a deciding factor when choosing between sento to visit! You won’t be disappointed.
Sauna Sensei 