「Traditional Bathhouse Koyaguchi-no-Yu (2nd Visit)」 - A Visit

The sauna and cold bath were so incredible that I found myself here for the second day in a row. My sauna travels are based on the principle of "once-in-a-lifetime encounters." Basically, I fully enjoy a single visit, and once that experience is complete, I move on to the next facility. However, regarding "Traditional Bathhouse Koyaguchi-no-Yu," I was driven by a strong impulse to experience it once more. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of the entrance. This day, I woke up at 5 AM. It was the perfect awakening. Why? Because the night before, I had thoroughly healed my body at "Traditional Bathhouse Koyaguchi-no-Yu" and drifted off to sleep. With an ideal 7 hours of sleep, I felt like I could do bench presses and squats the moment I woke up. Following my usual routine, I went for a morning walk, then showered in the hotel's large bath and charged up with energy at the breakfast buffet. By that point, it was 7 AM. I finished getting ready, checked out of the hotel, and headed to Mount Koya. It's about an hour drive from the hotel to Mount Koya. Along the way, I stopped at a 7-Eleven to buy coffee, inhaling its aroma deeply to boost my mood. In the car, I played music at full volume and sang passionately until my voice was hoarse. It was still only 7:30 AM. I easily navigated the treacherous mountain roads and arrived at Mount Koya at 8:30 AM. First, I visited "Kongobu-ji Temple," then headed to "Okunoin." Mount Koya's Okunoin is the sacred ground of Kobo Daishi (Kukai) and one of the most significant spiritual sites in Japanese Buddhism. The approximately 2km approach is lined with centuries-old cedar trees and over 200,000 gravestones and memorial towers, serving as a place of worship for everyone from warriors and feudal lords to common people. The negative ions from the cedar forest mix with countless spiritual energies, creating an incredibly mystical atmosphere. While the presence of many tourists provides reassurance, if asked to walk here alone at night, I'd probably end up trembling and wetting myself halfway through. After completing the mystical 4km round-trip walk and feeling spiritually purified, I made my way to a sacred place called Sanmido. Sanmido is a place of training and prayer for calming the mind and approaching Buddha's teachings, particularly revered within Mount Koya. The prayer bracelets obtained here aren't mere decorative items. Each time one is tied, wishes are embedded within, becoming protective charms that guard daily life. I picked up (purchased) one bracelet there and prayed quietly: "May all the people around me live healthy and happy lives every day. As for my personal wish, may I be able to walk through life while traveling to saunas." Having purified my spirit at Mount Koya, I drove toward "Traditional Bathhouse Koyaguchi-no-Yu" to heal the fatigue from my walk. I arrived at my destination in about 30 minutes. Time for morning sauna. Since I had already visited yesterday, there was no need to check the layout anymore. I completed reception like a regular customer, quickly undressed, and entered the bathing area. There were only 2 other customers. It was practically private. I cleansed my body, which had worked up a sweat from walking, and soaked in the carbonated spring. I could feel my muscles relaxing. After warming up in the bath for a while, it was time for the anticipated sauna. Just like yesterday, a pleasant aroma filled the room. While meditating and sweating, another customer entered. He seemed about my age. He appeared to be a traveler too. As soon as he entered, he asked me, "Has the automatic löyly finished already?" I replied, "Not yet. It'll come in about a minute." I knew because I'd been here yesterday. He said, "Great! Actually, this is my first time here." I responded, "I see, this is my second time. I came last night. I was so moved..." Then he said, "So you're not a regular! I thought you were a regular for sure." I replied, "Do I give off that vibe? Haha, I'm a traveler." He asked, "Where did you come from?" "I usually live in Tokushima Prefecture, but I stayed in Wakayama last night. Where are you from?" I responded. He said, "I came from Nagoya." "Nagoya! That's great. I went to Wellbe Sakae last Sunday." When I said this, he looked surprised and said, "Actually, I was there too! We might have been in the same space." The atmosphere became pleasant. I was nearing my limit, so I said, "Well then, let's both have wonderful sauna travels" and headed to the cold bath. The morning cold bath also had exceptional water quality and temperature, enveloping my body with overwhelming refreshment. During outdoor relaxation, I nearly lost consciousness while being soothed by the incense aroma. I repeated this for 3 sets. The fatigue from the early morning Mount Koya pilgrimage seemed to have disappeared completely. On my way out, I thanked a different staff member than yesterday and left "Traditional Bathhouse Koyaguchi-no-Yu." I have a feeling I'll come here again. My body will crave this sauna and cold bath. I thought about this while walking to the parking lot. Now, after the sauna, it's time for post-sauna food.

A few minutes' walk from "Traditional Bathhouse Koyaguchi-no-Yu," there was a ramen shop. Chicken paitan ramen seemed to be their specialty. I didn't know if it was delicious, and I didn't know the reviews. Anyway, I was hungry. Should I go in? I don't research restaurants when traveling. I go to places by chance and enter shops that catch my interest while walking around town. I prefer a travel style that relies on intuition rather than reputation. I entered the shop, sat at the counter, and ordered chicken paitan ramen. I don't usually prefer eating ramen, but after sauna, it's a different story. Nothing penetrates the post-sauna body like ramen broth. The moment I slurped the first spoonful, an electric current ran through my body, which had been healed by sauna and groundwater. Delicious. From there, I devoured the ramen single-mindedly and drank every drop of the broth. I paid the bill, said "Thank you for the meal!" and left the shop. Now, I was completely without a plan. Fortunately, I could stay another night. I asked my intuition: Continue traveling? Or go home? The answer came instantly. I would continue traveling. The reason was that there was a sauna in Wakayama City that caught my interest. That facility was also a historic bathhouse with a flowing groundwater cold bath. Based on my online research, it seemed to have an exquisite cold bath. I had no choice but to go. I entered a nearby coffee shop and booked a hotel in Wakayama City while enjoying delicious scones and coffee. That night, I would experience my first bitter experience in sauna travel. Unaware of this, I sang until my voice was hoarse in the car with BGM blasting and headed toward Wakayama City. To be continued.