The previous day, I enjoyed supreme relaxation at a hot spring facility in Sanda City, Hyogo Prefecture, which naturally led to a good night's sleep. I woke up feeling great and went for a morning walk, followed by a leisurely breakfast at the hotel's restaurant. After returning to my room and doing some work, I decided to head to today's destination, Kawanishi City in Hyogo Prefecture. As I drove from Sanda City to Kawanishi City, it started to rain. Normally, rain would dampen the mood on a leisure trip, but there's no need to worry about the weather on a sauna journey. Even if it rains, the routine remains the same: soak in the hot spring, warm up in the sauna, cool down in the cold plunge bath, and rest. Repeating this cycle makes life truly wonderful. Today, I'll perform this ritual at a facility called "SPA Kisera Kawanishi." After checking in, I head to the large public bath, which is quite a distance away, indicating the size of the facility. There's also an attached sports gym, and gym members can use the large public bath for free. As of November 2025, the highest plan costs 16,830 yen per month (including tax). Assuming a 30-day month, even if you only use the bath every day, it costs 561 yen per day. If I were a resident of Kawanishi City, I would sign up immediately to enjoy a quality sauna every day at this price. I undress in the locker room and enter the large public bath. First, I check the layout. There are indoor and outdoor bath areas, and a wide variety of bathtubs. Most notably, the sauna facilities are impressive. There are three saunas in total: the main sauna that can easily accommodate 40 people, a sauna hut where you can perform self-löyly, and a barrel sauna. There are also cold plunge baths both indoors and outdoors, conveniently located right next to the saunas. I start with the main sauna. The four-tiered benches are very spacious, allowing for a relaxed seating position. I sit cross-legged comfortably, close my eyes, and focus inward. This time has come again today. Strangely, I never tire of the act of "entering the sauna." Normally, repeating the same thing every day would become boring, but not this. The reason is simple: it feels so good. The comforting warmth upon entering the sauna, the refreshing sensation of the cold plunge bath after warming up, and the floating feeling while resting on the bench. It's a pleasure that never gets old. After warming my body to the limit in the main sauna, I enter the cold plunge bath next to the sauna room. The cold plunge bath is spacious and deep, which is appreciated. In a cramped cold plunge bath, I would be conscious of other guests and unable to soak leisurely. I cool my body while breathing slowly. After exiting the cold plunge bath, I immediately move to the resting bench. This is where the ultimate relaxation time begins. As usual, I completely lost consciousness. After returning to reality, I move to the self-löyly sauna. This sauna is structured like a hut, with no TV in the dim interior, and conversation is prohibited. I slowly close my eyes and enter a meditative state. By focusing on my breathing, I become unconcerned with others. It feels as if time is flowing slowly, and there is a space just for me. After exiting the self-löyly sauna, I enter the outdoor cold plunge bath and then transition to an open-air bath to enjoy relaxation time. "SPA Kisera Kawanishi" not only has excellent saunas and cold plunge baths but also ample resting spaces. This allows for a stress-free execution of the sauna → cold plunge bath → rest routine. It's a wonderful facility.

After leaving the sauna, I enjoyed a meal at the on-site restaurant and worked in the co-working space. As evening approached, the countdown to the next destination began. On the way back from Kawanishi City to my home in Tokushima, there was a hot spring I definitely wanted to visit. This facility, located near JR "Sumiyoshi Station" in Higashinada Ward, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, is famous for its rare open-air bath with natural hot spring water flowing from 1,089 meters underground and a cold plunge bath using Rokko spring water, known as "Koino Onsen Uhara no Yu."