The sento, the public bath
There was a time when I afraid to go to a Sento, a Japanese public bathhouse. My initial reluctance was because one has to be totally naked, and surrounded by strangers before one dips into the pools of hot water. But now I am addicted to such public baths.
I found a new public bath just around the corner from my place in Saigon’s JapanTown.
In Japan, the locals do not talk to strangers much in a sento. But here in Vietnam, the Japanese customers are happy to chat with a non-Japanese trying out the sento.
The sento visit is a good rest after a night of eating and drinking at the Japantown.