TOKYO - Tokyo's public bathhouses raised their adult admission fee by 50 yen to 600 yen on August 1 as operators struggle with rising fuel and other costs, prompting concerns that some customers may reduce their visits.
The admission price for adults increased from 550 yen, the largest single increase on record. Public bath fees in the capital have now risen by a total of 70 yen over the past five years.
Customers expressed mixed feelings about the increase. "A 50-yen increase is significant. I may cut back by one visit from the number of times I usually go," one customer said.
Another said the increase was unavoidable. "It is enough just to have a public bathhouse nearby, so a 50-yen increase cannot be helped. I live on a pension, so of course I would prefer it to be as cheap as possible."
Koji Watanabe, operator of Taishoyu, a bathhouse with a history of more than 90 years in the residential neighborhood of Higashi-Kamata in Tokyo's Ota Ward, said he fears the higher fee could drive customers away.
"We are concerned about a decline in customer numbers, and fuel costs still have to be paid even when there are fewer customers," Watanabe said. "Rising fuel prices are also narrowing our profit margin."
To reduce fuel expenses, Taishoyu burns scrap wood supplied by local businesses when heating its bathwater, helping the facility save on gas costs. However, deliveries are irregular, limiting the amount the bathhouse can save.
With no clear end in sight to higher fuel prices because of the situation in the Middle East, Watanabe asked customers for their understanding.
"Customers may be somewhat surprised that the price has jumped by 50 yen at once from 550 yen," Watanabe said. "But we are also facing rising fuel and other operating costs, so we feel that a fee of 600 yen is unavoidable."
Source: TOKYO MX NEWS
