Many closed-down “sento” public bathhouses across Japan have been reborn as cafes or even “izakaya” pubs. But a few are now being used for welfare services while maintaining the original association ...

Fighting games are communal by nature, and the broader Fighting Game Community (FGC) and the many pockets of it that pop up around different games regularly create and participate in events based on ...

From his earliest gaming memories playing Spyro 2 on the PlayStation, to being obsessed with the swing-out animations in Marvel's Spider-Man, Cameron has always been, and continues to be, in love with ...

From Koganeyu to Spa LaQua to Myojinyu, here are our picks for the five best "sento" public bathhouses in Tokyo. Shedding your clothes, sinking into a tub of steaming water and staring up at soothing ...

Onsen (hot springs) have been part of Japanese culture for centuries, but they’ve been seriously surging in popularity over the past 20 years. At the same time that there’s an onsen renaissance going ...

Wim Wenders’ latest film, Perfect Days, is a languid sketch of a typical Tokyo toilet cleaner’s life. It shows the minutiae of the working-day rituals of its protagonist, Hirayama: wiping toilet bowls ...

While “sento” public bathhouses continue to shutter nationwide, a long-established operator is planning to open its second location in the heart of Tokyo’s hip Harajuku district. The second bathhouse ...

This article is part of a collaboration between FT Globetrotter and Nikkei Asia. FT Globetrotter showcases the best journalism from Nikkei Asia writers about cities across the region, starting with ...