A simple little sento with a small, yet comfortable, outdoor bath. Tucked town an alleyway off of a major shotengai, Manzaiyu is small. Nothing really distinguishes this sento, but it was worth the visit. I had a wonderful chat with one of my fellow bathers there. Sometimes when I'm in these small sento I'll see someone who I know will try to talk to me. I knew instantly when a man in his mid-40's with long hair and a necklace came in that he was going to talk to me. He looked like a John Lennon-esque Vietnam War protester--but naked and Japanese. It didn't take long. I can't remember how he started the conversation, but he spoke to me in decent English. Lowering his voice he looked at me very seriously and said, "In this onsen there are many... Japanese mafia" and slapped his back in a body language way to say back tattoos which most yakuza have. I replied that I've been to other onsen with many yakuza and I'm cool. I guess he didn't understand me cause again he said, "many Japanese mafia" and this time drew his index finger across his cheek to symbolize the facial scars that yakuza are thought to have, common body language in Japanese. Now remember he's speaking to me in English quietly so no one else could understand us, but he's using all this body language that anyone could plainly see. Thanks for the advice man. After that we had a short little conversation about where I was from and I left. Best part of this hobby is the random stuff that happens sometimes.
Update December 2019: I have only visited this bath once before back in 2006 and I had a unique but enjoyable experience there at that time. I forgot about the baths over the years so on my return trip I was very pleasantly surprised. The total area is small but the baths are very well designed and comfortable. In the small outdoor area there is a mixed medicine and electric bath. This is the first place I have seen that you need to turn on the electric bath with a switch on the wall. The outdoor cold water bath is also great. The front area is big and welcoming while the owners are incredibly kind. They have some photos of the completely destroyed sento after the 1995 Hanshin Earthquake if you ask to see them. Highly recommended.