There is nothing much more Japanese than onsen and sento: hot springs and communal public baths. Now Gokurakuyu, Japan's largest spa operator, plans to take them to China – tackling poor hygiene, a booming property market and misgivings about public nudity along the way.
Along with its partners, an affiliate of China's Citic Group and Japanese investment company MBK, Gokurakuyu aims to open its first Chinese spa by March next year. In five years it wants to have 100 of various sizes. That is more than it has in Japan.
The boldness of Gokurakuyu's move highlights a new trend: while Japan's manufacturers have long made and sold their goods in China, Japan's insular service sector is finally making a big move on to the mainland.
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