A century-old sento with elaborate carved-wood decoration and various baths in the north of Kyoto; admission ~500 ¥.
Funaoka Onsen is the oldest and best-preserved public bath in Kyoto, in operation since 1923 and declared a tangible cultural property of Japan in 2003. What distinguishes it from any old sento is its extraordinary interior decoration: the changing rooms display wood carvings of Tengu and mythological figures on the transoms, ranma panels with festival scenes that took a decade to carve and Majolica-style tiles on the walls of the bathing area. The facilities include a main bath, jet bath, electric bath (the first in Japan, introduced here in 1933), cold bath, aromatic bath, outdoor bath and sauna. Admission costs 500 ¥. It opens from 15:00 to 1:00 in the early morning, which makes it a perfect option for the end of the day. It is in the Nishijin district, in the north of Kyoto. To get there, take bus 206 to the Senbon-Kuramaguchi stop and walk 5 minutes. Bring your own towel or rent one at the counter.
