????

Daiko Onsen is a rare community sento in Nagoya, located in the working class neighborhood of Daiko, near Nagoya Dome, on the north side of Nagoya Dome-mae Yada Station on the Meijo Line of the city subway.

Small family-run sento have largely disappeared in Nagoya, replaced by larger, out-of-town, so-called "Super Sento" - which offer bigger and more varied baths, massages, free Wifi, slot machines and even in-house restaurants.

It came as something of a shock to discover this small, somewhat ramshackle establishment, so I decided to put its healing and cleansing powers to the test as soon as possible.

The changing area looks like someone's (untidy) living room circa 1970 with a fridge for soft drinks and beer, and a large ashtray surrounded by green sofas. Smoking in the male section seems obligatory.
Inside, the bathing area has a number of different baths and a small rotemburo in a tiny garden, just outside.

The sauna was an extra charge but starred two fully-tattooed and rather fat yakuza discussing their day. From what I could overhear, they had attended a funeral by car and were pleased they had saved on the shinkansen fare.

A soccer-mad, half-Japanese, half-Danish lad, who was in Japan visiting family in the area, struck up a pleasant conversation, which we continued in the "lounge" over a beer before he was called home by his grandmother.

If you crave an authentic, "kicking it with the locals" Japan experien...