Until I woke up that morning, I had no plans at all. I assumed I'd spend the weekend at home, just like any other week. But the moment I opened the curtains after getting out of bed, I felt the urge to hit the road. I went through my usual morning routine and got in the car. During my recent break from traveling, I had thoroughly researched facilities all over Japan and drawn up a list of places I wanted to visit. Kyoto in particular had several spots that made me think, how did I never notice these before? This trip, I intended to visit every single one of them. I drove on, crossed the Naruto Strait, and sped across Awaji Island. I stopped at a rest area along the way to take a break and booked my hotel for the night. Acting on impulse, following whims, and making it up as I go — that's just how I travel. Once I've cleared the most energy-draining hurdle of actually departing, I leave the rest to chance. I book hotels while I'm already on the move. As long as you're not too picky, there's always somewhere with a room available. I've taken many trips like this and not once have I been left without a place to stay. Even flying by the seat of your pants, things have a way of working out. My first destination, Sukkama Genji no Yu, is located in Seika-cho, Kyoto Prefecture. Situated in the southern part of Kyoto, the area has apparently been designated as part of the Kansai Science City, and research facilities belonging to the National Diet Library and major corporations line the streets. A more cultured person might want to check out the National Diet Library rather than a bathhouse, but frankly, I have no interest in that. A soak in a hot spring and a session in the sauna are far more important to me. I parked and stepped outside, and there it was — the wonderful scent of burning firewood drifting through the air. Following that smell, I made my way toward a calm, wooden building with a welcoming atmosphere. Ducking under the noren curtain, I was greeted by the concept of a neighborhood healing retreat, blending Korean sukkama sauna with natural hot springs. So what exactly is a sukkama? In short, it's a sauna that makes use of the sukgama, a traditional Korean charcoal kiln. Originally built for producing charcoal, after the charcoal is removed, the kiln retains an intense residual heat stored in its stone walls. The traditional health practice involves climbing inside and letting that heat warm you slowly to the core. Sukkama Genji no Yu is a rare facility where you can enjoy this traditional Korean style of sauna bathing. After checking in, I headed for the main bath area. The interior is remarkably spacious, with a consistent inn-like atmosphere throughout — just walking through it gave me a lift. You can generally tell whether a facility will deliver a great experience without even stepping into the bath. The moment you walk in, the air, the staff's attitude, the cleanliness, the overall vibe — it all comes together to give you a feeling of certainty: this is the real deal. In that sense, having a wonderful experience at Sukkama Genji no Yu was already a given. I changed in the clean, spacious locker room and stepped into the bathing area. The indoor bath has a warm wooden aesthetic, while the outdoor area takes on a rugged rock theme. The outdoor space in particular has a beautiful garden, and the expansive rock bath — large enough to make you want to swim in it — is fed by natural hot spring water. I rinsed off and slipped into the hot spring, feeling the stiffness from the long drive slowly melt away. The restorative power of a hot spring is something else. The open, generous atmosphere of the outdoor bath only amplified the pleasure. Having that vast rock bath entirely to myself added a certain special feeling too. After warming up for a while, I headed to the sauna. Opening the door to the sauna area, I found a low-temperature sauna with self-service löyly on the right, and a high-temperature sauna on the left. I started with the high-temperature sauna to get a thorough warm-up. A large sauna heater piled high with stones sits inside, and an automatic löyly runs every 30 minutes. The thermometer read 100°C and it felt intensely hot. I sweated it out for a while watching a talk show on the big TV, then headed to the cold plunge bath. The cold plunge bath was flawless in every respect — size, depth, and temperature. It's big enough for around 10 people, deep enough to fully submerge your whole body, the water temperature sits at 16°C, and the constant water circulation keeps it fresh and clean. In short: perfect. About 15 chairs are lined up in the outdoor relaxation area, and the placement — just 5 seconds from the cold plunge — is also perfect. I immediately toweled off the water from my body, sank my full weight into a chair, and spent time in the open air, basking in the sunlight and gazing at the beautiful garden. Gradually, my consciousness began to drift. I hovered back and forth between waking reality and somewhere deeper, doing nothing, waiting for the energy for the next move to rise from within. It strikes me as one of the most luxurious things a person can do. And the fact that it was still morning made it even better. There is simply no finer way to begin a day. I repeated the cycle — sauna, cold plunge, outdoor relaxation, hot spring — and after a total of 3 rounds, reached a state of perfect relaxation.

