My friend who is a sauna enthusiast has been taking me on sauna tours recently, even though I'm not a sauna enthusiast myself. I'm gaining knowledge about saunas, but that's about it! We visited a popular facility that was extremely crowded. Many regulars were not wearing masks and were chatting loudly, which made me a bit uncomfortable. Sauna and rock bath were both available for an additional fee. My friend went to the sauna while I opted for the rock bath. The rock bath room was private, but the smell bothered me and I couldn't relax. I decided to move to the hot spring, which was crowded and not my favorite, but I could feel the benefits for my skin immediately. However, I felt restless and left quickly to have a beer alone. It took me a while to find the beer spot, but once I did, I ordered one right away. Unfortunately, I was told by the staff that I couldn't have beer before using the bath, which was a bit of a shock for me. I understand it's for safety reasons, but it was disappointing. In the end, I spent my time alone with a beer, boiled eggs, and snacks in a place where I couldn't relax, while my friend was thoroughly enjoying the sauna. Despite not being able to fully enjoy the experience, my skin was smooth and glowing the next day.

I searched for a morning bath and found it. On Sundays, they open at 8:00, and the website is easy to access, so I arrived without getting lost. However, in front of the bathhouse, it was like a morning market... they were selling vegetables. I bought a bath and sauna ticket from the ticket machine, received a bath towel and key to use in the sauna at the front desk, and headed to the women's bath, which was quite crowded as seen from the changing room ( ´ﾟдﾟ｀)ｱﾁｬｰ It has black hot spring water and golden seawater baths, but the tubs are small. By the way, the sauna is also small. It's so small that you need to secure a spot first and then go in and out. Since it was a Sunday, it might be a bit calmer on weekdays? After bathing, I ordered a draft beer for 500 yen per glass, received a chilled mug, and then it's self-service. Since it's self-service, you have to wait patiently. Even though I waited patiently, it seemed like the beer wasn't being replenished (@_@) I thought it was strange, but the beer was gone halfway in the mug. Until it was replaced, half of the beer was complimentary ( ≧∀≦)ノ They also had boiled eggs as a side dish, which was delicious but a bit hard to peel. Feeling happy with the half beer complimentary, I went shopping in the shopping street and tried my luck with a lottery at a store. To my surprise, I won the first prize for the first timeヘ(≧▽≦ヘ)♪ Feeling even more elated, I went to the Korakuen for the Takarazuka Kinen race and ended up winning again d=(^o^)=b I've never had such a lucky day!! Next time, I'll be careful not to get a heat rash and enjoy another beer after bathing.

This year, my secret rule is "solo hot springs." After writing a review of Kuroyu Onsen in Kamata, Ota-ku, a follower contacted me and said, "There is a hot spring with Kuroyu and Ougonyu in Musako (Musashikoyama)." Wow, that sounds interesting! I was also told to go eat delicious yakitori while I'm there. While I enjoy solo hot springs, I also like company, so I welcomed the idea of going with someone. We quickly set a date. On the day, we met at Musako station and walked towards the hot spring. After about a 5-minute walk, a dignified building appeared before us... Musashikoyama Onsen Shimizu-yu is a facility with two types of natural hot springs. We took off our shoes in the shoebox and bought tickets at the vending machine... The entrance fee was only 460 yen for adults. What? The same price as a public bath? That's so reasonable, I'm happy! Since I didn't bring anything, I also pressed the button for the "bare-handed set" for 120 yen. We met in the lobby to head to the yakitori restaurant after calculating the reservation time. We have about 50 minutes to enjoy the hot spring. First, we went to the Kuroyu... which comes from a depth of 200 meters. The Kuroyu Onsen springs from the strata of 100-200 million years ago. Unlike the Kuroyu in Kamata, this one wasn't as dark. It was more like the sauce at a standing soba restaurant. Next was the Ougon no Yu. It springs from a much deeper stratum (1500 meters deep). People of all ages and genders were soaking in it. After a while, a Caucasian man who was standing in front of us stood up. (Wait, really?) While I've seen such large and white objects on XVIDEOS, seeing the actual thing was a first for me. (I may have thought differently in the past, but lately I'm not so confident in hardness... I washed myself and returned to the lobby. When I ordered a draft beer at the counter, I was handed a glass and a "Yocchan Ikaga" button. Placing the glass on the automatic server and pressing the button... the beer poured in smoothly! The sound of the beer filling the glass was so satisfying. Ah, nothing beats a post-bath beer. It's what I live for. After a while, the follower also came out of the hot spring. Their wet hair and flushed pink cheeks were sexy. Now, feeling refreshed, it's time to go to the yakitori restaurant. [For more details, check out the more immersive blog post]

I arrived at Shimizu-yu in Musashikoyama along the Tokyu Line. It's a 5-minute walk from Musashikoyama Station. They open at 8 am on weekends and at 12 pm on weekdays. It was my first visit. When I arrived a little before 12 pm on a weekday, I saw elderly locals and families already lining up, waiting for the opening. The prices are the same as regular public baths, but the dressing room and bath are clean, and they even have an outdoor bath, similar to a super sento. After bathing, it's time for a drink. Instead of canned beer, they have a real beer tap! It's the type you see at chain izakayas. You pay for your beer at the counter, get a glass, and pour it yourself (automatically). They also give you snacks, but I added a boiled egg. It was a great experience. After quenching my thirst with beer, I plan to have lunch and then stroll around the shopping street in Musashikoyama. It was delicious! Thank you for the meal.

Shimizu-yu Onsen is very popular among locals and tourists, so it tends to be very crowded. The first time I went was on a Sunday evening, and it was packed. However, the hot spring water is really good. The second time I went was on a weekday around 7 pm, and although it was still busy, it was less crowded than the first time. It's best to find a time when there are fewer people. After soaking in the hot spring, you can enjoy a cold glass of milk or even a beer in the lobby. The beer is delicious and refreshing. It's a great experience to relax in the bath, have a beer, and then enjoy a meal before heading home.

I took the Tokyu Ikegami Line from Gotanda and ended up walking around Togoshi Ginza until I found myself in Musashikoyama. I decided to have lunch and then visit the famous Musashikoyama Onsen Shimizu-yu. This bathhouse opens at 12 o'clock and is known for its dark black hot spring water like Kamata. I bought bath tickets, sauna tickets, and towel tickets at the entrance ticket machine and went to the men's bath. Inside, it was bustling with naked customers, including a guy with a tattoo on his back. The sauna had a TV playing a rerun of the show Saigo Don. After going through three rounds of sauna and cold water baths, I dipped into the black hot spring water. This water is said to have hair growth effects, so I'll probably have a bushy head starting tomorrow haha. After warming up in the hot spring, I ordered a green juice for 200 yen at the rest area. It was served in a packet like Fancl's green juice, poured into a paper cup, and I drank it down quickly. It was very grassy and tasted terrible, just like Hachiman Shinno would be surprised. It took a while for my mouth to recover, but I believed it was good for my body so I finished it. Thank you for the meal. The draft beer was Asahi, and a medium-sized glass cost 500 yen. They also offered carrots as a service.