「Traditional Bathhouse Koyaguchi-no-Yu」 - A Visit

A predictable life is boring. Travel is the same. No-plan journeys are the most interesting. You can freely decide where to go. Unexpected things happen. You meet people you never would have otherwise. Sometimes these become once-in-a-lifetime experiences. My encounter with "Traditional Bathhouse Koyaguchi-no-Yu" was exactly one of these serendipitous moments. After achieving perfect totonou at Gose Takarayu in Nara Prefecture, I followed my desire to continue the journey. I booked a hotel in Kinokawa City, Wakayama Prefecture, and checked in at exactly 3 PM. I took a 30-minute nap to recover from the morning's adventures. I woke up completely refreshed, and with it came a surge of motivation for more sauna. I had researched "Traditional Bathhouse Koyaguchi-no-Yu" beforehand. What attracted me most was that the cold bath uses natural groundwater. The temperature is maintained at a perfect 15°C - the most comfortable temperature possible. The sauna also features a Harvia iki stove with automatic löyly every 30 minutes, plus regular staff löyly sessions. There's even a dedicated outdoor relaxation area. It's rare to find such well-equipped facilities at a local bathhouse. With high expectations, I drove toward my destination. I parked in the dedicated parking lot near Koyaguchi Station and walked through the narrow streets to the bathhouse. After about 3 minutes, "Traditional Bathhouse Koyaguchi-no-Yu" came into view. The exterior has the atmosphere of a long-established sento. Inside, it maintains that nostalgic charm while being incredibly clean with a pleasant aroma. Shoe lockers are placed where the original entrance used to be, with ticket machines and reception beyond. I purchased my bathing ticket and headed to the changing room. The changing room was also extremely clean and well-maintained. The retro lockers are part of the sento's charm. I quickly undressed and entered the bathing area. The bathing area layout consists of three zones: indoor baths, outdoor area, and relaxation space. The sauna is located at the back of the indoor bath area, while the cold bath and jacuzzi are in the outdoor section. After confirming the layout, I performed my usual cleansing ritual and warmed up in the indoor bath. Surprisingly, this facility also has a carbonated spring. Since they use groundwater for more than just the cold bath, the smooth water quality combined with the pleasant carbonation made me zone out for a while. Once my body warmed up, I entered the sauna. It's a small sauna for about 5 people, but a magnificent iki stove sits proudly inside. There's a lovely cherry-like aroma, perhaps from the aromatherapy water. The temperature is 95°C - extremely hot. Hot, but the high humidity makes it pleasant. "This is a good sauna," I thought. Sweat immediately began pouring out. Soon the automatic löyly activated, enveloping the room in even more intense heat. From the first set, I was able to warm my body to the core. What awaited next was the natural groundwater cold bath. After rinsing off the sauna sweat, I headed to the cold bath in the outdoor area. While it accommodates about 3 people, it's quite deep at around 120cm. The natural water pumped from underground gently welcomed my body. The smooth texture you can't get from tap water. Proof of this: despite being 15°C, I could stay in for minutes. With tap water, there would be a stinging sensation that wouldn't allow such extended soaking. Plus, my skin became silky smooth. Evidence that my skin was rejoicing in the mineral-rich water. The refreshing sensation was completely different too. After the cold bath, I headed to the outdoor relaxation area. About 6 dedicated chairs are lined up, and they even burn mosquito coils. What thoughtful service! The pleasant incense aroma guides you into an even deeper state of relaxation. As my cold body gradually returns to normal temperature, supreme totonou arrives. "This really is a wonderful sento," I thought, feeling grateful to be able to enjoy sauna. I enjoyed the outdoor relaxation while thinking, "What should I eat after this?" I then did 2 additional sets of sauna and cold bath. This was among the most transcendent totonou experiences of my life. On my way out, since no one else was around, I had the opportunity to chat with the reception staff. I first expressed my gratitude: "Wow, the sauna and cold bath felt absolutely incredible. I was truly moved..." The staff member seemed delighted and replied, "Thank you so much. We draw natural groundwater here, so it has a different texture from tap water. Also, since we couldn't make the cold bath very wide, we made it deep instead. Depth is important for cold baths, isn't it? I think facilities with natural groundwater this deep are quite rare." Indeed, that's true. So I decided to ask a question that had been on my mind: "When building a sauna, the cold bath becomes crucial, but how did you survey to discover that quality groundwater was sleeping here?" "Actually..." he began, and we enjoyed about 15 minutes of sauna discussion. I had completely fallen in love with this bathhouse. If possible, I wanted to come again tomorrow. No, I will come. This is a free no-plan journey - I can come anytime! I told the staff, "I'll come again tomorrow." "Thank you so much. By the way, mornings have fewer people and are recommended. Morning sauna gives you a different kind of totonou than evening," they advised. Exactly right. Morning sauna provides a completely different sensation from evening sauna. I could tell this staff member was quite the sauna enthusiast too. Grateful to have encountered such a wonderful facility, I returned to my hotel. Time to plan tomorrow. "Traditional Bathhouse Koyaguchi-no-Yu" opens at 10 AM. A bit late for an early riser like me. Then I'll do some early morning sightseeing and follow it with morning sauna. Where to go? Speaking of Wakayama, I have to visit the World Heritage site "Mount Koya." Kongobu-ji Temple and Okunoin Cemetery were places I'd long wanted to visit. Purify my spirit at Mount Koya, then cleanse my body at the sauna. Tomorrow promises to be another perfect day. With these thoughts, I somehow drifted into deep sleep. To be continued.