Editors' Selection — Kanagawa
Photo: Sky Spa YOKOHAMA
You want to experience a truly great sauna in Kanagawa. This page is our answer to that wish. Our editorial team, which researches onsen and saunas across Japan and personally visits facilities nationwide, has narrowed down the many options spread across Yokohama and Kawasaki to just 9 selections. Whichever one you choose, it will become a memorable part of your time in Japan. All that's left for you to decide is where to go.
Kanagawa Minamiashigara City
The scent of white oak vihta from the grounds, with löyly facing the river
A barrel-shaped sauna newly installed in the women’s open-air area. Its circular structure allows heat to circulate efficiently, warming the whole body gently and evenly. In a private-feeling space wrapped in the warmth and aroma of wood, you can relax at your own pace and enjoy a soothing sauna time while feeling the forest air.
A sauna hut installed in the men’s open-air area that allows self-löyly. Through the large window, you can overlook the flow of the Kazusa River and the lush forest scenery, creating a sense of becoming one with nature through the seasons. You can pour water onto the sauna stones at your own pace, adjust the humidity and heat, and spend a meditative time quietly facing yourself.
Editors' comment
There are three sauna rooms. The indoor Vihta Sauna carries the scent of house-made vihta bundles crafted from white oak grown on the property, with automatic löyly delivering intense heat. The men's outdoor Ruska Sauna has large windows facing the flow of the Kazusa River and surrounding forest, letting you control the timing of pouring water on the stones yourself. The women's outdoor area features a barrel sauna, whose round structure circulates heat to warm the body evenly. The cold plunge uses natural water called Kinran Water, drawn from deep within the Hakone water system—clear enough to drink, with a gentle touch on the skin. During outdoor relaxation, the murmur of the river is never far away.
Kanagawa Yokohama City
A waterwheel-shaped stove turns, releasing steam in three waves
An industrial-style space featuring a waterwheel-shaped sauna stove that evokes steam engines, symbolizing Yokohama as the birthplace of Japan’s modern industries. Powerful heat fills the room and warms the whole body thoroughly. In this distinctive atmosphere that recalls the history of the port city, you can forget the everyday, look deeply inward, and fully enjoy a satisfying sweating experience.
A refined space highlighted by a stylish sauna stove inspired by a steamship chimney. Self-löyly is available using oolong tea and jasmine tea carefully selected by a specialty Chinese tea shop, and the gorgeous fragrance and soft steam gently envelop the whole body. Soothing humidity and aroma create a blissful moment in which you can relax deeply in both body and mind.
Editors' comment
At the center of the sauna room stands a waterwheel-shaped stove modeled after a steam engine. The combination of heavy gears and sauna stones creates a striking sight you can watch even as you endure the heat. Humidity stays high, and sweat comes quickly. Every 30 minutes, automatic löyly kicks in as the waterwheel clanks around, releasing water onto the stones in three separate stages. The steam arrives in waves with each interval, gradually raising the perceived temperature. There is only this one sauna room. The flow alternates between the herbal cold plunge and rest periods with fan cooling, repeating in cycles. Located in the heart of Yokohama Chinatown.
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If you found yourself wanting to go
JAPAN'S FINEST ONSEN & SAUNA
Japan's Finest Onsen & Sauna
64 SELECTIONS
Every list of Japan's baths looks the same, and none of them tells you which one to build a trip around. Inside are the places the editor bathed in himself, and others chosen through our own reporting — kept not for their star ratings, but because he would go back.
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Kanagawa Yokohama City
Löyly waves arrive strong and gentle, on the hour and half hour
A spacious, humid dry sauna designed in a six-tier tower shape. Strong auto-löyly operates at the top of every hour, and a milder auto-löyly at 30 minutes past the hour, allowing you to feel waves of heat to suit your preference. Aufguss events by sauna masters, including the regular "Hustle Heatwave," are also held, letting you enjoy the powerful heat and deep sweating that captivate sauna fans.
