Exit the sauna room. Spend 1 minute and 30 seconds in the cold bath. Dry off. Walk slowly to the outdoor bathing area. Sit on the 'totonoi chair.' Close your eyes. Take a deep breath.

And then, it arrives. A sense of floating. A feeling of euphoria. Mental clarity. "Ah, this is it." "I've reached 'totonou.'"

The first time I experienced this sensation, my perspective on life changed. I realized that a sauna is not just a bathing facility. It is a profound experience that heals the mind and body at their core.

Outdoor bathing is the key that opens the door to 'totonou.' In this article, I will explain the essence of outdoor bathing and the depth of Japanese sauna culture it reveals.

Initially, I Didn't Understand

When I first started using saunas, I didn't understand the importance of outdoor bathing.

Sauna → Cold bath. That much I got. But what is 'outdoor bathing'? Just sitting and resting. What's so important about it?

At first, I repeated the sauna and cold bath cycle, skipping outdoor bathing. However, I couldn't achieve the 'totonou' sensation. The euphoria and floating feeling that other sauna enthusiasts talked about—I couldn't grasp it.

One day, I asked a regular at the sauna, "How do you achieve 'totonou'?" He answered simply, "Outdoor bathing. Sit down properly and take a break."

The First Time I Achieved 'Totonou'

That day, I seriously practiced outdoor bathing for the first time.

10 minutes in the sauna. 1 minute and 30 seconds in the cold bath. Then, I sat on a chair in the outdoor bathing area. Closed my eyes. Took a deep breath. Thought of nothing. Just sat there.

After about 5 minutes, it happened. A sudden feeling of lightness in my body. A sensation of floating. My mind became clear. A sense of happiness enveloped my entire being.

"This is what 'totonou' means." At that moment, I understood everything.

Outdoor bathing is not just a 'rest.' It is the release of mind and body that comes after the intense experience of sauna → cold bath. The sudden switch from the sympathetic nervous system to the parasympathetic nervous system. It is at this moment that 'totonou' is born.

Without Outdoor Bathing, There Is No 'Totonou'

Skipping outdoor bathing means you cannot achieve 'totonou.'

With just the sauna and cold bath, the body remains tense. The sympathetic nervous system is dominant, and the 'fight mode' continues. In this state, you cannot reach the deep relaxation of 'totonou.'

It is only through outdoor bathing that the body recognizes it is 'safe.' The parasympathetic nervous system becomes dominant, switching to 'relax mode.' At this switch, endorphins are released, blood flow to the brain increases, and the sensation of 'totonou' is born.

Outdoor bathing is an essential step to achieving 'totonou.'

The Sacred Place of the 'Totonoi Chair'

Indispensable to outdoor bathing is the 'totonoi chair.'

Reclining chairs, outdoor chairs, benches. They vary by facility, but all are set up for outdoor bathing.

A facility with good 'totonoi chairs' is valuable in itself. Chairs with reclining functions where you can completely relax. Chairs set up in an open-air space surrounded by trees. Sitting in such chairs significantly enhances the quality of 'totonou.'

Some sauna enthusiasts choose facilities based on the 'totonoi chair.' That's how important outdoor bathing is.

The Aesthetics of Silence

The outdoor bathing area is dominated by silence.

No one talks. No one fiddles with their smartphone. They just sit, eyes closed. This silence enhances the quality of outdoor bathing.

One day, people next to me started a conversation during outdoor bathing. At that moment, I felt pulled back from 'totonou.' When silence is broken, concentration is lost.

Outdoor bathing is an experience akin to meditation. In silence, you face your inner self. This silence creates the environment necessary for 'totonou.'

The Truth Discovered by Japan

The concept of outdoor bathing does not exist in Finland, the birthplace of saunas. It is a truth about saunas discovered independently by Japanese sauna enthusiasts.

Sauna → Cold bath → Outdoor bathing. This three-step process creates 'totonou.' The Japanese have established this golden pattern and shown the world a new way to enjoy saunas.

Outdoor bathing is the greatest discovery that Japanese sauna culture proudly presents to the world.

If you experience a sauna in Japan, you must practice outdoor bathing. With just the sauna and cold bath, you cannot reach the essence of Japanese-style saunas. Outdoor bathing is the key that opens the door to 'totonou.'