The second morning of my sauna trip in Okayama started with the best awakening. As always, I sleep really well after being in the sauna. And because I can sleep deeply, I don't feel sleepy during the day. Enter the sauna, feel good, have a delicious meal, and sleep soundly. A lifestyle centered around the sauna provides everything necessary for feeling happiness as a human being. I enjoyed a delicious breakfast at my accommodation, Hotel Route Inn, and decided to go for a morning walk. In Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture, there's a castle called Tsuyama Castle, which is also known as a famous cherry blossom spot. There are an incredible number of cherry trees planted within the castle grounds, and I thought I'd like to visit again during cherry blossom season. The castle town also has a charming atmosphere, with streets that give a sense of history. If it weren't for this sauna trip, I might never have come here in my lifetime, so I'm grateful for this encounter. After returning to the hotel from the walk and doing some work, I checked out. Finally, today's sauna activity begins. Today's destination is a sauna facility called kobatoisa cafe&sauna located in Mimasaka City, Okayama Prefecture. Let me explain a bit about kobatoisa cafe&sauna. First, the word 'kobatoisa' in the facility's name combines the Finnish word 'kotoisa' (meaning 'cozy') with the initial 'koba' from the operating company, Kobayashi Kogyo. The concept is 'a cozy place where the mind and body can totonou.' The fact that they incorporated Finnish suggests how much the creators of this facility love saunas. As for the sauna itself, it features a sauna hut designed by a first-class architect with a Harvia wood-burning stove. The point of the wood-burning stove attracted me to Mimasaka City. The cold plunge bath uses groundwater drawn from 33 meters underground, allowing you to enjoy mineral-rich, soft water different from tap water. And for the finishing touch, you can enjoy an outdoor bath with a view of the Yoshino River in a private space. It offers a quality that is perfect for a private sauna. This is the information I researched in advance. Whether it's really a good facility, I'll find out by going in. I parked the car and entered the attached café. The staff greeted me cheerfully, 'Welcome! You're here for the sauna, right?' I replied, 'Yes! I have a reservation for the sauna at 10:30.' After receiving an explanation of the facility's rules, I headed to the private sauna. After changing in the locker room, I stepped into the sauna area and found there was already someone there. We exchanged greetings with a 'Good morning.' The person had already completed several rounds of sauna and cold plunge and seemed quite totonou. As I was thinking this, they spoke to me. Previous guest: 'You came at just the right time. I'm finished now.' Me: 'I see. How was the sauna?' Previous guest: 'Oh, it was amazing. It's the first time I've been in such a calm and relaxing sauna hut.' Me: 'Is it that good... I'll enjoy it to the fullest, haha.' Previous guest: 'I'd love to hear your thoughts, but I'll take my leave now. Enjoy yourself!' After this exchange, I decided to enter the sauna for the first round. The moment I entered, I was soothed by the unique scent and sound of the wood-burning sauna. Indeed, I love wood-burning saunas. The sauna room, enveloped in the pleasant scent of wood, was empty except for me. No one else was outside the sauna either. I could enjoy the sauna in complete privacy. I lay down on the bench in the sauna room. The great thing about a private sauna is that you can stretch your legs and lie down inside the sauna room. With no one else around, there's no need to be considerate. Wrapped in the soft heat, I felt my body gradually warming up. The crackling sound of the burning wood seemed to go on forever. In this space, there was only the sauna hut, the wood stove, my body, and the view of the Yoshino River from the window. Nothing disturbed this supreme time. Could there be a more luxurious time? After thoroughly heating my body, I plunged into the cold plunge bath filled with groundwater. I dove into the cold plunge bath made from a large whiskey barrel. The soft water unique to groundwater enveloped my body. The water temperature was around 18°C, making it a temperature you can soak in for a long time. While in the cold plunge bath, I gazed blankly at the sky, letting time pass in nothingness. After getting out of the cold plunge bath, I enjoyed an outdoor bath with a view of the Yoshino River, listening to the birds' chirping and the sound of the flowing river as background music, feeling alive. I'm happy to have been able to enter such a wonderful sauna from the morning. For the second round, I lay down again in the sauna room, feeling the soft heat of the wood stove all over my body. Occasionally, I sat cross-legged, slowly watching the flames of the wood. However, I couldn't remain in nothingness forever, and after a while, I started thinking about other things. Then, I returned my focus to the flames and sounds of the wood. This cycle repeated in the sauna room, and this repetition provided deep relaxation. In the end, I completed four sets of sauna → cold plunge bath → outdoor bath. I was able to fully enjoy my private sauna to the fullest.

Until now, I've always enjoyed sauna bathing in large public baths filled with people. Although I was interested in private saunas, I hesitated to use them due to a lack of courage. But that version of myself is gone. From now on, when I want to enter a sauna quietly by myself, I'll go to a private sauna without hesitation. After the sauna, I decided to have lunch at the attached café. I had a dish called 'pho' made with chicken and shrimp from Okayama Prefecture. 'Pho' is a Vietnamese-origin rice noodle soup, typically made by soaking flat rice noodles in a clear broth made from chicken bones or beef bones, and eaten with cilantro, basil, lime, and chili. It was an adventure since I had never eaten it before, but it was very delicious. The soup hydrated my body, which was dry after the sauna. After the meal, I ordered a coffee and cake set, enjoying an elegant lunch time. With this, there was nothing left undone at kobatoisa cafe&sauna. Today is Sunday, so I could either go home or visit another facility. Readers of this site would know what choice I'll make. Since I'm on a sauna trip, let's visit one more sauna. I consider the next destination. Mimasaka City in Okayama Prefecture is located closer to Hyogo Prefecture. Therefore, it's easily accessible to Himeji City or Miki City in Hyogo Prefecture. In that case, there's one facility that catches my interest. In a book I read before, Takahashi from the comedy duo 'Savanna' praised a certain facility. That facility is 'Nest Resort Kobe ZIKKAI SPA' in Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture. The next destination is decided.