Sharaku

■Chuo-ku History Shoyo <10> Japan's first sauna is from the Olympics ~ Ginza / Tokyo Onsen ~

■Chuo-ku History Shoyo <10> Japan's first sauna is from the Olympics ~ Ginza / Tokyo Onsen ~

　The Finnish-style steam bath sauna is now quite familiar, but it was said that the beginning in Japan was Ginza and the Olympic Games started.

　The full-fledged sauna facility was opened in 1956 (Tokyo Onsen) in Ginza 6-chome. It was a warm bath facility built on the site of Sanjukenbori, which was reclaimed after the war.

　[Figure above] About 40 years ago, near Ginza 6-chome, there is Tokyo Onsen (maru seal) on the west side of Showa-dori. [Light photo] The site of Tokyo Onsen. It has been rebuilt and is now Hulic Ginza Wall Building

A sauna was born in Ginza

A sauna was born in Ginza ■Chuo-ku History Shoyo <10> Japan's first sauna is from the Olympics ~ Ginza / Tokyo Onsen ~

[Photo] From the rooftop of Matsuzakaya, see the Showa-dori area. Tokyo Onsen, where a circular building in the center stands at the site of Sanjumabori.
　Around 1957. Kyobashi Library

 

　The history of the birth of sauna in Japan is published in SAUNA Newspaper No. 337 (August 15, 2004) published by the Japan Sauna Association*. I would like to summarize it from there.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
　In 1951, Tokyo Onsen, an entertainment facility with warm bath facilities, opened in Ginza. "hot-spring resort in the city center" was the thought of the founder Ujitoshi Konomi.

　Mr. Koi participated in the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games as the representative of Japan for clay shooting. When I saw foreign players using a facility similar to a steam bath, he inspired me, "This is it!"
　He asked an acquaintance, "I would like to observe the structure of the sauna, a facility similar to the steam bath seen in the athlete village, and give advice." After returning to Japan, Mr. Koi immediately built a dry sauna bath in Tokyo Onsen. At that time, it was only here, and saunas were mainly used to adjust the weight of each class competition.

　At the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964 (1964), voices calling for saunas increased among athletes, and a sauna facility was built in the athlete village. This facility was well received by players from all over the country. After that, with the back-up of the Finnish embassy, the sauna became a nationwide boom.
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

　*It has now been reorganized into the Japan Sauna Spa Association. Tokyo Onsen closed in 1993 (1993) and was rebuilt as a multipurpose building. In addition, the bathing facilities at the Yaesu Underground Shopping Center of Tokyo Station closed in 2007. （@AM）