Touring the famous sights of Saga Prefecture — Takeo Shrine, Yutoku Inari Shrine — was a wonderful experience. The time we spent walking together as a family, immersed in history and nature, will be an irreplaceable memory. And yet, my mind had already drifted somewhere else entirely. All that was left was to check in to Mifuneyama Rakuen Hotel, thoroughly savor the legendary Rakan no Yu, and reset my body and soul. I hopped in a taxi from Takeo Onsen Station and headed for the hotel. Given its long history, the exterior is by no means new. But the moment I pushed open the entrance door, another world greeted me. Countless lamps glowed in the darkness, their light multiplied infinitely by the mirrored walls. It was a teamLab art installation. My heart raced at the check-in process unlike anything I had experienced before — staff guiding the paperwork by flashlight in the dark. In any case, the forest of lamps was simply beautiful. We were shown to a room with a private open-air bath. Takeo Onsen water flows through the rock-hewn tub in a continuous, endless stream. Since we had the opportunity, I decided to enjoy a foot bath first. The moment I dipped my feet in, warmth spread through my body with surprising speed. So this is the power of a celebrated hot spring. The gently alkaline simple spring water left my skin feeling silky smooth. The fatigue from a day of sightseeing seemed to melt away into the water. It was 4 p.m. With time still on our side, I decided to take a stroll through the famous Mifuneyama Rakuen garden. This, too, was a stroke of luck — 200,000 azaleas happened to be in full bloom at exactly that moment. A breathtakingly beautiful scene spread before us, one truly worthy of the name "paradise." I was told this is the most beautiful time of year. We burned the spectacular view into our memories as a family, then returned to the hotel. At last, the moment had come to head to Rakan no Yu. I took a deep breath and entered the main bathing area, first scanning the entire layout — my personal rule. The indoor bath features a spacious tub to enjoy Takeo Onsen, as well as a dry sauna with self-service löyly. Stepping outside, an open and airy space unfolds, with a circular cold plunge bath right there. A tub where you can soak in the hot spring while gazing up at the Takeo forest, an outdoor air-bathing area lined with many chairs, a steam sauna, and a rooftop outdoor relaxation area centered around a bonfire. And beyond that, a luxurious lounge where you can enjoy drinks and light snacks between sauna sets — with a wood-burning sauna tucked away at the far end of the outdoor area. Just from taking in the layout, it was clear this place transcended any ordinary sauna facility. The combination of hot spring, sauna, cold plunge, and open-air bathing space in the middle of a forest would already be deeply satisfying on its own — but then there's that lounge on top of it all. I couldn't stop grinning as I imagined how long I could go on enjoying this experience. After washing up, I slowly sank into the outdoor hot spring. I looked up at the forest, breathed in the fresh air, and tuned into the sounds of nature. There was a fair number of other guests, but everyone seemed 100% absorbed in their own experience — not a word of conversation to be heard. As the soft waters of Takeo Onsen enveloped my body, I deliberated over which sauna to start with. I'm a dry sauna person, so it came down to the wood-burning sauna or the self-löyly sauna. In the end, I decided to begin with the self-löyly sauna in the indoor area. Opening the door, the room was dark enough that I couldn't make out the whole space — an iki stove sitting at the center. A pleasant aroma of hojicha drifted through the air, with a hint of smokiness woven in. This was exactly the kind of space that speaks to me. After sitting for a while, my eyes adjusted and I could finally take in the whole sauna room. A good sweat was building, so I performed a self-service löyly using homemade hojicha. With a satisfying hiss, a rich fragrance spread through the entire room, and a beautiful wave of steam wrapped around my body. When I reached my limit, I moved outside to the cold plunge bath, where Takeo Onsen's source water had been chilled. It had good depth, and you could even float with the help of a buoy-like float. The mellow, soft quality of the water unique to Takeo Onsen was irresistible. Truly a wonderful cold plunge. After cooling my whole body, I lay down on the rocks at the center of the open-air space and gazed up at the sky and forest of Takeo. A sensation of drifting consciousness gradually washed over me, and I lay there on the rocks until my body switched back on. For the second set, I headed to the wood-burning sauna. Beyond the beauty of the sauna room's