The Reason a Famous Japanese Onsen Closed... Because of Older Men

Hot Spring in Kagoshima Prefecture Abruptly Closes in March
Elderly Men Frequently Engage in Indecent Acts...Blacklist Proves Useless
Japanese Media: "There Are Many Others...Ordinance Needed"

Interior of Daiyo Health Center closed in March [Photo by Daiyo Health Center]

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On April 1st, Taiyo Health Center, a hot spring resort facility located in Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, announced its closure on its website with this message. The facility offered various amenities including hot springs, saunas, five types of family baths, massages, and dining options. The admission fee for adults was 460 yen (approximately 4,000 KRW). The center promoted that about 400 people visited daily. However, it suddenly closed in March. While aging facilities and rising fuel costs contributed to declining profitability, another reason was the customers' "bad behavior."

Exterior view of Daiyo Health Center, which closed in March [Photo by Daiyo Health Center]

KYT Kagoshima Yomiuri TV, a private broadcaster in Kagoshima Prefecture, reported on the 6th that frequent immoral acts between same-sex individuals have been occurring in public baths, triggered by the closure of the well-known Taiyo Health Center. The media stated, "One of the reasons for the closure was disruptive behavior in the men's bath," adding, "An astonishing number of people were placed on the blacklist. We are considering how to prevent inappropriate sexual acts in public baths." This problem had persisted for a long time, and although the facility posted notices banning immoral acts inside, it was ineffective. The disruptive behavior occurred in the swimming pool located inside the large bathhouse and in the steam sauna, which was difficult for outsiders to see. The steam sauna was completely closed last year, and measures such as separating windows and doors in the swimming pool were implemented, but the problem was not resolved.

Family Bath at Daiyo Health Center Closed in March
[Photo by Daiyo Health Center]

An official told the media, "There were so many troublemakers that it was hard to count. Many seemed to be older people," adding, "Even if reported to the police, it was difficult to arrest them unless caught in the act." He continued, "Telling those on the blacklist 'You are banned from entry' was useless," and "It became routine to discover disruptive behavior and obtain written pledges to prevent recurrence." The media suggested that, based on their investigation triggered by the Taiyo Health Center case, such incidents are more common than expected in public baths and saunas nationwide, and that inappropriate acts in public baths should be regulated by ordinances.