A downtown public bathhouse as a base for running.
This is Kotobuki-yu in Higashi Ueno, Tokyo. Despite its old-fashioned atmosphere, this famous bathhouse boasts a full range of facilities, including a sauna and open-air baths, and is loved by local residents. It is also popular among runners as it is open for running.
Kotobuki-yu" 5-4-17 Higashi-Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo TEL: 03-3844-8886 Hours: 11:00 - 1:30 (last admission at 1:05) Closed: 3rd Thursday
Participants of this year's run gathered at "Kotobuki Yu. From left, Hiroshi Yamamoto (Deputy Editor-in-Chief of HOUYHNHNM's), Kanako Takahashi, Azusa Ozawa, Aoi Inoue (the above three are BEAMS JAPAN staff), Issey Enomoto (writer), Hideaki Makino (BEAMS Direction Department).
After changing into running clothes in the changing room at Kotobuki-Yu and depositing your luggage in a locker, you will begin with a light preparatory workout. Ms. Makino of "BEAMS" gave us a lecture on dynamic stretching to increase the range of motion of the joints and to relax our bodies. Mr. Makino is a certified running instructor and a serious runner who trains daily as a citizen athlete himself.
The eaves of the building are decorated with a "Sento no Susume." on the eaves of the building. This curtain was specially created for "Sento no Susume 2021," a collaborative project by BEAMS Japan and Milk Soap. The title was drawn by Mari Yamazaki, a manga artist and writer known for her work on "Thermae Romae. The curtain will be hung at Kotobuki-yu from April 23 to May 25, 2021, and a picture of the bathhouse drawn by Mari Yamazaki will also be on display from April 23 to September 15.