design, I was overwhelmed by the outrageously large wood-burning stove. I had never seen a stove this big. Countless sauna stones were stacked on top of it, making for a bold and generous löyly. The sauna room was wrapped in silence, everyone lost in the experience. As I was leaving, I noticed a guest carefully wiping down the area around their seat with a towel — impressive, I thought, these are the sauna devotees who make the pilgrimage to a place like this. A space where well-mannered guests gather has its own inherent value. After basking in the gentle heat of the wood-burning sauna and performing löyly again and again, I returned to the Takeo Onsen cold plunge. Then, with an outdoor air bath gazing at the forest, I completely lost consciousness. At this point, I decided to take a break in the lounge. I usually dive straight into a third set, but here something special awaited. The high-end lounge had a bonfire area, with detox water and light snacks on offer. There was a local sweet called kankoro mochi — sweet potato treats — that you toast yourself over the open fire before eating. And on top of that, a salt-dusted pudding. I could feel the salt and sugar going directly to work on my body, depleted from the sauna. Toasting snacks over a bonfire between sauna sets — what an indulgent way to spend one's time. The chairs were made from a material I had never seen before, and everything about this place was one of a kind. After about 20 minutes of rest, on to the third set. This time: the herbal steam sauna. The moment I opened the door, an intense wave of steam enveloped my entire body. The room was spacious and dimly lit, with steam silently billowing up from beneath the seats. The temperature was supposedly around 50°C, but it felt closer to 80°C. The naturally derived herbal fragrance was deeply soothing, and the healing ran all the way through me. After steaming the body, I descended the stairs to a semi-underground cold plunge filled with groundwater. Unlike the hot spring water, this had a sharp, clean cold that left me feeling completely refreshed and invigorated. Out of the cold plunge, up the stairs, to the rooftop outdoor relaxation area. A bonfire space spread out before me, with many people already lying motionless, having lost themselves entirely. The flames, the crackling sound, the scent of smoke. Every element of bliss was assembled right here.

Touring the famous sights of Saga Prefecture — Takeo Shrine, Yutoku Inari Shrine — was a wonderful experience. The time we spent walking together as a family, immersed in history and nature, will be an irreplaceable memory. And yet, my mind had already drifted somewhere else entirely. All that was left was to check in to Mifuneyama Rakuen Hotel, thoroughly savor the legendary Rakan no Yu, and reset my body and soul. I hopped in a taxi from Takeo Onsen Station and headed for the hotel. Given its long history, the exterior is by no means new. But the moment I pushed open the entrance door, another world greeted me. Countless lamps glowed in the darkness, their light multiplied infinitely by the mirrored walls. It was a teamLab art installation. My heart raced at the check-in process unlike anything I had experienced before — staff guiding the paperwork by flashlight in the dark. In any case, the forest of lamps was simply beautiful. We were shown to a room with a private open-air bath. Takeo Onsen water flows through the rock-hewn tub in a continuous, endless stream. Since we had the opportunity, I decided to enjoy a foot bath first. The moment I dipped my feet in, warmth spread through my body with surprising speed. So this is the power of a celebrated hot spring. The gently alkaline simple spring water left my skin feeling silky smooth. The fatigue from a day of sightseeing seemed to melt away into the water. It was 4 p.m. With time still on our side, I decided to take a stroll through the famous Mifuneyama Rakuen garden. This, too, was a stroke of luck — 200,000 azaleas happened to be in full bloom at exactly that moment. A breathtakingly beautiful scene spread before us, one truly worthy of the name "paradise." I was told this is the most beautiful time of year. We burned the spectacular view into our memories as a family, then returned to the hotel. At last, the moment had come to head to Rakan no Yu. I took a deep breath and entered the main bathing area, first scanning the entire layout — my personal rule. The indoor bath features a spacious tub to enjoy Takeo Onsen, as well as a dry sauna with self-service löyly. Stepping outside, an open and airy space unfolds, with a circular cold plunge bath right there. A tub where you can soak in the hot spring while gazing up at the Takeo forest, an outdoor air-bathing area lined with many chairs, a steam sauna, and a