This Frenchwoman is the Queen of Tokyo Bathhouses

In 2008, Stéphanie Crohin was a student at Rikkyo University in Tokyo, reading literature and sociology. Whenever she had a spare moment, she went to the public baths close to her house.

Four years later, a career opportunity brought her back to Japan. She soon fell back into her old routine and went to the sento; in Tokyo alone, there are over 600, with an entry fee equivalent to that for a local swimming pool in France.

Passionate about photography, Stéphanie Crohin decided to create a website where she writes about the different public baths across the city. Her articles, written in English, resemble a tourist guide, describing her various visits and illustrated with photographs.

On her Instagram account, the hashtag #dokodemosento enables users to follow her adventures. Her first book, Sento ha chiisana bijutsukan, documents the history of these public baths and the architectural and pictorial gems they contain, which make sentos such unique places.  

Sento, the Art of Japanese Baths (2020), by Stéphanie Crohin, published by Sully (currently only available in French)