It seems there is an 'Open-Air Bath in the Sky' there. During the day, you can see the vast cityscape of Nagoya stretching far into the distance, and at night, you can soak in the open-air bath while enjoying the night view. The city lights are said to sparkle like fireflies. Such a dreamlike facility is located in Moriyama Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture. The name of the facility is 'Tenku SPA HILLS Ryusenji no Yu.' Ryusenji no Yu is a super sento with locations nationwide, offering exquisite facilities across the country and continuously healing the hearts and bodies of many people. Currently, they have branches in Chiba, Saitama, Tokyo, and Kanagawa, but it all started at this location in Moriyama Ward, Nagoya City. I entered the store with joy, knowing I could visit the birthplace of Ryusenji no Yu. While the stone sauna and massage facilities are impressive, my goal is the large bath. I headed straight to the locker room and immediately stepped into the bath area. There is a sense of openness in the indoor bath, and beyond that, a space called the 'Open-Air Bath in the Sky' unfolds. As for the indoor bath, a large carbonated spring is placed in the center, surrounded by natural hot spring jet baths, electric baths, the main sauna, and two types of cold plunge baths. The cold plunge baths are set at 8°C and 16°C, both offering ample space and depth. After warming my body in the carbonated spring, I moved to the open-air area. At that moment, I was speechless. The scenery before me was so beautiful. You can truly see the city of Nagoya stretching far into the distance. Fortunately, it was a cloudless sunny day. The weather was on my side, enveloping me in an incredible sense of openness. Soaking in the water mixed with natural hot spring and carbonated spring, I gazed at the city. It feels like I could watch it forever. Soaking in the hot spring, just gazing at the city far away. It's a simple act, but the sense of happiness is extraordinary. How long had I been watching? I didn't even check the time. I had no idea how many minutes I had been soaking in the hot spring. That's how much I was mindlessly gazing at the city. When I suddenly came back to my senses and looked around, other customers were also soaking in the hot spring while gazing at the city, just like me. Perhaps they are feeling something similar? Additionally, there are numerous chairs in the open-air space, allowing you to enjoy an outdoor air bath while taking in the scenery. Several guests who had already been steamed in the sauna seemed to have lost consciousness. Some had expressions filled with ecstasy. Seeing this made me want to enter the sauna quickly. 'At Tenku SPA HILLS Ryusenji no Yu,' there are two types of saunas: the main sauna and the meditation sauna. The main sauna is spacious with two large sauna heaters. The meditation sauna is located in the open-air area, allowing for self-löyly with aromatic water, where you can quietly feel the deep heat. There is also a cold plunge bath prepared just outside the open-air sauna. Having a cold plunge bath right outside the sauna room is the perfect layout. First, I entered the main sauna. The air here is heavy. The humidity is high, giving a damp feeling. It seems that the steam generated by löyly has spread throughout the sauna room. A high-humidity sauna allows you to sweat properly and raise your core body temperature. In Japan, dry saunas are common, which can feel prickly and hot on the skin, making you feel the heat limit easily. Although it feels quite hot, often only the surface of the skin is heated, and the core doesn't warm up much. In that sense, a high-humidity sauna causes less damage to the skin and makes breathing easier, allowing for a longer stay. You can slowly and thoroughly warm your body from the core, making it efficient. The main sauna at Ryusenji no Yu is truly an ideal sauna. After thoroughly heating my body, I entered the cold plunge bath immediately outside the sauna room. The 16°C and 8°C cold plunge baths are lined up next to each other. This seemed like a message to 'alternate between the cold baths.' Such an opportunity is rare. First, I stayed in the 8°C cold plunge bath for several seconds. Then, I moved to the 16°C cold plunge bath by crossing the edge of the tub. Having been in the 8°C cold plunge bath, the 16°C cold plunge bath felt warm? It was an illusion. Even though I was in the cold plunge bath, there was a sense of relaxation. But my body was cooling down properly. After the rare cold-cold alternating bath, I moved to the open-air area for an outdoor air bath in the sky. While overlooking the city of Nagoya, I drifted in and out of consciousness repeatedly. How pleasant it was. Even just the sauna → cold plunge bath → outdoor air bath felt good, but adding the stunning view made it even more impressive. Following the flow of the outdoor air bath, I headed to the meditation sauna for the second round. There is no TV here, just a calm space where you can do self-löyly and feel the heat. That's all there is to do. I imagined it might be cramped, but it was more spacious than I thought, seating about 20 people. The corner at the very back was available. It was a prime spot. I sat cross-legged there and slowly closed my eyes. After meditating for a while, I heard a voice saying, 'I'll do the löyly now.' The person looked like a sauna enthusiast and spoke in a Kansai dialect. Could this person also be on a sauna journey? Several people responded with 'Please do.' With a sizzling sound, the aroma filled the air. It was a scent I had smelled somewhere before. The aroma was probably green birch. I remembered experiencing the same aroma at the famous 'Golden Time Takamatsu' in Shikoku. Feeling nostalgic, I thoroughly warmed my body. Right outside the sauna room, there is a cold plunge bath for the open-air area. The water temperature is about 15°C. Including the indoor bath, there are three cold plunge baths available. The cold plunge baths are cooled using a machine called a chiller, which is the most costly aspect of managing a hot spring facility. Despite this, they provide the most comfortable temperature without compromise. Ryusenji no Yu has multiple locations nationwide, each boasting high quality, so it's no surprise. After the cold plunge bath, it's back to the outdoor air bath in the sky. While gazing at the unobstructed breathtaking view, I felt a sense of happiness, thinking, 'I'm glad I came to Nagoya.' Before I knew it, I had completed four rounds. Although it feels like I could continue the sauna → cold plunge bath → outdoor air bath in the sky forever, overdoing it isn't good for the body, so I decided to end it around here. This scenery and the impression it left will never be forgotten.

After the sauna, I was very hungry, so I enjoyed Nagoya's specialty, 'Hitsumabushi.' Looking at the menu, I couldn't resist. When traveling, I often eat the local specialties. It's something I can't usually eat, and it adds to my life experience, which I find wonderful. There's a big difference between knowing something from pictures and actually experiencing it by tasting it. There are many things you can't understand without experiencing them. In today's world, many things can be completed online. It's very convenient and comfortable. As I work as a programmer, I love the online world too. However, I also believe that accumulating real experiences is important. It allows me to feel that I am living here and now. Especially in saunas, you can strongly feel 'life.' You place yourself in the critical situation of a sauna, then enter the equally harsh cold plunge bath. And the comfort that comes with the outdoor air bath. You can feel life in all these actions. Perhaps that's why people become addicted to saunas. I've written poetically, but it's about time to head to my evening destination. The facility is located a bit away from the center of Nagoya City. If you're going to enter a sauna in Nagoya, you can't miss the long-established sauna facility 'Sauna Eagle.'