Why Are There No Sunsets in Japanese Bathhouses? (The 3 Sento Taboos)

The Mt. Fuji Masterpiece

If you visit a traditional “Sento” (public bathhouse) in Japan, you will almost certainly see a massive, beautiful mural painted across the wall above the baths. These paintings are designed to help guests relax, and they usually feature a magnificent, towering Mount Fuji surrounded by peaceful nature, pine trees, and calm oceans. However, if you look closely at these gorgeous landscapes, you will realize that there are a few very specific, highly common elements of nature that are completely missing. In the traditional Sento painting world, there are three strict taboos that artists are forbidden from painting: Monkeys, Sunsets, and Autumn Leaves.

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The Power of “Engi” (Superstition)

Why would such beautiful things be banned? It has nothing to do with aesthetics and everything to do with “Engi” (business luck and superstition). Japanese business owners are highly superstitious, and the reasons for these taboos are entirely based on a brilliant play on words. Let’s start with the monkey. In Japanese, the word for monkey is “Saru.” However, the word “Saru” also sounds exactly like the verb for “to leave” or “to go away.” Therefore, painting a monkey is a terrible omen that implies all the customers will leave the bathhouse and never return!

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Red Ink and Sinking Sales

The other two taboos follow the exact same business logic. A beautiful “Sunset” (Yuuhi) might look romantic, but for a business owner, it symbolizes the sun going down, implying that the family business will sink and sales will plummet. Finally, “Autumn Leaves” (Momiji) are famously bright red and eventually fall from the trees. In Japanese accounting, just like in English, being “in the red” (Akaji) means the business is losing money and failing. So, the falling red leaves symbolize falling profits and bankruptcy! It is a fascinating glimpse into how deeply wordplay and superstition influence traditional Japanese business culture.