Sauna enthusiasts sometimes find themselves exasperating even to their own selves. On the final day of my Fukuoka and Saga sauna trip, I woke at 7 a.m., quickly got ready, and took a taxi from in front of Takeo Onsen Station. My destination was OND HOTEL. I wonder what the taxi driver must have thought of me trying to take an early-morning sauna by taxi. No, I would not dwell on that. For a sauna lover, 7 a.m. is by no means too early. I told myself that as I sank into the seat. A few minutes from Takeo Onsen Station, we passed by a pond and climbed a gentle slope. Approaching the hilltop, the building of OND HOTEL came into view. It felt urbane yet naturally at home against the Takeo hills. Stepping into the stately lobby, a faint aroma of scent drifted through the air. After checking in, I headed to the large communal bath in the basement. The locker room showcased wood textures throughout. High ceilings, spacious layout, and clean lockers gave me the feeling of being in a top hotel spa. Just after changing and stepping into the bathing area, I caught my breath. I was alone. The entire place was completely private. The indoor bath was filled with Takeo Hot Spring water, and beyond it stretched the Takeo Forest. Flanking the passage from the entrance to the indoor bath were two doors — those doors led to the saunas. One was a mist sauna, the other led to the Tonbai sauna. Stepping out to the outdoor area, more than ten reclining chairs were lined up, and a deep cold plunge bath waited quietly. First, I cleansed myself and soaked slowly in the indoor Takeo Hot Spring. The moment the water touched my skin, I felt a silky, viscous sensation. Morning onsen has a different kind of pleasure than at night. All I could hear were birdsong and the sound of water flowing from the hot spring spout. Otherwise, it was silent. Every cell in my body slowly woke up. The first set began in the mist sauna. Steam drifting through the room wrapped my whole body. The temperature was not very high, but the radiant heat from the ceramic plates penetrated deeply. In the private space, I closed my eyes while enveloped in steam. After breaking into a good sweat, I went to the cold plunge bath. The indoor cold plunge bath uses groundwater and the water temperature was 16℃. The underground water around Takeo carries a faint, onsen-like scent. Its coolness was mellow and somehow refined. After exiting the cold plunge, I sat in a chair in the indoor bath and gazed at the Takeo Forest. In that moment, the space belonged only to me. For the second set, I headed to the Tonbai sauna. The instant I opened the door, I could not help but utter, "oh." The wall was entirely covered with refractory bricks called Tonbai that had actually been used in the noborigama of Kuromuta-yaki. Kuromuta-yaki is a pottery tradition with a 430-year history in Takeo City, and "Tonbai" refers to the firebricks used inside those kilns when firing ceramics. Shelf boards that once supported ware inside the kiln are also used as wall material; those shelves have high heat storage and emit radiant heat. Each brick, with its own unique face, quietly shone as it caught the light. This was no longer just a sauna room; it was a work of art and a space that embodied Takeo's history. When the automatic löyly operates, steam spreads evenly and the radiant heat stored in the Tonbai bricks and shelf boards envelops the body. It is not an intense, stabbing heat but a wrapping warmth. The bench has a reclined backrest so you can lean back deeply like in a reclining chair. I found myself intoxicated by being in that sauna room. Across three sets, every time I entered the Tonbai sauna, its beauty stole my heart. The outdoor cold plunge bath is around 10℃ with a maximum depth of 150cm. As I descended the steps one by one, the coolness of the groundwater rose to envelop my body from below. This groundwater also carried a slight hot-spring-like aroma and the water felt astonishingly soft. A refreshing sensation ran through my skin. Is it allowable to enjoy such excellence from the morning? After leaving the cold plunge, I fully surrendered myself to one of the more than ten reclining chairs. Somewhere a bird called and water fell from the onsen spout. Nothing else existed. Only my breathing and the beat of my heart confirmed that I was truly here. For the third set I returned to the Tonbai sauna. Once again I was captivated by the beautiful interior. When the automatic löyly began, steam billowed and the radiant heat of the Tonbai bricks warmed me deeply. Reclining fully, I closed my eyes. Then I entered the cold plunge once more and ended my morning sauna.

The precise feeling is one of settling. Everyday distractions, travel fatigue, and thoughts of tomorrow all seem to drift away in the heat. Sauna can be a device for stopping thought and also a device for sharpening it. After the morning sauna I returned to the hotel where I was staying and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast. The Fukuoka and Saga sauna trip was not over yet. I was headed back to Fukuoka, and another facility drawing attention from across the country awaited me. It was Tenpai no Sato (Tenpai Village) in Chikushino City. At the end of one journey, another begins. That is the life of a sauna lover.