Hiroshima at night shows a completely different face from the city by day. Walking through the entertainment district, I passed bars, hostess clubs, and adult establishments lined up shoulder to shoulder along streets lit by glowing signs, with a faintly sweet smell drifting through the air. The voices of touts, bursts of laughter, and the sound of doors opening and closing all blended together, forming the distinctive hum of the night city. I walked through that noise without a care. The temptations of the night district held no interest for me. Keeping a straight face, I slipped into a narrow alley, where a building with an unmistakable presence came into view. This was New Japan EX, one of Hiroshima's finest sauna establishments. Tonight, I was here to enjoy the sauna. When I entered, staff greeted me in a space filled with a pleasant fragrance. During the day I had visited an unstaffed private sauna, and with no one there, walking in to complete silence had left me feeling oddly hollow. Here, a staff member gave me a courteous welcome and guided me through check-in. I got changed in the locker room and headed to the main bathing area. I used to take this kind of thing for granted, but lately I find myself appreciating genuine human hospitality more and more. Stepping into the main bathing area, I was struck by a world that evoked ancient Rome in Europe, with brilliant white columns making a strong impression. A pleasant eucalyptus-like scent drifted through the bathing space as well. Towels were available without limit, and lemon water had been prepared for guests. Staff came and went with remarkable frequency, keeping up with cleaning and maintenance throughout. Perhaps that is why, despite being a long-established facility, it felt wonderfully clean and well-kept. I hadn't even gotten into the bath yet, but I already knew this was a superb place. First, I took stock of the layout. Three saunas and one cold plunge bath. There was also a warm bath featuring the mineral waters of Futamata Onsen in Hokkaido, making for a genuinely impressive lineup. The rest areas were spacious enough too, so it looked like I would have no trouble enjoying that blissful post-cold-plunge time. As a warm-up, I eased myself into the Futamata Onsen bath to get my body temperature up. It's an artificially drawn hot spring, but within a few minutes I could feel warmth spreading through to my core. From there I headed to the Finnish sauna. It was a compact space seating about six people, with no TV, and a self-service löyly setup. A minty aroma hung in the air, and just breathing it in gave me a clear, refreshing sensation. Fortunately, no other guests were around, so I could pour the löyly at my own pace and work up a good sweat. After the sauna came the ritual cold plunge. The water was set at 15°C, and a bundle of eucalyptus branches had been submerged near the inlet — that was the source of all the wonderful fragrance. The cold plunge chilled my body while the scent soothed my senses, a rare and wonderful combination. I then moved to one of the chairs in the indoor relaxation area and savored my totonou time. Even after just one set, I already felt an overwhelming sense of bliss. The reason came down to the atmosphere of the place. Posted in several spots around the facility were notices that read: "This is a facility for solo visitors. Conversation is strictly prohibited. Everyone here is seeking healing." The facility's concept — that each guest should cherish their own time and space — came through clearly. During my visit, not a single person was talking. There was no TV in the sauna room either. It is precisely through efforts like these that such an atmosphere is created. For my second set, I entered the main sauna. It runs on an auto-löyly sauna heater — the isness by METOS — and can hold about fifteen people. Here too, no one spoke. Each guest was absorbed in their own world. I did the same, lost in my own thoughts, sweating for about ten minutes. I got back into the cold plunge, then moved to the outdoor relaxation area. The night breeze against my skin felt wonderful. On top of that, the smells drifting over from nearby restaurants started making me hungry. I remembered — this is right in the heart of the entertainment district. Afterward I continued to immerse myself completely in my own sauna world, then decided to have a meal at the izakaya inside the facility.

Hiroshima at night shows a completely different face from the city by day. Walking through the entertainment district, I passed bars, hostess clubs, and adult establishments lined up shoulder to shoulder along streets lit by glowing signs, with a faintly sweet smell drifting through the air. The voices of touts, bursts of laughter, and the sound of doors opening and closing all blended together, forming the distinctive hum of the night city. I walked through that noise without a care. The temptations of the night district held no interest for me. Keeping a straight face, I slipped into a narrow alley, where a building with an unmistakable presence came into view. This was New Japan EX, one of Hiroshima's finest sauna establishments. Tonight, I was here to enjoy the sauna. When I entered, staff greeted me in a space filled with a pleasant fragrance. During the day I had visited an unstaffed private sauna, and with no one there, walking in to complete silence had left me feeling oddly hollow. Here, a staff member gave me a courteous welcome and guided me through check-in. I got changed in the locker room and headed to the main bathing area. I used to take this kind of thing for granted, but lately I find myself appreciating genuine human hospitality more and more. Stepping into the main bathing area, I was struck by a world that evoked ancient Rome in Europe, with brilliant white columns making a strong impression. A pleasant eucalyptus-like scent drifted through the bathing space as well. Towels were available without limit, and lemon water had been prepared for guests. Staff came and went with remarkable frequency, keeping up with cleaning and maintenance throughout. Perhaps that is why, despite being a long-established facility, it felt wonderfully clean and well-kept. I hadn't even gotten into the bath yet, but I already knew this was a superb place. First, I took stock of the layout. Three saunas and one cold plunge bath. There was also a warm bath featuring the mineral waters of Futamata Onsen in Hokkaido, making for a genuinely impressive lineup. The rest areas were spacious enough too, so it looked like I would have no trouble enjoying that blissful post-cold-plunge time. As a warm-up, I eased myself into the Futamata Onsen bath to get my body temperature up. It's an artificially drawn hot spring, but within a few minutes I could feel warmth spreading through to my core. From there I headed to the Finnish sauna. It was a compact space seating about six people, with no TV, and a self-service löyly setup. A minty aroma hung in the air, and just breathing it in gave me a clear, refreshing sensation. Fortunately, no other guests were around, so I could pour the löyly at my own pace and work up a good sweat. After the sauna came the ritual cold plunge. The water was set at 15°C, and a bundle of eucalyptus branches had been submerged near the inlet — that was the source of all the wonderful fragrance. The cold plunge chilled my body while the scent soothed my senses, a rare and wonderful combination. I then moved to one of the chairs in the indoor relaxation area and savored my totonou time. Even after just one set, I already felt an overwhelming sense of bliss. The reason came down to the atmosphere of the place. Posted in several spots around the facility were notices that read: "This is a facility for solo visitors. Conversation is strictly prohibited. Everyone here is seeking healing." The facility's concept — that each guest should cherish their own time and space — came through clearly. During my visit, not a single person was talking. There was no TV in the sauna room either. It is precisely through efforts like these that such an atmosphere is created. For my second set, I entered the main sauna. It runs on an auto-löyly sauna heater — the isness by METOS — and can hold about fifteen people. Here too, no one spoke. Each guest was absorbed in their own world. I did the same, lost in my own thoughts, sweating for about ten minutes. I got back into the cold plunge, then moved to the outdoor relaxation area. The night breeze against my skin felt wonderful. On top of that, the smells drifting over from nearby restaurants started making me hungry. I remembered — this is right in the heart of the entertainment district. Afterward I continued to immerse myself completely in my own sauna world, then decided to have a meal at the izakaya inside the facility.