The Northeast Sauna Trip is not over.
This is the end of our record of the Sa Trip expedition, in which we visited five facilities through the first and second parts of the trip. However, there are a few facilities that we were not able to cover this time, but that strongly attracted us during our research. Here we introduce two saunas that we would like to visit on a future trip to Sa. We hope you will include these saunas as one of your destinations.
Matsushima Ichinonbo
1-4, Takagi Beach, Matsushima-cho, Miyagi-gun, Miyagi Prefecture
www.ichinobo.com/matsushima
¥31,900 yen and up (2 adults per room / 150 yen per person, plus hot water tax)
The chic bathing method here is to replenish the minerals lost in the sauna with a rock salt rock bath.
Matsushima Ichinobo is an inn that unites the heart with Matsushima, one of the three most scenic spots in Japan, with all rooms overlooking the 7,000 tsubo Japanese garden and the ocean view that continues beyond it.
The sauna at such a superb resort is a coliseum-type sauna with seats set up around a stove in the center. The "iki stove," a top-of-the-line sauna heater, has been installed to provide flexible control of humidity and temperature, as well as a free layout that is not restricted to a wall.
When I saw this structure, I was reminded of the campfires I used to build with my friends when we were camping. The sizzling sound of the sauna stones burning must have soothed the hearts of sauners just like the crackling sound of wood burning. I would like to spend a moment of absentmindedness, without thinking about anything.
Towada Sauna
Utarube Utarube Campground, Lake Utarube, Okuse-Towada, Towada City, Aomori Prefecture
towadasauna.com
Fee: ¥22,000~ (¥44,000 from the end of December to March)
In December, snow accumulation creates a fantastic landscape.
In September of this year, I began researching saunas in Tohoku. In fact, Towada Sauna was the first place I mentioned as a candidate for coverage.
My personal hook was the Russian-made barrel sauna. A barrel sauna refers to a sauna in the shape of a barrel, and the round shape allows the temperature and humidity to be maintained evenly throughout the sauna room. The steam generated by the waxing process is also circulated efficiently, so the steam that comes down along the curves can be exposed to the back as well. It can be said that this sauna is full of wisdom to tame the cold and make you feel comfortable.
The water bath is located in front of Lake Towada. In summer, the temperature is around 20 degrees Celsius, and in winter, although the lake itself hardly freezes, one can enjoy the kinky water temperature, which is close to freezing. This level of coldness is hard to find anywhere else in Japan.
After closing at the lake, I sit deep in a warm wooden chair and close my eyes. What sounds do the birds chirping, the wind rustling in the breeze, and the waves murmuring in the distance make? Only travelers who have connected with nature in the "deep north" of Japan will know the answer.
