Yudo: The Way of the Bath

Do you like bathing? Do you know the Japanese “Onsen”, those beautiful natural hot springs? But did you know that besides these natural gems, there are also regular public bathhouses? They are called “sentō” and although they have lost some of their popularity due to the rise of private bathrooms, they are now back and hotter than ever! This film is about such a sentō bathhouse, and one that is heated in the traditional way – with a wood fire, like in the Showa era (1926-1989).

Imagine a world where bathing is a serious and absurd art form, with generations of “bathmasters” exploring the aesthetic and spiritual depths of the o-furo (bath). Welcome to the soothing, slightly eccentric reality of yudō, or “the way of the bath”!
Meet Marukin, a cute sentō in a nameless town, run by the ever-serious Goro (Gaku Hamada) and helmed by the cheerful Izumi (Kanna Hashimoto). Their quiet life is turned upside down when Goro’s brother, the failed architect Shiro (Toma Ikuta), shows up with plans to demolish the bathhouse. The quirky regulars provide hilarious entertainment as they try to thwart this crazy plan!

“Yudo: The Way of the Bath” is not only a film about bathing, but also a dive into folklore, traditions and true values. As a hilarious mirror of reality, with an exciting twist like the one we had around Studio Skoop and the question of whether the unique identity can be preserved. What is really important to the characters? The story around the takeover of Studio Skoop has a happy ending of course, but will that also be the case for the two brothers and their picturesque sentō? This film takes you on a compelling, intriguing and almost recognizable journey full of reflection.

“Yudo: The Way of the Bath” is a truly heartwarming comedy by director Masayuki Suzuki that pays tribute to the Japanese sentō. With a beautiful staging of the bathhouses from the Showa era and a strong cast, including Gaku Hamada, Kanna Hashimoto and Toma Ikuta, the film offers a visual delight and comic moments. Suzuki’s direction takes the viewers on a nostalgic journey into the aesthetics and meaning of bathing in these traditional public baths.

So settle down in a cinema seat at Studio Skoop and immerse yourself in this story that, as if you were taking a sentō bath, will completely relax you, calm your (laughing) muscles and make your worries melt away for a while. Enjoy this pure relaxation!

RELEASE INFORMATION:
World premiere: Hawai’i International Film Festival  (November 2022)
Release in Japan: 23 Februari 2023
European premiere: Udine Far East Film Festival  (April 2023)

AWARDS:
Udine Far East Film Festival: 2023 Winner Audience Award
Udine Far East Film Festival: 2023 Nominee Best Screenplay for Kundō Koyama

All images: © Yudo: The Way of the Bath