A sento is a public bathhouse, which in the past served as a gathering place for the community as well as an essential facility for personal hygiene. Back then, few residential buildings had baths or showers, but every neighborhood had at least one sento. Since the era of rapid economic growth (1955-73), bathrooms have become standard in Japanese residences and the number of sento has been declining. Modern day sento often are equipped with sauna, healthcare equipment and other add-ons to attract customers and keep the business alive. 意訳：家庭に風呂が普及していなかったころ，町内に必ず１軒は銭湯があり，共同施設であるとともに，社交の場でもあった．高度成長期（1955-73年 以後，内風呂が当たり前になり，銭湯が少なくなった．現在，サウナや健康機器の設置など趣向を凝らし，生き残りをかけている）
