DAY 1 5:00 PM The sauna, the cold plunge pool, the outdoor air bath, and then the hot spring.
We went up to the second floor and headed straight for the private sauna. Since we had the place to ourselves, we didn’t have to worry about the time. We could talk as much as we wanted without anyone getting upset. The only sound was the natural laughter of the three of us. “You know how you always have to be on your best behavior at regular sauna facilities? It’s great that there’s none of that here,” said Takahashi. I could feel the warmth slowly spreading through my body.
When you step out of the sauna, there’s a cold plunge pool right next to it. It’s deep enough to fully submerge your entire body. Plus, the walk to the reclining chairs for the outdoor air bath is short, making the rhythm of sauna → cold plunge → outdoor air bath absolutely perfect. “It’s great that everything is connected along the same path. That was the best part,” says Harada with a smile. And the look of pure bliss on his face the moment he stepped into the cold plunge pool—it was something else.
I collapse into the recliner. All I can see is the starry sky glowing in the darkness. All I can hear is the distant chirping of birds and the sound of the wind. Even though I’m only 90 minutes away from downtown Tokyo, the silence here is incredible. Time passes as no one says a word. That’s all I need right now.
After enjoying the fresh air, we headed straight to the hot springs. We soaked in the sulfur-rich spring water, which flows directly from the source, while gazing at the greenery of the courtyard garden. “It’s not often you can hop right into the bath as soon as you check in, is it? I was really excited,” said Mr. Tanida. Just being inside the inn was more than enough to get our stay off to a great start.