Editors' comment
The 6-tier tower sauna standing in front of Kamihoshikawa Station runs strong automatic löyly on the hour and gentle automatic löyly at the 30-minute mark. Sitting in the same spot, you experience two different waves of heat in sequence. A heat master also regularly performs aufguss sessions called Hustle Nekpa. The cold plunge is infused with a proprietary mint extract blend, where the menthol effect delivers a sharper cold sensation than the actual water temperature would suggest. It's deep enough to submerge up to your shoulders, and the water is kept clear through an advanced purification system. There's also a separate steam sauna where you can rub salt into your skin.
Kanagawa Yokohama City
A quiet room and a heat-wave room, finished off with extra-cold water
A full-fledged dry sauna distinguished by automatic löyly that activates at 00 and 30 minutes every hour. The moment water is poured onto the sauna stones, powerful waves of heat burst into the room like a bazooka. The overwhelming heat that envelops your entire body draws out a huge amount of sweat in an instant. In the spacious interior, you can fully enjoy a dynamic sweating experience.
A men-only medi sauna where you can take your time facing both body and mind. In a calm space wrapped in silence, you are led away from the noise of everyday life into a deep meditative state. Comfortable heat and humidity gently warm the body, allowing you to enjoy an ultimate time of relaxation.
Editors' comment
Two sauna rooms are tuned to opposite extremes. One is the Bazooka Löyly Sauna, where automatic löyly fires at 00 and 30 minutes past the hour. The moment water hits the stones, a rush of heat sweeps through the room instantly. The other is a men-only Medi Sauna, where gentle heat and humidity slowly fill a room wrapped in silence, warming the body to its core over time. From either room, the path to the extra-cold plunge is short, delivering a piercing cold that tightens the body at once before moving straight into outdoor relaxation. A natural hot spring is also on site.
Kanagawa Kawasaki City
Five sauna rooms and four cold waters, all drawn from groundwater
A sauna with striking line lighting, designed to help calm both mind and body. The temperature, humidity, and music are all just right for relaxation, making it ideal for acclimating your body during the first set. In addition to regular auto-löyly, programs such as aufguss are held frequently, surrounding you in pleasant heat.
A new-style steam sauna that lets all five senses play. It features a unique setup where rain periodically falls from the ceiling, and fresh air and aroma are supplied along with the steam. You can refresh yourself while being enveloped in rich fragrance without feeling stifled.
A three-dimensional sauna with varying levels, like an adult jungle gym. A forced-air supply system keeps fresh air circulating at all times, creating a comfortable environment where it is less likely to feel hard to breathe. It has a unique program that steams dry oak to control humidity, so you can enjoy pleasant heat with friends.
The hottest, most aggressive sauna, with heat enhanced through both sight and sound. Fiery red lighting reminiscent of magma is paired with techno-rock sounds, creating a deep sense of immersion that goes beyond simple relaxation. After pushing yourself to the limit, the route to the extremely cold cold plunge bath is highly recommended.
A quiet sauna that makes lavish use of kelo, the "wood jewel" imported from Finland. By applying the kelo wood in rib-like strips, it increases radiant heat and creates a richer thermal experience. Conversation is kept to a minimum except for calling out löyly, so you can enjoy self-löyly at your own pace while savoring the natural aroma and stillness.
Editors' comment
Five saunas with distinct characters line up in the middle of Kawasaki. There's a sauna room bathed in automatic löyly under line lighting, a steam room where rain falls from the ceiling, a multi-level sauna room with varying heights, the hottest sauna room where red lighting meets techno music, and a quiet sauna room lined with Finnish kelo wood ribs, where conversation is kept low and guests perform self-service löyly at their own pace. There are also four ways to cool down: a mild groundwater cold plunge, an extra-cold plunge, a pool deep enough to submerge your head, and a high-concentration carbonated bath to finish. Both heat and water can be chosen according to how you feel that day. Men's and women's facilities offer identical specifications.
Kanagawa Yokohama City
A kelo wood room with a city view, and a dark löyly room with none
An authentic Finnish sauna that uses standing-dead Kelo wood from Finland on the walls and Abachi wood, which has low thermal conductivity, for the bench backs. The room is kept at a uniform temperature of around 90°C, and the mellow heat unique to Kelo wood spreads throughout the space, creating a deeply enveloping sweat session that feels less sharp and stimulating. With automatic löyly every 20 minutes, the humidity stays just right, and professional aufguss by staff is held every day. Minerals and negative ions released from the rock salt further deepen relaxation, letting you slowly work up a sweat while looking out over Yokohama.
