KESENNUMA, Miyagi Prefecture--A bathhouse dating to 1886 that reopened after sustaining damage in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami went out with a splash on May 6 after falling victim to rebuilding efforts here.
Just before 7 p.m., Katsuyuki Saito, 75, and his wife, Chikako, 70, expressed their gratitude to longtime customers who packed Kame no Yu for one final dip.
The communal "sento" was a popular local gathering spot for fishermen to stop by after a long day’s work in the sea and exchange information while bathing.
“It was an indispensable place for us,” said Kazunori Chiba, 60, a fishing boat captain.
Saito, the fourth-generation proprietor, decided to close Kame no Yu after 131 years as it would be too costly to open a new facility in the neighborhood. Located near Kesennuma Port, the area is undergoing land elevation up to 2 meters as a safeguard against future tsunami. Saito's bathhouse was ordered to be razed for the project.
The port city, engulfed by a blaze in the disaster six years ago, counted 1,031 killed and 219 missing. Tsunami waves reached Kame no Yu’s neighborhood, washing away nearby houses and forcing it to be closed.
Although Saito initially believed that reopening the bath would be next to impossible, he later changed his mind. About 4,000 people used makeshift baths that were set up in the bathhouse, with assistance from the government of Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture, over five months, driving home the important role of a public sento.
Saito reopened the bath in July 2012, with subsidies from the local government. But he could not afford to build a new facility on the elevated site.
On its final day, Kame no Yu was crowded as usual with bathers.
“It is difficult to say farewell,” one customer told Saito. Another said, “Take it easy and enjoy yourself after this.”
Looking back on his life as the bath operator, Saito said, “A lifetime flies by quickly.”