Spa Metsa Otaka Ryusenji no Yu is located in Nagareyama City, Chiba Prefecture. From Akihabara Station, take the Tsukuba Express and head to Nagareyama Otakanomori Station. It feels very nostalgic. When I lived in Tokyo, I often took the Tsukuba Express. I even rented an apartment along that line. Suddenly, I thought of stopping by the house where I used to live. I got off at the station called Rokucho and headed to my old home. The familiar path hadn't changed at all. The apartment was still there, just as it was back then. Standing in front of it, memories from the past came flooding back. I could even recall the motivation and expressions I had while living there. Comparing my past self with my present self, I felt a sense of growth. Various events have connected to shape who I am today. Visiting places where I existed in the past makes me realize that life is a story. After indulging in memories, I got back on the train and got off at Nagareyama Otakanomori Station. I checked into my accommodation for the day and walked to Ryusenji no Yu. After a while, I saw the sign. Just from the exterior, you can tell it's quite a large facility. Upon entering the reception floor on the 2nd floor, there's a lounge dedicated to the ganbanyoku (stone sauna). It's quite spacious. Since I don't use the ganbanyoku, I went down the stairs to the 1st floor. The entrance to the large bath was visible. I undressed in the locker room, and my night sauna activities began. Right at the entrance of the bathhouse was the famous Dragon Sauna. It's known for the Dragon Löyly, where löyly is performed simultaneously on five iki stoves every hour. There are two types of cold plunge baths right outside the sauna: 8°C and 16°C. They seem to use groundwater, and I'm looking forward to the water quality. In the center of the indoor bath is a large carbonated spring that can accommodate about 20 people, with the benefits of the carbonated spring prominently displayed on the wall. There are also tepid baths and electric baths with natural hot springs around the carbonated spring. In the outdoor area, there's a large bath where you can enjoy natural hot springs, a salt mist sauna, a meditation sauna, and a cold plunge bath, offering a comprehensive lineup. Having grasped all the routes, I started with the first set. I entered the Dragon Sauna. The interior is quite spacious with a four-tier structure. There's a significant temperature difference between the top and bottom tiers, making it enjoyable for both sauna beginners and experts. At the front of the sauna room, five iki stoves stand impressively. Without a TV, it's a quiet space where you can completely face yourself. There's also a notice saying, "Please leave if you engage in small talk." Furthermore, humidity control is thorough. Wooden boards are placed on the walls of the sauna room, with water constantly being poured. By pouring water on the wood, the humidity in the sauna room is kept high. I warmed my body in such a wonderful sauna. After leaving the sauna room, I entered the 16°C cold plunge bath using groundwater. It's wide, deep, and the temperature is perfect. The water feels smooth. My theory is that the refreshing feeling after leaving a cold plunge bath using quality groundwater is distinctly different from tap water. I moved to the outdoor air bath space and observed my body's reactions. A refreshing sensation, as if I had entered mint water, washed over me. This refreshing feeling during the outdoor air bath is arguably the most pleasant time in life. For the second set, I entered the meditation sauna in the outdoor area. The meditation sauna is a compact space that can seat about eight people, where you can enjoy a sauna bath while doing self-löyly. It was already full, and I felt a slight sense of crampedness as I entered. The temperature was slightly lower at about 80°C. The Dragon Sauna is hotter, larger, and without a TV with a no-talking policy, so I felt that I could have a meditative experience even without entering the meditation sauna. Right outside the outdoor meditation sauna was a cold plunge bath. Having a cold plunge bath right outside the sauna is one of Ryusenji no Yu's attractions. I thoroughly cooled my body and headed for the second set of outdoor air baths. Finally, the last set. I decided to experience the Dragon Löyly. I timed it and entered the sauna room. It was 8 PM. The lighting in the sauna room changed, and a lively tempo of background music played. Water was poured in sequence from the leftmost iki stove, and löyly was performed on all five stoves. Then, wind was sent from the installed blower, filling the sauna room with a heat wave. Both the front and back of my body felt hot. Just when I thought it was over, a second round of löyly began consecutively. Water was poured on all five iki stoves again, and the blower sent another heat wave. It was overwhelming. I absorbed the heat wave with my whole body and headed straight for the cold plunge bath. After being thoroughly warmed by the löyly, I alternated between the 8°C and 16°C cold plunge baths to cool my body completely. After the 8°C bath, the 16°C bath didn't feel cold at all, but rather pleasant. This cold-cold alternating bath is also one of the delights of the sauna.

After refreshing my body at Chiba's No.1 facility, it's necessary to fill my stomach with delicious food. I entered the facility's restaurant and ordered a katsudon and sashimi. I was greeted by an unfriendly waiter and was forcibly seated at the counter. I wanted to use a table seat more spaciously since there were many empty seats, but it couldn't be helped. The food was served, and I ate it mindlessly. The broth and juiciness of the meat in the katsudon permeated my body. Probably, the level of the food isn't exceptional, but anything tastes delicious after a sauna. The fact that the meal is delicious is proof of living a happy life. Indeed, saunas enrich life. Feeling this way, I concluded my sauna activities at Ryusenji no Yu. I returned to the hotel and checked my plans for tomorrow. Tomorrow, I plan to visit a famous facility in Saitama Prefecture in the morning. It's a renowned establishment that appeared in the drama "Sauna Road," visited by sauna enthusiasts from all over the country. The name of the facility is Yunoizumi Soka Health Center.