There are around 25,000 laundromats in Japan. That’s more than the number of 7-Elevens – the country’s most popular convenience store – and both have become an integral part of Japanese communities.
To grasp the scale of laundromat culture in Japan is to understand the evolution and rapid growth of the coin-op industry, which begins in the 1960s when laundromats first made a splash adjoined to popular public bathhouses known as Sento. Traditionally, these spaces for purification and relaxation, steeped in religious cultural practice, also became a practical way to get the washing done while time was spent cleansing body and soul.
In the 1980s, another boom in the coin laundry market began with the opening of large roadside stores. This shift from small shops attached to public baths to larger standalone stores marked a significant evolution in the industry.
A new era for laundry dawned with the new millennium as the combo machine was launched. In 2001, TOSEI – the Japanese professional laundry manufacturer and part of Electrolux Professional Group – pioneered the world’s first fully automatic washer-dryer COMBO for laundromats. Traction was slow to begin with but over the next 20 years the efficiency and effortlessness it provided contributed to the next wave of laundromat growth in Japan.
Convenience is king
The Japanese love affair with laundromats could be deemed surprising when you consider that 95+% of households own a washing machine. But the ease of doing a weekly wash in one go, at laundromats open around the clock, with commercial machines that wash and dry loads in one hour, is what still wins favor.
Graph: Rapid growth of dual income households in JAPAN
Government policies to boost the number women in the labor force has seen a demographic shift with more women returning to work after motherhood and a rise in dual-income households. The traditional role of housewife remains prevalent but is diminishing and the laundromat provides more convenience for working couples – key to their continued popularity.
Drying dilemmas
While washing machine penetration is almost universal in households, dryers or domestic combo machines ownership is around 50%, according to a 2023 report by the Japanese Association for Electric Home Appliances. And, regardless of ownership, many seldom use the drying function due to concerns about electricity usage and drying time.
The traditional depiction of Japanese neighbourhoods, with lines of laundry hanging outdoors, remains somewhat real. But space is often a limitation, with urban apartments housing small balconies or limited sunlight. This is especially true for drying customary futon mattresses, which are still a popular choice to sleep on despite an increase in Western-style beds.
And outdoor drying is especially avoided during high pollen season, given that around one in three of the population estimated to be allergic to cedar pollen. Post-war reforestation saw millions of cedar and cypress trees planted and, since most of these trees are now mature and high pollen producers, allergy sufferers are on the rise.
‘Coin’ laundry for a reason
Laundromats are known as コインランドリー in Japan which literally translates to “coin laundry” – a phrase still relevant today thanks to the longstanding use of the ¥100 coin to pay for washing and drying services.
The likes of payment apps and QR codes in laundromats are rare as cash culturally remains preferable over digital wallets. Slower adoption of cashless payment systems is often attributed to the nation’s aging population – after all it is the country with the highest percentage of seniors per capita – but traditional cash-rich culture and lack of infrastructure has also played its part.
To bring fintech up to speed with the country’s tech-savvy reputation, the launch of a government-backed “Cashless Vision 2025” significantly addressed increasing the proportion of cashless transactions across the nation. Covid-19 accelerated contactless payments and the use of cards and cashless payments in laundromats is also gaining ground.
Pet care, car washes and haircuts too
The first laundromats in Japan were practical but soulless places where the household chore was just that – and as dull as the surroundings. That has changed and the experience today is often accompanied by bright, modern and inspiring aesthetics; an adjoining café perhaps or social space to relax.
Themed laundromats originated in Asia around 2010, combining laundry services with design, entertainment or community. For example, the Good Laundry Place in Osaka has pet care facilities, have a haircut while your spin drying at Hull in Hyogo Prefecture or even wash your car while you wait at Wash Facility Kimama in Chiba.
Current climate: Challenges and solutions
Consumers and business owners in Japan, like elsewhere, are facing higher prices due to rising inflation. Post-pandemic, the cost of rent, utilities and detergent has increased, reducing the attractiveness of investing in coin laundries and the cost of business loans and financing has risen after the Bank of Japan raised its policy rate in 2024 following a decade-long negative territory.
This has enhanced focus on energy-efficient appliances and connectivity solutions as well as a push to maintain fair pricing, which is a challenge due to the long-standing use of 100-yen coins for operations. The industry is promoting cashless payments to allow for more flexible pricing options.
Historically, Japan has protected residential areas from being intruded with an overload of shops and neighbourhood business due to a zoning system, where commercial activities must comply with city planning laws. Finding new locations for laundromats can therefore be problematic but following the relaxation of such standards for convenience stores, the Japan Coin Laundry Association is lobbying for a similar stance to be extended to new laundromat premises.
For laundromat owners in Japan, boosting revenue per spare square meter and maximize operational efficiency, especially in urban spaces or where a location has limited floor space, is key in the current climate.
New innovations like the TOSEI stack COMBO, which has a washer-dryer with an additional dryer stacked on top for heavy dry loads, are responding to this need. Meanwhile, the industry is promoting laundromats to cater for bulky futon washing and drying for practical and hygienic purposes.
The extent of growth to date and current economic factors indicate that the coin operated laundry industry in Japan is reaching a stage of early maturity but a mix of market reports, known and expected consumer behavior, and developments from both appliance manufacturers and industry associations suggest that a future trend of stable growth is likely.