I parked in the lot near the bathhouse and walked up to the entrance. The building had a real sense of history to it. The sign proudly displaying "Natural Famous Water" spoke volumes about their confidence in water quality. I found myself wondering what kind of underground water veins run beneath this area. Someday, when I build my own sauna, I'd love to have a free-flowing groundwater cold plunge bath. With that daydream in my head, I pushed open the front door.
I stepped inside, locked up my shoes, and paid the bathing fee at the front desk. They offered towel rentals, which was a lifesaver since I'd come empty-handed. The bathing area was already buzzing with people, but the space was generous, with several bathtubs making lavish use of the famous water. What really caught my eye was the cold plunge bath. Two lion-head spouts were blasting water out at tremendous force, and one of the bathers was actually cupping the water in his hands and drinking it straight from the bath. Now that's luxury. I desperately wanted to jump in right then, but good manners first — rinse off before you plunge. That said, I'd already had a morning bath at SPA & HOTEL Suishun Matsuiyamate, so I just gave myself a quick shower and headed for the sauna.
The moment I stepped into the sauna, a wall of heat hit me all at once. It was a two-tiered setup with deep red mats laid out. It was nearly full, but I got lucky and snagged a spot at the end of the upper bench. Looking around, most of the regulars seemed to be locals. One man had tattoos covering his upper body; another had tattoos over his entire body except his face. I felt a slight pang of nervousness, but neither of them was throwing their weight around — they both had their eyes closed, quietly sweating it out. Actually, they made for quite a striking scene. The sauna used an electric infrared heater set above 100°C, but the humidity was well-managed, making for a comfortable, steady sweat. I drifted into a meditative state for a while, and when I finally hit my limit, I made my move for the cold plunge.
Luckily, I had the cold plunge all to myself. Without hesitation, I planted myself right under one of the lion spouts and let the free-flowing groundwater pour over my head. The temperature felt around 18°C — cool enough to refresh, mild enough to linger in. The water was remarkably smooth, and despite being a cold plunge, it had this deeply relaxing quality that only natural spring water can offer. With no one else coming in, I stood under the spout for about a minute in a kind of waterfall meditation, then scooped up a mouthful of the free-flowing water to drink before heading out for some outdoor rest.
Hakusanyu Rokujo may be a public bathhouse, but its outdoor relaxation area doesn't disappoint. I stretched out in a reclining chair and gazed up at the Kyoto sky. Autumn had arrived, and a cool breeze played across my skin. The refreshing clarity and silky smoothness of that groundwater cold plunge made me whisper to myself, "This is it. This is exactly what I was looking for." The man reclining next to me looked like a fellow sauna traveler, and he'd clearly drifted so far into another world that he was completely out — unconscious. That's just how powerful the cold plunge here is.
When I went back for my second sauna session, both tattooed men were still there. Arms folded, wearing fierce expressions like demons, sweat pouring off them like waterfalls. They radiated such an intense aura that I half-wondered if they were using this as some kind of spiritual practice. Making eye contact felt genuinely life-threatening, so I kept my gaze firmly on the TV instead. A Los Angeles Dodgers MLB game was being broadcast live, with pitcher Clayton Kershaw on the mound. It looked like his final home start before retirement, and the stadium crowd was absolutely electric. Watching the broadcast, I worked up a serious sweat. My heart rate kept climbing, and when I hit my limit, I stepped out of the sauna. The two tattooed men were gone by then.
I rinsed off and headed for the cold plunge to find two bathers already there — the tattooed duo. They'd claimed both ends of the bath, leaving the center perfectly open. That's the only spot left, isn't it? I briefly considered going back to the sauna to time it differently, but as a committed sauna enthusiast, letting a flimsy excuse throw off my rhythm would be an unforgivable betrayal of the craft. I slipped in between them without making eye contact. Nobody's watching you. The combination of physical exhilaration and psychological tension hit me with a double punch unlike anything I'd felt before. My body was rejoicing in the high-quality water, but my mind was strung tight with something I couldn't quite name. Please get out soon. How long are you going to stay in? I figured that after sitting in the sauna that long, they'd need extra time to cool down — and just then, another bather arrived. The two showed no signs of leaving, so I cupped some water from the spout directly above the man with the upper-body tattoos, drank it down, and made my exit first.
Having fully savored the exceptional cold plunge water — and having reached my absolute limit of tension with the tattooed regulars — I wrapped up my morning sauna at two rounds.
After leaving Hakusanyu Rokujo, I wandered the streets looking for somewhere to grab lunch. A teishoku set-meal place would be ideal. After walking the back alleys for a while and emerging onto a main road, I spotted a small restaurant called Tatsu-ya — an izakaya that serves lunch during the day. The menu looked delicious and reasonably priced. I could see counter seating from the outside, so I decided to eat there.
I settled onto a bar stool and scanned the menu. It was full of post-sauna temptations: deep-fried sesame chicken, eel rice bowls, and more. I settled on the teriyaki pork shoulder set meal. Coming straight from the sauna, the word "teriyaki" had an almost magnetic pull on me. When the food arrived, the portion was massive. Under 1,000 yen for all this? The value was almost hard to believe. And the taste? Exceptional. I cleared the plate in one go. I could feel my sauna-depleted energy replenishing with every bite.
Walking Kyoto's back alleys, I was struck by just how many independently owned shops there are. I'd stumbled upon Tatsu-ya this time, but there must be countless other great spots scattered throughout the neighborhood. Maybe next time I do a Kyoto sento sauna trip, I could turn it into a food tour as well — seeking out the best post-sauna meals along the way. The idea put a smile on my face.
Now, with a full stomach, it was time to decide on my next destination. Today was Saturday, so I could stay one more night somewhere. I thought I'd find a cafe, sit down with a coffee, and figure out my plan. As I made my way back toward the parking lot, a sign reading Cafe World caught my eye. Inside was a retro atmosphere, and it looked like a place where you could enjoy coffee beans from all over the world. Fortunately, it wasn't crowded at all. I went in and ordered a blend coffee and hotcakes.
Sipping my coffee, I pulled up Google Maps to check where I was. I'd been thinking about spending another night in Kyoto, but as I looked at the map, a certain place jumped out at me. If I was already all the way in Kyoto, that place was only about two hours away by car. That place was Gifu Prefecture. Two weeks ago on my sauna pilgrimage, I had been deeply moved by Ogaki Sauna — the place I'd declared the best sauna in Japan — and it's right there in Gifu. On top of that, about thirty minutes by car from Ogaki, in Kakamigahara, is a superb super-sento called Megumi no Yu. I wanted to visit both of them. No — I was going. There are no obstacles to a solo sauna trip. You can go wherever you want, the moment you want to go. Once you get used to that kind of freedom, traveling with others starts to feel strangely constraining.
Over my coffee, I started fleshing out the plan. Tonight, I'd stay at an affordable hotel in Kakamigahara and soak up everything Megumi no Yu had to offer. Then tomorrow morning, I'd hit Ogaki Sauna, grab lunch afterward, take a nap, and head home. A perfect plan. With that settled, it was time to book. Luckily, a business hotel in Kakamigahara had availability, and I reserved it on the spot. With a place to sleep lined up, there was nothing left to worry about. All that remained was heading to Megumi no Yu, enjoying an incredible sauna, eating something delicious, and going to bed. I set off for Gifu Prefecture, already certain this day was going to be another great one.
To be continued.
