Multiple web search results report that traditional bathhouses in Japan are struggling due to soaring energy costs, citing 'soaring energy costs' and 'energy costs boil' as key themes. The evidence points to energy costs being a major threat to these businesses.

Two independent web search results explicitly mention that the struggle is compounded by a 'shrinking customer base and aging owners without successors.' One source notes that 'With aging owners confronted with a shrinking customer base and costly repairs, many sento are shuttering rather than passing the torch.'

The claim is corroborated by multiple sources. One source explicitly links the struggle to rising fuel oil prices and the inability to pass on costs. Another source mentions the difficulty in keeping heads above water due to rising costs. The context of regulated pricing is implied by the overall narrative of struggle against rising costs.

Two independent web search results confirm the key details: the location (Tsushima, Aichi Prefecture, Japan) and the establishment date (founded in 1919). One source describes the scene on a cool day in early April at Ikesu Onsen, confirming the narrative elements of the claim.

The specific details regarding the fuel oil supply issue, the delay in opening time, the halving of monthly delivery, and the resulting drop in customers are all reported together in a single web search result, which serves as the primary evidence for this specific sequence of events.