銭湯の入浴料金の値上げ：2024年9月14日（土）

銭湯の9割以上が加入している全国公衆浴場業生活衛生同業組合連合会（全浴連）の資料によれば，日本には同組合に加入している銭湯の数が，全国で1,865軒（2022年）あるという。最も多かった1968（昭和43）年には銭湯の数は17,999軒あったが，減少が続き，ピーク時の1割程度の軒数となっている。

　銭湯の入浴料金は「公衆浴場入浴料金の統制額の指定等に関する省令」（1957(昭和32)年厚生省令第38号）の規定によって，公衆浴場入浴料金審議会の意見を聞き，都道府県の知事が指定することになっている。

　京都府の銭湯の数は2021年度末時点で236軒だという。人口10万人あたりの銭湯数でみると，京都府の銭湯数は全国で7番目（2021年度末）に多い。今から2年前の2022年10月に「施設の老朽化，営業者の高齢化，収入の不安定等の諸課題があり年々施設が減少していることに加え，昨今の燃料費をはじめとする物価高騰で，業界の経営努力だけでは今後の経営存続もあやぶまれること」を理由に，京都府では大人料金（12歳以上）を450円から490円に値上げするなど，入浴料金を改定した。

　さらに，京都府では，来月10月より，物価高騰などを理由により，大人料金（12歳以上）を490円から510円に値上げする見通しとなった。今回の入浴料金改定では，前回において据え置きとされた中人料金（6歳以上12歳未満）を150円から160円に値上げし，小人料金（6歳未満）は前回と同じく60円で据え置くことにするという。

　京都府でも銭湯の数は，利用者数の減少と不採算により，10年間で3割以上減少しており，入浴料金の段階的な値上げだけでは，銭湯数の減少傾向に歯止めが掛かるとは思えない。地方自治体が，地域コミュニティにおける銭湯の存在価値を，どう考えるかによっては，将来的には銭湯がなくなる可能性もあるし，存続させるには追加的な政策設計が必要となることは間違いないだろう。

Increase in public bath admission fees: Saturday, September 14, 2024

According to materials from the National Public Bathhouse Association Federation (Zen'yokuren), which more than 90% of public bathhouses in Japan are members of, there were 1,865 public bathhouses nationwide as of 2022. In 1968, when the number was at its highest, there were 17,999 bathhouses, but the number has continued to decrease, now standing at around 10% of its peak.

The admission fees for public baths are regulated by the "Ministry of Health and Welfare Ordinance No. 38 of 1957 (Showa 32)" under the "Regulation on the Controlled Amount of Public Bath Admission Fees," where the fees are determined by prefectural governors based on the advice of the Public Bath Admission Fee Review Committee.

As of the end of fiscal year 2021, Kyoto Prefecture had 236 public baths. In terms of the number of public baths per 100,000 people, Kyoto ranked 7th nationwide at the end of fiscal year 2021. Two years ago, in October 2022, Kyoto Prefecture revised the admission fees, raising the adult fee (for those aged 12 and older) from 450 yen to 490 yen. This was due to several issues, such as the aging of facilities, the advanced age of business owners, and unstable revenues, as well as the recent rise in fuel costs and overall inflation, which made it difficult for the industry to sustain operations through management efforts alone.

Furthermore, Kyoto Prefecture plans to raise the adult fee (for those aged 12 and older) again from 490 yen to 510 yen next month in October, citing inflation and other factors. In this upcoming revision of the admission fees, the middle child fee (for children aged 6 to under 12), which was left unchanged in the previous revision, will be raised from 150 yen to 160 yen, while the small child fee (for children under 6) will remain at 60 yen, the same as in the last revision.

Even in Kyoto Prefecture, more than 30% of public baths have closed in the past 10 years due to declining customer numbers and unprofitability. It seems unlikely that gradual increases in admission fees will stop this trend. Whether public baths will disappear in the future will depend on how local governments perceive their importance to the community, and it is certain that additional policy measures will be needed to ensure their continued existence.