Sento - Old time communal bath
Little a bit different from it's close relative, onsen, sento is more of a communal, shared bath, or a replacement for ofuro. Old times, people did not have ofuro in their homes, and they had to use the communal baths instead. The number of sento has been on steady decline. Sento isn't so popular among the tourists as onsen is since it is more daily and has less attractions. However, still in today's Japan some people prefer using sento and feel it's nice way to sosialize.
Sento is separated to two sides, for otoko (men) and onna (women) and both sides have faucets and small stools for washing, and one large bath. Men and women's sides are separated by a wall, but one can usually hear voices of each other. In the old times, there was a small hole in the wall that allowed passing the soap to family members.
When going to sento, follow the same etiquette as you would in onsen or ofuro. Usually you can leave your shoes in a locker before entering - that is mostly operated with 100 yen coin (which you can get back later). When entering the bath wash yourself before dipping yourself in a bath. It's good to make sure there is no soap left in your body before entering bath. It's good to bring small towel with you for wiping the sweat from your face.
Bad news for tattooed visitors - most sento does not accept visitors who have tattoos.
See also: Onsen, Ashiyu, Hakone, Ofuro.
