Exploring public baths is quite enjoyable. After completing two sets of sauna and cold plunge at Gokoyu, I took an outdoor air bath and made my way to Hakusanyu Takatsuji Branch. It was a five-minute walk. Isn't it unfair to have such a representative public bath of Japan within this distance? I passed through the entrance curtain and purchased a bath ticket. Near the reception, there were original goods displayed. Entering the men's locker room, the familiar retro Showa era atmosphere lingered. I quickly undressed and entered the large bath. Since I had just bathed at Gokoyu a few minutes ago, I skipped the cleansing ritual and headed straight to the sauna room. The first thing I noticed upon entering the sauna was the intense heat. The thermometer showed 115°C. Sweat poured out instantly. The sauna room had a noticeable sweat odor. Distracted by the heat and smell, I suddenly noticed a man with full-body tattoos sitting in front of me. Again? I had just shared a sauna with a fully tattooed person at Gokoyu. Casually glancing at his hands, I noticed he was missing both pinkies. He was definitely from the underworld. I avoided eye contact and focused solely on my own state. Right outside the sauna room was the cold plunge bath. There were two lion spouts, gushing underground water with great force. Hakusanyu Takatsuji Branch is said to have the best water quality among public baths in Kyoto, known for its underground water. According to the manager, the water here is drinkable. I've seen people drinking it in videos featuring the facility, and on this day, someone in the cold plunge was scooping it up with both hands to drink. Feeling thirsty myself, I decided to enjoy the delicious water. First, I submerged my head in the cold plunge to cool my entire body. The water cascading like a waterfall felt refreshing on my head. Then, I scooped the water from the lion spout with both hands and drank it down. It was incredibly delicious and smooth. Drinking the water while in the cold plunge is a wild and overwhelmingly pleasant experience. It's a unique experience only possible in select facilities, leaving a strong impression and deeply etched in memory. I suddenly realized, "It's been a while since I drank water from a cold plunge." There are few public baths across Japan with water pure enough to drink. In my experience, the only places where I could drink the cold plunge water were Sauna Shikiji in Shizuoka, Spa Alps in Toyama, Yuya FUROBAKKA, Ogaki Sauna in Gifu, and Kinjo Onsen Motoyu in Ishikawa. Now, Kyoto's Hakusanyu Takatsuji Branch joins that list. After leaving the cold plunge, I moved to the open-air bath via a dedicated passage and sat on a bench. Being soothed by Kyoto's No.1 cold plunge, my entire body felt invigorated, as if every pore was shouting with joy. I remained in a daze for a while and then headed back to the sauna room. I entered the sauna to enjoy the incredibly pleasant cold plunge. Here, the cold plunge takes center stage, not the sauna. Entering the sauna room for the second set, it was still sweaty-smelling. I considered it a trial before entering the cold plunge. I endured, focusing only on the cold plunge, and let the sweat flow. The moment of entering the ultimate cold plunge was approaching. Upon exiting the sauna room, the cold plunge was empty. No one was there. Such an opportunity may never come again. I rinsed off and entered the cold plunge, immersing myself completely from head to toe. Then, I dove forward into the water. This would be a breach of etiquette if others were present, but since it was empty, there was no issue. After sufficiently cooling my body, I had to perform the customary act: drinking the water. I pressed my hands against the lion spout and drank heartily. It permeated my parched body from the sauna. I felt as if my blood vessels and organs were refreshed. That's how good it felt. Once again, I found myself in a daze during the outdoor air bath, repeating the sauna→cold plunge→outdoor air bath cycle for the third and fourth sets. The sauna room always smelled sweaty, but the cold plunge was so pleasant that it turned everything into fond memories. Hakusanyu Takatsuji Branch is the ultimate public bath.

After the sauna, I wanted to enjoy a delicious meal. While walking, I found a Western-style restaurant. The name of the place was Youshoku no Tatsugoro. In a sauna journey, encounters with eateries are once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Opening the entrance door, I was greeted by a friendly staff. I ordered lunch and looked around the interior, noticing photos that seemed to be from when the restaurant first opened. It appeared to be run by a couple. There were other customers, but they were chatting amicably with the staff, creating a very pleasant atmosphere. It must be a place loved by regulars. The food seemed to be prepared with care and time. I had the hamburger steak and beef teriyaki, and they were exquisite. Having expended energy by visiting two public baths since morning, the meal tasted even better. It was such a wonderful place that I will never forget it. Now, the end of the journey is approaching. As I wrote in the episode of the previous journey, where to end a sauna journey is very important. It's still noon, so I could visit another facility in the evening. However, since I had such a pleasant experience at Hakusanyu Takatsuji Branch, it seemed best to end the journey here. It's about concluding the journey with the best experience. This time, I traveled around Kyoto's public baths, but I still have a list of places I want to visit. I will likely return to Kyoto again soon. What kind of sauna journey awaits next? With excitement for the next trip and gratitude for this one, I drove back to my home in Tokushima.