Japanese public bathhouse operators are facing severe financial pressure due to rising fuel prices, industry sources say [1]. Many of these bathhouses have been operating for more than 100 years but now confront new challenges from escalating costs that threaten their viability [1]. In cities like Kofu, the bathhouses rely primarily on fuel oil to heat water, making them particularly vulnerable to surging fuel expenses [1]. Operators report that the increasing fuel costs are compounding existing financial difficulties, putting longstanding businesses at risk of closure [1].
Rising fuel costs strain Japan's century-old public bathhouses
Fuel price hikes are squeezing Japanese public bath operators, threatening century-old establishments.
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Sources
- Nikkei Asia — Fuel costs squeeze Japan's struggling traditional public bath operators