Question
The Japanese inn I’ve booked for my trip has a public bath as well as an open-air bath that I’m looking forward to. I didn’t see both facilities when I checked in. How do I ask “Where is the public bath/open-air bath?” in Japanese?
Answer by Professional Japanese Teacher
大浴場（だいよくじょう）/露天風呂（ろてんぶろ）はどこですか。
Daiyokujoo/Rotenburo wa doko desuka?
Where is the public bath/open-air bath?
In Japan, it is common for hotels and Japanese inns to have large public bathing areas “daiyokujoo”, which is shared with other guests. Such daiyokujoo is separated into male and female sections.
Some accommodations also have open-air baths called “rotenburo” where you can enjoy outside scenery as you soak yourself in the hot water. You can ask where either of them is with the above question.
The word “doko” means “where” and you can use it to ask the location of any place, if you put the name of the location in front.
