Fuel costs squeeze Japan’s struggling traditional public bath operators

Consumer

Operations that have been in business for more than a century face new challenge

This public bathhouse in Kofu city, Japan, uses fuel oil to heat the water. (Photo by Kentaro Arai)

YUTA SHIMASAKI, KONATSU OCHI and KENTARO ARAI

TOKYO — Rising fuel prices have weighed down heavily on Japanese public bathhouse operators already struggling to stay afloat.