rooftop outdoor relaxation area centered around a bonfire. And beyond that, a luxurious lounge where you can enjoy drinks and light snacks between sauna sets — with a wood-burning sauna tucked away at the far end of the outdoor area. Just from taking in the layout, it was clear this place transcended any ordinary sauna facility. The combination of hot spring, sauna, cold plunge, and open-air bathing space in the middle of a forest would already be deeply satisfying on its own — but then there's that lounge on top of it all. I couldn't stop grinning as I imagined how long I could go on enjoying this experience. After washing up, I slowly sank into the outdoor hot spring. I looked up at the forest, breathed in the fresh air, and tuned into the sounds of nature. There was a fair number of other guests, but everyone seemed 100% absorbed in their own experience — not a word of conversation to be heard. As the soft waters of Takeo Onsen enveloped my body, I deliberated over which sauna to start with. I'm a dry sauna person, so it came down to the wood-burning sauna or the self-löyly sauna. In the end, I decided to begin with the self-löyly sauna in the indoor area. Opening the door, the room was dark enough that I couldn't make out the whole space — an iki stove sitting at the center. A pleasant aroma of hojicha drifted through the air, with a hint of smokiness woven in. This was exactly the kind of space that speaks to me. After sitting for a while, my eyes adjusted and I could finally take in the whole sauna room. A good sweat was building, so I performed a self-service löyly using homemade hojicha. With a satisfying hiss, a rich fragrance spread through the entire room, and a beautiful wave of steam wrapped around my body. When I reached my limit, I moved outside to the cold plunge bath, where Takeo Onsen's source water had been chilled. It had good depth, and you could even float with the help of a buoy-like float. The mellow, soft quality of the water unique to Takeo Onsen was irresistible. Truly a wonderful cold plunge. After cooling my whole body, I lay down on the rocks at the center of the open-air space and gazed up at the sky and forest of Takeo. A sensation of drifting consciousness gradually washed over me, and I lay there on the rocks until my body switched back on. For the second set, I headed to the wood-burning sauna. Beyond the beauty of the sauna room's design, I was overwhelmed by the outrageously large wood-burning stove. I had never seen a stove this big. Countless sauna stones were stacked on top of it, making for a bold and generous löyly. The sauna room was wrapped in silence, everyone lost in the experience. As I was leaving, I noticed a guest carefully wiping down the area around their seat with a towel — impressive, I thought, these are the sauna devotees who make the pilgrimage to a place like this. A space where well-mannered guests gather has its own inherent value. After basking in the gentle heat of the wood-burning sauna and performing löyly again and again, I returned to the Takeo Onsen cold plunge. Then, with an outdoor air bath gazing at the forest, I completely lost consciousness. At this point, I decided to take a break in the lounge. I usually dive straight into a third set, but here something special awaited. The high-end lounge had a bonfire area, with detox water and light snacks on offer. There was a local sweet called kankoro mochi — sweet potato treats — that you toast yourself over the open fire before eating. And on top of that, a salt-dusted pudding. I could feel the salt and sugar going directly to work on my body, depleted from the sauna. Toasting snacks over a bonfire between sauna sets — what an indulgent way to spend one's time. The chairs were made from a material I had never seen before, and everything about this place was one of a kind. After about 20 minutes of rest, on to the third set. This time: the herbal steam sauna. The moment I opened the door, an intense wave of steam enveloped my entire body. The room was spacious and dimly lit, with steam silently billowing up from beneath the seats. The temperature was supposedly around 50°C, but it felt closer to 80°C. The naturally derived herbal fragrance was deeply soothing, and the healing ran all the way through me. After steaming the body, I descended the stairs to a semi-underground cold plunge filled with groundwater. Unlike the hot spring water, this had a sharp, clean cold that left me feeling completely refreshed and invigorated. Out of the cold plunge, up the stairs, to the rooftop outdoor relaxation area. A bonfire space spread out before me, with many people already lying motionless, having lost themselves entirely. The flames, the crackling sound, the scent of smoke. Every element of bliss was assembled right here.