I had an overwhelming urge to travel.
When the same routine keeps repeating, you just want to break free from it.
So why not head out on a sauna trip right now?
I acted on the impulse immediately, driving all the way from Naruto to Omihachiman. I had already heard that the wood-fired sauna and cold plunge bath were outstanding. Facilities that offer a wood-fired sauna in a super sento setting are extremely rare, and I stepped into Tenba no Yu feeling genuinely grateful for the chance to experience something so special.
First I cleansed myself, then enjoyed the carbonated bath and radium hot spring (apparently remarkable in its own right). And then, finally, the wood-fired sauna. There is no TV in the sauna room — it is an ideal environment for meditation. I closed my eyes and let the crackling sound of burning wood wash over me. I breathed deeply, drawing the pleasant scent of the firewood through my whole body. It was a pleasure unlike anything in my usual routine, and I could almost feel my cells rejoicing. The cold plunge bath after the sauna was equally superb. The temperature was a perfect 15°C, and the basin was deep enough to submerge properly. On top of that, a jet current made the perceived temperature drop even further, tightening the whole body in an instant. The sensation was so invigorating that before I knew it, I had finished 5 sets.
After the cold plunge had tightened every blood vessel, it was time for the outdoor rest. From the open-air bath at Tenba no Yu, you get an unobstructed view of Lake Biwa. The lake lay perfectly still, and as I reclined in the fresh air gazing out over the water, I found myself gaining not only the totonou state brought on by the sauna and cold plunge, but a genuine sense of inner calm as well. I was already feeling more than satisfied — and yet the wonderful experience was only continuing to unfold.
The journey had only just begun.
