Universal Studios Japan isn’t the only attraction in Konohana ward. After your visit to the theme park, make a beeline to Chidori Onsen for a traditional sento (public bath) experience. At the door you’ll come across a beautiful noren shop curtain that features the Japanese character ‘ゆ’ (yu; hot spring), written by the late bookbinder Koga Hirano.
Before entering the bathing area, make sure to pick up Chidori Onsen’s bilingual guidebook. It introduces you to every corner of the bathhouse and features a short manga on how to use the sento. You’ll also find information on nearby bookshops, pubs, restaurants and more. The bathhouse even sells some merchandise, including T-shirts, which make for a great souvenir of your visit.
Chidori Onsen is also known as the Bicycle Bath due to the owner’s passion for cycling and the fact that guests can store their two-wheeled rides in a dedicated space in the back. This cyclist-friendly solution was implemented to avoid bicycles from being stolen when parked in front of the sento.