I had completely fallen ill. Last Saturday night, I was immobilized by sudden abdominal pain and fever. In such a state, I couldn't even go to my beloved sauna, and I was living days that could truly be called miserable. Gradually, my condition improved, and by Friday, I was back to full health. What came to mind was, "Let's go on a sauna trip." As for the destination, since I was recovering, somewhere within driving distance was preferable. As I gazed at the map on Google Maps, it felt as if Nara Prefecture was calling out to me. There are several sauna facilities in Nara that I've wanted to visit, so I decided to go to Nara this week. I set off on Saturday morning. This time, it was a two-day, one-night trip. I felt joy at being able to go on a sauna trip again and let out a cheer as I headed towards my destination. After driving for about two hours, I arrived at "Niji no Yu Nishiyamato." The exterior, which has a very cool appearance, gives off the vibe of a French restaurant, but it is actually a public bath. I headed towards the entrance, excited to see what kind of world awaited inside. Passing through the clean lobby, I quickly undressed in the men's locker room and headed to the large bath. As soon as I entered, I saw a sign for the "löyly sauna" and the entrance to the sauna. The layout consists of a shower area on the left, an indoor bath on the right, and an open-air bath straight ahead. The indoor bath has large windows, allowing you to enjoy a view of the outdoor garden while soaking in the hot spring. I had previously visited "Niji no Yu" in Osakasayama City, where you could also enjoy a view of a waterfall while soaking in the hot spring, creating a special feeling just by being in the bath. This design is the true essence of "Niji no Yu." First, I cleansed myself and immersed my body in the natural hot spring of the indoor bath. The soft hot spring water enveloped my body, relieving the fatigue from travel. As I gazed at the view of the open-air bath through the window, I felt increasingly relaxed. Having been sick for the first time in years, I realized that when your body is not well, you cannot enjoy hot springs. I was reminded of how important it is to be healthy and felt grateful to be able to soak in the hot spring again. Having completed my warm-up in the natural hot spring, I headed to the sauna. Upon entering the sauna room, I noticed that the walls were lined with something other than wood. What was it? It was radon ceramic tiles. Radon ceramic tiles emit far-infrared rays, promoting perspiration and raising the core body temperature. While wood is commonly used in saunas, it is rare to see radon ceramic tiles covering most of the walls. As I sat on the bench and felt the heat, it seemed like my body warmed up faster than usual. Could it be the effect of the radon ceramic tiles? After the sauna, it was time for the cold plunge bath. First, the layout is perfect. The cold plunge bath is located right outside the sauna room. Additionally, the size and depth are perfect. It is spacious enough to accommodate about ten people, and with a water depth of 90 cm, you can cool your entire body. The temperature is ideal for a cold plunge bath at around 16°C. Not only is the design of each area of the facility excellent, but the main sauna and cold plunge bath are also wonderful. If I lived nearby, I would definitely make it my home sauna, and it might be one of the top-level facilities in Nara Prefecture. After the cold plunge bath, I moved to the open-air area for an outdoor bath. Here, too, there are plenty of rest chairs lined up, setting the stage for achieving a state of perfect relaxation. Everything you want is placed wherever you move. It's not just clean, but it's designed to be user-friendly based on an understanding of the sauna experience and flow. This makes you realize what true design is. From the first set, I was able to perfectly execute the sauna → cold plunge bath → outdoor bath routine, and I completely fell in love with "Niji no Yu." For the second set, I entered the open-air barrel sauna. It's compact, accommodating about four people, and the unique wooden scent of the barrel sauna is wonderful. Compared to the main sauna, the air is slightly drier, but you can feel a different kind of heat, which is also nice. Initially, I was using it privately, but after a while, an elderly gentleman came in. He struck up a conversation, saying, "It's a nice day today! Feels great, doesn't it?" I replied, "Yes! The hot spring and sauna here are amazing." He continued, "Is this your first time here? It's a great place, isn't it? I come here every day, haha." I responded, "I'm very envious! If it were nearby, I'd definitely come every day too, haha," and then, reaching my limit, I said, "Excuse me, I'll be leaving first!" and exited. When traveling for sauna experiences, you often encounter such once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Perhaps only at this moment in our lives do our paths cross. It's because I went on this trip and visited this place that I could savor this moment. The barrel sauna is located in the open-air area, and there are two cold plunge baths immediately outside the sauna. The layout design is impeccable. I plunged into the Shigaraki ware ceramic cold plunge bath, rapidly cooling my body. Afterwards, I relaxed in a lounge chair located right next to the cold plunge bath. I can't stress enough how perfect the layout is. It's truly a great facility. Afterwards, I enjoyed an additional two sets of sauna → cold plunge bath → outdoor bath, concluding my morning sauna session.

While eating at the facility's restaurant, I realized I hadn't booked a hotel for tonight. However, I wasn't worried at all. It's a common occurrence. My motto for sauna trips is spontaneity, impulsive actions, and real-time decisions. I prioritize the places I want to go now and make detailed decisions just in time. While searching for a place to stay, a hotel caught my eye. The sauna I was planning to visit tonight or tomorrow morning is located in that hotel. If I stay there, I can enjoy the sauna both at night and in the morning. Fortunately, it seems to be heavily discounted on the booking site, so I can stay at a low price. The flow of the trip is going very well. Feeling this way, I immediately booked the hotel. The next destination is "Nara Royal Hotel La Royal Spa."