Ishinoyu Public Bathhouse Is Still Providing Great Firewood-Heated Baths That Charm Local Community

By Noboru Okumura / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

15:36 JST, June 9, 2025

ICHIKAWA, Chiba — Strolling through the Kokubun residential area of Ichikawa in Chiba Prefecture, east of the Edogawa River, a distinctive square chimney caught my eye.

Below a red hot bath mark, the bold black letters “ishi no yu” were prominent. This chimney is a symbol of the sento public bathhouse that has been beloved by the community for more than half a century.

In 1970, the year of the Osaka Expo, former farmer Minoru Ishibashi built the Ishinoyu bathhouse on the former site of his rice paddy.

After Minoru died, his wife Mitsuko, 85, their eldest son Kazuhiro, 61, and their third son Susumu, 55, took over the business, preserving the traditional method of heating groundwater with firewood.

The bathhouse uses recycled wood as fuel, primarily from the pillars of demolished wooden houses. The wood is cut into manageable pieces to ensure it burns efficiently and is then transported by handcart to be burned in the furnace.

This strenuous work often leaves workers soaked in sweat, and finding scrap wood can be difficult. Despite these challenges, firewood remains essential to Ishinoyu, leaving them no alternative but to continue to use it.

As the shutters rise at 3:30 p.m., a stream of waiting customers passes under the noren curtain, each paying Mitsuko ¥500 at the bandai attendant’s booth before entering the changing rooms.

“There’s nothing like water heated with firewood,” said a man, 67, the president of a construction company in the city. “A week without a bath at Ishinoyu and I’m completely stressed out.” He has been a regular customer since he was 20.

I borrowed a towel and headed to the bathroom. Being true to its name, “Ishinoyu,” which means “stone bath,” has parts of the walls adorned with stones. The interior, with a design that somewhat evokes an open-air bath, brought to mind Kazuhiro’s words: “My father always said he wanted to create a bath resembling a hot spring.”

After thoroughly washing myself in the washing area, I stepped into the bath. The deep comfort was such that a sigh nearly escaped my lips. Over in the medicinal bath, a man showed no sign of getting out.

After stepping outside of the bathhouse, I felt refreshed. My body felt lighter, and even my pace of walking seemed to have quickened. I understand why regulars have been coming here for years.

Ishinoyu

Address: 2-2-21 Kokubun, Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture

Note: Masashi Sada, a singer and Ichikawa’s goodwill ambassador, used to frequent this bathhouse. It was also used as a set location for the film “Undercurrent” starring Yoko Maki.

Hours: 3:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. (last entry at 10 p.m.) Closed on Thursdays and other days.