Hotel hospitality to travellers have been a feature of the earliest civilizations. In Greco-Roman culture and ancient Persia, hospitals for recuperation and rest were built at thermal baths. Japan's Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, founded in 705, was officially recognised by the Guinness World Records as the oldest hotel in the world. During the Middle Ages, various religious orders at monasteries and abbeys would offer accommodation for travellers on the road. The precursor to the modern hotel was the inn of medieval Europe, possibly dating back to the rule of Ancient Rome. These would provide for the needs of travellers, including food and
Sentō Hot Spring Story) in Odaiba, Tokyo. (Note: The "Ōedo Onsen Monogatari" is not a "sentō".) Some of these modern facilities may require the use of swimsuits and are similar to a water park. Sentō Another type of Japanese public bath is "onsen", which uses hot water from a natural hot spring. In general the word onsen means that the bathing facility has at least one bath filled with natural hot spring water. However throughout the Kansai region of Japan the word "onsen" is also a commonly used naming scheme for sentō. Sentō and supersentō in Kansai that do have access