Ueno Station Hostel Oriental 1 (上野ステーションホステル オリエンタル1), a familiar presence in the Ueno neighborhood for 40 years, will reopen as The Centurion Sauna Rest & Stay Edo Tokyo (ザ・センチュリオンサウナ レスト＆ステイ 江戸東京) on December 12, 2026. While keeping the warmth of shitamachi (Tokyo's traditional downtown neighborhoods) and its approach of staying close to the daily lives of working people, the renewal refreshes the sauna and baths, front desk, dining space and fitness area.
The new space concept is the "Edo Shitamachi Training Hall" (江戸下町の稽古場): a place to step away from a busy day, work up a sweat, train body and mind, catch a breath, and head into tomorrow.
40 Years of a Familiar Place, Carried Forward
Working up a sweat after work, soaking to catch a breath, enjoying a meal in town and finishing the day in the sauna. Oriental 1 has been part of that everyday Ueno routine. What the renewal carries over is not only the 40 years, but also an easygoing atmosphere that welcomes drop-ins, hospitality that values human warmth, and a comfort that makes people want to come back.
The facility's slogan is "Local Contribution! Classic Showa-Style Strong Sauna" (地元貢献！王道昭和ストロングサウナ). It aims to refine strong heat and cold, a "totonou" (deeply relaxed) area and an unpretentious, welcoming atmosphere, so that both longtime patrons and first-time visitors will enjoy it.
Looking beyond the first 40 years to the next 60, it aims to build a new history as a sauna the people of Ueno can be proud of.
Concept: "Train, Purify, Cleanse"
The concept carries the tagline "Rouse your golden self" (奮い立たせよ。黄金の己を。).
Just as sumo wrestlers face their own minds and bodies through daily practice, the facility sees itself as a "training hall" where people living everyday lives can get themselves in order and take a step toward tomorrow.
At the core of this worldview is an idea inspired by sumo: "stamping down evil spirits" (邪気を踏み鎮める). Guests leave everyday anger, desire, fatigue and doubt here, face heat and water, and rest quietly. Time in the sauna, bath and rest area is presented as an experience of "training, purifying and cleansing."
The message is meant to bring energy to people who will stand in their own ring again tomorrow. The kind of sauna Edo Tokyo aims to be combines strength with the friendliness and humor typical of shitamachi.
Dual-Heater Sauna for Up to 26 People
The centerpiece of the renewal is the large bath on the 4th floor, where a dual-heater sauna room for up to 26 people is planned, along with facilities that support a classic sauna experience.
The bathing area is planned to have a large tub and a cold plunge, plus a "single" cold plunge with a water temperature in the single digits. The rest area will be furnished with "totonoi" benches and Galaxy Chairs, creating a setting to relax slowly after heat and water.
There are planned to be 17 washing stations and lockers for 108 people. The 1st-floor front desk, the 2nd-floor dining space and the fitness area are also being renewed, widening the ways to spend time in the building, from working up a sweat to meals and rest.
Original Characters: The "Ponsaku Family"
The new Edo Tokyo world is accented by original characters, the "Ponsaku Family" (ポンさく家族).
The family of five expressive characters is drawn as friendly tanuki (raccoon dogs). One is a large figure in a mawashi (sumo belt) holding a rice bowl, another is a white-bearded figure holding a teacup, and another is an energetic small one. Each one's outfit and gestures convey the warmth of daily life.
The characters also use calm colors inspired by the traditional Edo palette "shijuhachi cha hyaku nezumi" (四十八茶百鼠, "forty-eight browns and a hundred grays"). They add a touch of charm that raises a smile to the strong sauna world. Through the Ponsaku Family, the facility aims to convey its approachability as a place that values both "hot saunas" and "warm human feeling."
A New Everyday in Ueno
Whether heading to work, enjoying the town or wanting to take back some time for themselves, people will sweat, relax and then return to their own daily lives here.
While valuing the ties with the community built up over 40 years, The Centurion Sauna Rest & Stay Edo Tokyo aims to be a place that brings energy and laughter to Ueno.
Purify today, and head back to tomorrow's ring. From the training hall of shitamachi, the next chapter of the 40 years begins.
