Steph Sento

Based in Tokyo for over 17 years, I am an independent guide, author, and interior designer, specializing in Japanese culture and, in particular, the world of neighborhood bathhouses, known as sentō.

For nearly a decade, I have been guiding travelers, companies, and travel agencies through immersive and personalized experiences across Japan. My approach goes beyond traditional tours: I offer an intimate perspective on everyday Japanese life, through carefully selected places known for their atmosphere, aesthetic, and history.

As a recognized specialist of sentō culture, I highlight these unique spaces at the crossroads of architecture, art, and community. My work is rooted in a desire to share and preserve this cultural heritage, shaped by years of research and on-the-ground exploration.

Alongside my guiding work, my background as an interior designer informs my perspective on space, materials, and ambiance, offering a sensitive and aesthetic reading of the places we visit.

I regularly collaborate with media, institutions, and tourism professionals, and was selected among the “30 personalities shaping Japan in France” (2023–2024).

Publications

• Les Vapeurs de Tokyo (Éditions Les Arènes, Komon collection)

• Sentō, The Art of Japanese Bathhouses

• フランス女子の東京銭湯めぐり

Approach

Through my tours, I offer an immersion into a Japan that is at once aesthetic, authentic, and deeply human: blending culture, architecture, everyday moments, and hidden places.