The 102 Year-Old Seawater Bathhouse Where Time Stands Still

Once upon a time, during the Meiji and Taisho eras (1868–1912 and 1912–1926), Ohama, in the port city of Sakai, was known as a major resort destination. Luxury ryokan-style restaurants lined the coast, and in summer, the beaches were packed with swimmers. There were attractions like an aquarium, an opera house, a sumo arena, and even a monkey mountain. But one of the standout features was a large-scale seawater bathhouse called Ohama Shioyu, housed in a charming, cottage-style building.

Though such seawater baths (shioyu) eventually spread to other areas, today only one remains in all of Kansai: Minato Shioyu. This public bath is located on Dejima Kaigandori Street in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture.

Back to the 50s

Minato Shioyu is just a five-minute walk from Minato Station on the Nankai Main Line. As I stepped through the noren curtain and onto the wooden floor, I saw some elementary school kids sipping cold coffee milk after their bath. A woman behind the front desk cheerfully called out to them, "You can have some of the snacks here if you want!"

That moment, I was instantly transported back to my childhood in the Showa 30s (1955–64).

"You've gotta take good care of kids," she said. "They grow up and come back here. Mothers bring their own kids and say, 'I used to come here with my parents when I was little.' That makes me happiest."

The woman was Mitsuko Katsumata, 78, the youngest of the three sisters who have been running Minato Shioyu for years.

"There's only two of us sisters now. Our oldest sister, Sakuko, passed away two years ago at 86," she shared.

A Family Legacy

Minato Shioyu was founded in 1923, making it 102 years old. After World War II, Mitsuko's father, Tomokazu Sugisaka, took over the business. When he passed away, he told his daughters, "I want the three of you to keep this bathhouse going," and they've honored that promise ever since.

The changing room still retains its classic box-style lockers. You tie the rubber band with your locker key around your wrist and head into the bath. Inside are a variety of tubs: seawater bath, carbonated bath, electric bath, and even a sauna. I slipped into the shioyu. It tingled and prickled pleasantly. It tasted salty — of course, it's real seawater.

Maintenance Challenges

Pipes run underground 2.5 kilometers offshore to draw in the seawater, which is then stored in tanks, filtered, and heated for use.

"Back in the day, the sea was right next door, so it was easy to collect seawater. But as Sakai developed into an industrial area, they started reclaiming land for petrochemical complexes," Katsumata explained. "Now the pipe has to run really far. Sand builds up, shellfish and all sorts of things get stuck in it. We're constantly cleaning it."

Pipe and boiler maintenance, as well as cleaning the bathing areas, are now handled by contractors.
"We're too old to manage all that now. But it does cost money," she added.

A bathhouse with a 102-year legacy is no small feat. Even a small neighborhood sento like this needs support, or the tradition of shioyu could disappear. She says she and her sister haven't yet discussed finding a successor.

"We'll think about that when the time comes. As long as I can still move, I'll keep going. My daughter-in-law helps out too."

"Keep it up, Mitsuko!" I thought as I gulped down a bottle of coffee milk.

Bustling Tourist Hub

Many assume Sakai's coastline has always been an industrial area, but during the Meiji and Taisho eras, it was actually one of Japan's top resort destinations.

In 1888, the Hankai Railway (now the Nankai Electric Railway) opened its line between Namba and Sakai. Along the Ohama coastline, a row of high-end ryokan-style restaurants such as Ichirikiro sprang up. Then, in 1903, Sakai was chosen as the second venue for the 5th National Industrial Exhibition held in Osaka, attracting many visitors from across the country. The most popular attraction was Japan's first full-scale aquarium, which at the time was considered the best in the East.

*The Sakai Aquarium, as introduced in the "Sakai City Guide." (From the Sakai City Central Library)*

Visit to a Museum

But why did Sakai develop as a resort area in the first place? The answer came from Kazuma Yanai, a curator at the Sakai City Museum.

"The development of railways led to the establishment of sightseeing spots and recreational accommodations across the country. At the same time, people in urban areas began to pay more attention to how they spent their leisure time," he explained.

Using the railways to escape to the suburbs and enjoy leisure in a healthy way became popular. Sakai, with its beaches, aquarium, and convenient transportation, was "an ideal leisure destination for Osaka citizens."

An illustrated map from that era is available at the museum. After the Sakai Aquarium was destroyed by the 1934 Muroto Typhoon and a fire the following March, the current Nankai Electric Railway rebuilt it. The map shows a large entertainment area including the seawater bath Ohama Shiotsuyu, a theater, and an amusement park.

In the aquarium area, there was a monkey house, a "Sea Lion Island," and an outdoor stage. A "Dragon God Fountain Tower" stood in front of the aquarium. The Ohama Shiotsuyu area featured not only a children's playground, but also facilities for fishing, mahjong, go and shogi (Japanese board games), and a table tennis hall. Posters promoted it as "A Paradise for Children, a Family Getaway."

*Map of "Ohama Shioyu and Sakai Aquarium." (Courtesy of Nankai Electric Railway)*

The National Industrial Exhibition

Held in 1903 in Osaka, the exhibition grounds were twice as large as those of previous expos, and the event lasted for 153 days. The main venue was what is now Tennoji Park in Osaka City, while the second venue was Ohama Park in Sakai City.

The site featured various themed pavilions such as the Agriculture Pavilion, Forestry Pavilion, Fisheries Pavilion, Industry Pavilion, and Machinery Pavilion. A "Reference Pavilion," inspired by future world expos, showcased foreign products for the first time.

Exhibitors came from over a dozen countries, including Britain, Germany, France, and Russia. One of the most popular exhibits was a collection of eight American-made automobiles.