A new form of hot springs! Learn about the super popular “Ofuro Café”!

Japan has a rich culture of onsen (natural hot springs) and super sento (large bathhouses). Since the olden days, in Japan, “ofuro” (baths) have been a way of washing away the stress of your day; however, with the passing of time they have continued to change shapes and styles. Of all these changes, the newest form of bath culture, “ofuro café” is super popular!

Just as the name suggests, an “ofuro café” is a new style of onsen, basically, a fusion of the concepts of bathing and cafés. Here you can enjoy not just a bath, but also the comforting atmosphere of a café after you've soaked in a relaxing bath. This is a whole new kind of atmosphere to relax in.

Among these new ofuro cafes, we want to recommend the “Ofuro Café utatane.” Inside of the vast bath facilities, you can enjoy different kinds of baths including those such as electric current baths and jet baths. The bath facilities also include an open-air, outdoor bath (rotenburo) so you can stretch your legs and let your stress float away.

There are also many body care options available like special mud packs limited only to women, but the special “akasuri” (scrubbing) and lymphatic massages can be experienced by men too! Don’t forget about beauty treatments after your relaxing bath!

After your bath, go ahead and get in some relaxation time in the beautiful café! You can find all sorts of items on the menu including set lunches, pasta, and deserts. Furthermore, the freshly-ground coffee is free so it might just be the perfect place to take pleasure in chatting with your friends while enjoying a drink!

You can also enjoy the relaxation area that includes hammocks and a napping area. After relaxing in the bath you might feel so good that you might just fall asleep right there! The facility is open from 10 am to 9 am of the following morning, so you can even stay overnight if you like. Private rooms are also available for those who want their own private space to relax in (reservations required).

There is one more spot we’d like to recommend called, Ofuro Café Yumoriza. This ofuro café is designed on the concept of a “mini modern theater” and has its own special charm. Ise Jingu, which is popular among foreign travelers, is easily accessible from here. The facility also has a free shuttle bus that runs to and from Kintetsu-Yokkaichi train station.

Without a doubt the standout feature of this ofuro café is enjoying onsen along with “taishu engeki” (common people’s theatre), which has been loved by the “common folk” of Japan since the Edo period. You won’t find many other onsen facilities that offer this kind of experience!

Of course, there are great baths! The various baths available include indoor as well as magnificent outdoor baths, and you can also experience a modern “touji,” steam sauna to cure medical ailments. The steam sauna is very similar to a “gambanyoku,” bedrock stone-sauna, so it not only helps discharge bodily toxins, but has other benefits that include effects such as promoting soft skin which is surely enough to get all you beautiful women excited.

On the second floor, you can find all kinds of ways to relax including a lounge packed with manga along with a restaurant that offers genuine Japanese cuisine and sweets. Open from 10 am to 9 am the following morning, so you choose to stay overnight. This facility also has super cheap capsule rooms, so if you wish, you can even get a solid relaxing night of sleep.

Details Ofuro Café utatane 4-179-3 Onari-cho, Kita-ku, Saitama-shi, Saitama +81-48-856-9899 10:00 am – 9:00 am the following day https://ofurocafe-utatane.com/ Ofuro Café Yumoriza 311 Ikuwa-cho, Yokkaichi-shi, Mie +81-59-332-2611 10:00 am – 9:00 am the following day http://ofurocafe-yumoriza.com/