「Iyo Hot Spring Resort Kisuke-no-Yu」 - A Visit

My family home is located in Ehime Prefecture, a place rich in nature surrounded by sea and mountains. Ehime is also one of Japan's representative hot spring regions, including the famous Dogo Onsen. "Now, which sauna should I visit during this homecoming?" I start researching before returning. This time, I decided to visit Kisuke-no-Yu. On the first day of my homecoming, I attended family gatherings and visited ancestral graves. I expressed gratitude to my ancestors for my current existence. However, my body was aching to go to a sauna. I can't help it since I'm addicted to saunas. At the dinner table, my mother asked me, "Where are you planning to go tomorrow?" I replied, "I'm thinking of going to Kisuke-no-Yu." My grandmother murmured, "I want to go too." So it was decided that the three of us - myself, my mother, and my grandmother - would go together. We arrived at Kisuke-no-Yu at 10 AM. The moment I entered the large bath after completing the reception, I was amazed by its vastness. It was as spacious as bathing in some kind of hall. The ceiling was high, and the size of the bathtub was extraordinary. First, I warmed up my blood circulation in the carbonated spring. The concentration of carbonic acid was perfect. My body gradually warmed up. Finally, it was time for the first sauna set. Kisuke-no-Yu has two saunas: ①"Fujin Sauna" that can accommodate 40 people and ②"Oni Sauna" at 110°C. I started with the Fujin Sauna. Upon entering the sauna, I was once again amazed by its size. It was spacious enough to hold a lecture. Sitting on the upper tier, it was about 90°C. With automatic löyly, the humidity was also high. I could sweat properly. This truly lived up to its reputation as the #1 sauna in Japan according to the 2024 Nifty Sauna Rankings. As I had sweated considerably, it was time to enter the cold bath.

There are two cold baths: 16°C and 9°C. For the first set, I chose the 16°C one. Afterward, I achieved 'totonou' (the sauna high) through 'indoor air bathing.' A dedicated room for achieving totonou was prepared. This room was also wonderful. With the air conditioning lowered, natural sounds like babbling brooks and bird chirping played, and I surrendered myself to an infinity chair at a relaxing temperature. Even though it was only the first set, I almost lost consciousness. For the second set, I chose the 110°C Oni Sauna. It was incredibly hot. Moreover, with automatic löyly, heat waves kept rushing over me. My body was screaming that it was in crisis. I couldn't think about anything else. This is the real pleasure of sauna. After raising my heart rate to the limit, I entered the 9°C cold bath this time. The temperature difference was 110°C. My blood vessels tightened instantly, and the cold was so intense that I let out a sound. 30 seconds was my limit. While it's nice to slowly enter a cold bath, I also love the addictive nature of instant freezing in a single-digit cold bath. I achieved totonou again through 'indoor air bathing.' The three sets were completed in no time. After changing clothes and relaxing in the rest area, my mother and grandmother also came out. They had very satisfied expressions on their faces. Everyone else also looked happy. Sauna and cold baths are the ultimate tools for achieving peace of mind and exhilaration. It was still only 12 noon. Let's have some delicious food before heading home.