A uniquely designed sauna room that combines two stoves (Twin tower) with Bonatherm sauna and Thermale hot-water pipes to deliver heat evenly from four directions. With a medium-temperature, medium-humidity balance set at 25% humidity, the gentle heat wraps around the whole body without making it feel hard to breathe.
Editors' comment
Directly connected to Yokohama Station, on the 14th floor of the Sky Building. The main sauna uses kelo wood on its walls and has no TV. Kept at around 90°C, the room offers sweeping views of Yokohama's skyline and harbor, with automatic löyly every 20 minutes maintaining the humidity. The scent of wood mingles with the aroma of the löyly steam. The other löyly sauna room is dark, with no view at all. Here you pour water onto the IKI stove at your own pace, closing your eyes and following only the heat. The cold plunge is spacious and deep, at around 15°C. Settle into a chair to rest, and the cityscape returns to view.
Availability and rates are shown on each booking site.
This page contains affiliate links. Booking through them costs you nothing extra.
If you found yourself wanting to go
JAPAN'S FINEST ONSEN & SAUNA
Japan's Finest Onsen & Sauna
64 SELECTIONS
Every list of Japan's baths looks the same, and none of them tells you which one to build a trip around. Inside are the places the editor bathed in himself, and others chosen through our own reporting — kept not for their star ratings, but because he would go back.
Open the magazine, freeThis place's pages are free to read
Kanagawa Kawasaki City
A cold plunge deep enough to submerge your head, paired with explosive automatic löyly
Its most striking feature is the overwhelming volume of steam created by the combination of a sauna stove made by Technorisecom, designed specifically for löyly, and Fuji lava stones rich in iron and minerals. During the auto-löyly at 15 and 45 minutes past each hour, about 500 ml of water is sprayed at once, causing high-temperature steam to erupt explosively throughout the sauna room. On the top tier, an intensely scorching environment forms in an instant. The three-tier bench layout and the silent, quiet-bathing design create a sharp contrast with the roar of steam. The high heat efficiency, achieved by stacking a large number of sauna stones, produces a steam volume far beyond that of ordinary saunas.
A sauna room designed specifically for the aufguss experience. With a high ceiling and three-tier bench seating that allows 5 to 6 people per level, it provides a spacious environment that balances openness and a sense of togetherness. Two HARVIA tower stoves perform automatic löyly every 20 minutes, and a heat-wave performer conducts aufguss once an hour. Each session offers a different high-entertainment presentation combining program, music, and aroma, so there is always something new to look forward to, no matter how many times you visit.
The defining feature is the ability to dive into the deepest part while enjoying continuously flowing amber-colored well water pumped up from underground in Kawasaki Ward. The tub has a two-level structure, 120 cm and 150 cm, divided by a handrail, with a route designed so you can first acclimate in the shallower side before diving into the deepest section at 150 cm. The water is cold, and a strong current constantly cools the skin, making the perceived temperature feel even sharper. As the name suggests, this is a rare cold plunge bath in Japan where diving all the way under your head is officially allowed, and the sense of liberation the moment you fully submerge after thoroughly sweating is unmatched. The well water also contains a small amount of hot spring minerals, giving it a smooth, soft feel.
Editors' comment
The löyly sauna room here runs over 100°C. At 15 and 45 minutes past every hour, about 500ml of water is poured onto the sauna stones all at once, instantly turning the top bench scorching hot. When our editorial team sat on the top bench, breathing became difficult and we had to move down to a lower bench. There's no TV and conversation is kept to a minimum, making the contrast between the silence and the hiss of steam all the more striking. Another room is dedicated entirely to aufguss, where a heat master waves towels in rhythm with music every hour. The cold plunge is filled with amber-colored well water drawn from beneath Kawasaki, flowing continuously. At its deepest point of 150cm, you're allowed to submerge all the way to your head.