Until I woke up that morning, I had no plans at all. I assumed I'd spend the weekend at home, just like any other week. But the moment I opened the curtains after getting out of bed, I felt the urge to hit the road. I went through my usual morning routine and got in the car. During my recent break from traveling, I had thoroughly researched facilities all over Japan and drawn up a list of places I wanted to visit. Kyoto in particular had several spots that made me think, how did I never notice these before? This trip, I intended to visit every single one of them. I drove on, crossed the Naruto Strait, and sped across Awaji Island. I stopped at a rest area along the way to take a break and booked my hotel for the night. Acting on impulse, following whims, and making it up as I go — that's just how I travel. Once I've cleared the most energy-draining hurdle of actually departing, I leave the rest to chance. I book hotels while I'm already on the move. As long as you're not too picky, there's always somewhere with a room available. I've taken many trips like this and not once have I been left without a place to stay. Even flying by the seat of your pants, things have a way of working out. My first destination, Sukkama Genji no Yu, is located in Seika-cho, Kyoto Prefecture. Situated in the southern part of Kyoto, the area has apparently been designated as part of the Kansai Science City, and research facilities belonging to the National Diet Library and major corporations line the streets. A more cultured person might want to check out the National Diet Library rather than a bathhouse, but frankly, I have no interest in that. A soak in a hot spring and a session in the sauna are far more important to me. I parked and stepped outside, and there it was — the wonderful scent of burning firewood drifting through the air. Following that smell, I made my way toward a calm, wooden building with a welcoming atmosphere. Ducking under the noren curtain, I was greeted by the concept of a neighborhood healing retreat, blending Korean sukkama sauna with natural hot springs. So what exactly is a sukkama? In short, it's a sauna that makes use of the sukgama, a traditional Korean charcoal kiln. Originally built for producing charcoal, after the charcoal is removed, the kiln retains an intense residual heat stored in its stone walls. The traditional health practice involves climbing inside and letting that heat warm you slowly to the core. Sukkama Genji no Yu is a rare facility where you can enjoy this traditional Korean style of sauna bathing. After checking in, I headed for the main bath area. The interior is remarkably spacious, with a consistent inn-like atmosphere throughout — just walking through it gave me a lift. You can generally tell whether a facility will deliver a great experience without even stepping into the bath. The moment you walk in, the air, the staff's attitude, the cleanliness, the overall vibe — it all comes together to give you a feeling of certainty: this is the real deal. In that sense, having a wonderful experience at Sukkama Genji no Yu was already a given. I changed in the clean, spacious locker room and stepped into the bathing area. The indoor bath has a warm wooden aesthetic, while the outdoor area takes on a rugged rock theme. The outdoor space in particular has a beautiful garden, and the expansive rock bath — large enough to make you want to swim in it — is fed by natural hot spring water. I rinsed off and slipped into the hot spring, feeling the stiffness from the long drive slowly melt away. The restorative power of a hot spring is something else. The open, generous atmosphere of the outdoor bath only amplified the pleasure. Having that vast rock bath entirely to myself added a certain special feeling too. After warming up for a while, I headed to the sauna. Opening the door to the sauna area, I found a low-temperature sauna with self-service löyly on the right, and a high-temperature sauna on the left. I started with the high-temperature sauna to get a thorough warm-up. A large sauna heater piled high with stones sits inside, and an automatic löyly runs every 30 minutes. The thermometer read 100°C and it felt intensely hot. I sweated it out for a while watching a talk show on the big TV, then headed to the cold plunge bath. The cold plunge bath was flawless in every respect — size, depth, and temperature. It's big enough for around 10 people, deep enough to fully submerge your whole body, the water temperature sits at 16°C, and the constant water circulation keeps it fresh and clean. In short: perfect. About 15 chairs are lined up in the outdoor relaxation area, and the placement — just 5 seconds from the cold plunge — is also perfect. I immediately toweled off the water from my body, sank my full weight into a chair, and spent time in the open air, basking in the sunlight and gazing at the beautiful garden. Gradually, my consciousness began to drift. I hovered back and forth between waking reality and somewhere deeper, doing nothing, waiting for the energy for the next move to rise from within. It strikes me as one of the most luxurious things a person can do. And the fact that it was still morning made it even better. There is simply no finer way to begin a day. I repeated the cycle — sauna, cold plunge, outdoor relaxation, hot spring — and after a total of 3 rounds, reached a state of perfect relaxation.