If you found yourself wanting to go
JAPAN'S FINEST ONSEN & SAUNA
Japan's Finest Onsen & Sauna
64 SELECTIONS
Every list of Japan's baths looks the same, and none of them tells you which one to build a trip around. Inside are the places the editor bathed in himself, and others chosen through our own reporting — kept not for their star ratings, but because he would go back.
Open the magazine, freeThis place's pages are free to read
Kanagawa Yokohama City
After silence above 100°C, sink into 9°C black hot spring water
Experience the steam bath tradition of Finland, the home of sauna culture. When aroma water is poured over sauna stones heated by the stove, pleasant waves of heat spread through the room with a soothing fragrance. During certain periods, self-löyly is available, allowing you to adjust the humidity and temperature at your own pace and warm up gently from the inside out. In this refined, quiet space, you can enjoy deep relaxation and an exceptional totonou experience.
A low-temperature steam sauna designed to put less strain on the body. When you place the salt provided in the room on your skin, it slowly melts into the rich steam and draws out a good sweat. The gentle warmth wraps your entire body and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, bringing deep relaxation. Thanks to the synergy of salt and steam, you can enjoy smooth, silky skin after bathing.
To cool down your body after the sauna, enjoy a cold bath made with generous use of the black hot spring's mineral spring water from the source. It is known for its smooth water quality containing hot spring minerals, which tightens the skin without feeling sharply cold. The transition from sauna to cold bath is also smooth, letting you savor blissful cool-down in the soft,温泉-like chill.
Editors' comment
The bathing area is unified in black stone, with a bonsai tree set at its center. Just past the entrance, the Finnish sauna runs over 100°C, with a large pile of sauna stones on the stove that allows for self-service löyly. The TV inside is completely muted, leaving only the sound of the stones and your own breathing. Right beside the exit is a cold plunge using black hot spring water chilled down to 9°C. The slightly viscous mineral quality softens what would otherwise be a piercing cold. The open-air bath also offers a continuously flowing cold spring at around 23°C, letting you choose your preferred way to cool down.
If you found yourself wanting to go
JAPAN'S FINEST ONSEN & SAUNA
Japan's Finest Onsen & Sauna
64 SELECTIONS
Every list of Japan's baths looks the same, and none of them tells you which one to build a trip around. Inside are the places the editor bathed in himself, and others chosen through our own reporting — kept not for their star ratings, but because he would go back.
Open the magazine, freeThis place's pages are free to read
Kanagawa Kawasaki City
A serious Kawasaki sauna room where regular automatic löyly keeps the heat circulating
A full-fledged sauna where auto-löyly is performed at regular intervals, filling the room with a pleasant wave of heat. It thoroughly warms the entire body and encourages a deep sweat, helping to expel waste products and bringing a profound sense of relaxation. In the quiet space, you can face the heat at your own pace and enjoy a blissful moment of release from everyday fatigue.
A women-only steam salt sauna with a low temperature that is gentle on the body and softly stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. Applying salt to the body enhances the warming effect and encourages a slow, steady sweat. Moist steam envelops the skin, washing away dirt from the pores and waste products. In this mild, comfortable space with no stifling heat, both body and mind are led into a deeply relaxed state.
Editors' comment
A day-use facility in Kawasaki where the sauna room features regular automatic löyly. There's no need to wait for someone to pour water—the wave of heat spreads through the room on its own schedule. In the quiet space, you can settle into the heat, work up a good sweat, and then head to the cold plunge. The contrast leaves your warmed body feeling firm and tight. On the women's side, there's also a low-temperature steam salt sauna, where you can rub salt on your skin and sweat slowly in the mist. Intense heat and gentle heat exist side by side under one roof here. The dark brown natural hot spring water is drawn straight from the source and can be used both before and after the sauna.
Chosen by our editors from facilities that have granted us publication permission. We do not rank them.
JAPAN'S FINEST ONSEN & SAUNA
Japan's Finest Onsen & Sauna
64 SELECTIONS
Most of what we surveyed never made it onto this site. This is a further cut from what did — places the editor bathed in himself, and places chosen through our own reporting.
