Day three of my Hokuriku sauna trip has begun.
Today is another day centered around saunas, but I'm not tired in the slightest. If anything, I feel better than when I set out. That's the beauty of a sauna trip. Alternating between the sauna and the cold plunge bath improves circulation and helps flush out waste products. And you sleep so well. The more you travel like this, the better your body feels.
I stepped out of my hotel with a spring in my step, made my way to the station, and boarded the train. I had been looking forward to the view of the Tateyama mountain range from the window, but the rain had other plans. Oh well — if everything went perfectly, there'd be nothing to complain about. I'm not traveling to enjoy the scenery, anyway. I'm traveling to enjoy the saunas.
Sauna Talo Toyama is a 20-minute walk from the nearest station. I could have taken a taxi, but I figured the walk would do me good. I followed Google Maps deeper and deeper into a residential neighborhood. Nothing but houses in every direction. Could there really be a sauna around here? The further I walked, the more I doubted myself. And yet, Google Maps kept insisting I was getting closer.
After about 20 minutes, the building came into view. It was still the morning, but plenty of cars were already parked outside — sauna lovers from the neighborhood, no doubt. I checked in at the front desk and had a quick look around. It's a standard super sento. There's a restaurant inside and a relaxation lounge on the second floor. I had expected something small given the residential setting, but stepping inside, I was surprised by how spacious it was.
Entering the main bathing area, I was greeted by a generous, open space. I washed up first, then warmed my body in the tub. Now it was finally time for the saunas. Sauna Talo Toyama has two: the Rocky Sauna and the Pinie Sauna. The Rocky Sauna is a conventional dry sauna capable of hosting aufguss events. The Pinie Sauna is a distinctive cabin-style sauna inspired by a Finnish cottage.
I started with the Rocky Sauna, settling onto the upper bench and sweating it out for several minutes. Then I headed to the cold plunge bath. The cold plunge at Sauna Talo Toyama is something special — a free-flowing groundwater bath with an impressive, constant stream of water pouring in. The tub overflows continuously, keeping the water beautifully clean. I rinsed off and sank into the deep, wide bath. The soft water enveloped my body. It felt incredible. The temperature was around 15–16°C — just right for a thorough cool-down. After the cold plunge, I moved to the outdoor area and savored some superb open-air relaxation.
For the second set, I tried the Pinie Sauna. Opening the door felt like stepping into another world entirely. It was completely cottage-like, with three tiers of seating. A Misa sauna stove sat at the center of the cabin, and the benches were positioned above it — meaning when you pour water for self-service löyly, the rising steam hits you directly. The temperature was set at a relatively gentle 80°C, perfect for slow, meditative löyly sessions. Sealed off from the outside world, I poured löyly again and again. The moment I stepped out of the sauna room, I was snapped back to reality. Inside that cabin sauna, I had been in a completely different world, sunk deep in meditation. I returned to the groundwater cold plunge, rested in the outdoor air, and finished the second set.
Riding that momentum, I moved into the third and final set. Back in the Pinie Sauna, I gave myself a thorough tune-up. Every time the self-service löyly sent steam rising, I breathed it in deeply, warming myself from the inside out. The sweat poured out in waves. My mind emptied completely. Just heat the body, just sweat. That simple act cuts you off from the noise of everyday life. And by pushing your body to its limits, you feel truly, vividly alive.
The third set was another perfect sauna session. If I had a place like this near my home, I'd be there every single day. I left Sauna Talo Toyama feeling a pang of envy for everyone lucky enough to live nearby.
I took a taxi to Toyama Station. Today I was heading to Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture. With a little time to spare before the shinkansen, I decided to grab lunch. Toyama is known for its seafood, but apparently black ramen — a dark, inky bowl of noodles — is one of the local specialties. I figured I'd give it a go. I ducked into a place called Nishimachi Daiki inside the station and dug into a bowl at the counter. The broth was soy-based with a bold hit of black pepper. As someone who loves rich, heavy tonkotsu, I found it a touch light for my taste — but it did the job and filled me up.
With that, I had no unfinished business in Toyama. I'd made it to every place I wanted to visit. No mishaps, no illness — I'm genuinely grateful to be traveling in good health.
But the journey isn't over yet. There's one place that's essential to a proper Hokuriku sauna trip: Kanazawa, in Ishikawa Prefecture. Ishikawa is home to the Hakusan mountain range, a rival to Toyama's Tateyama in terms of natural abundance. Which means it sits on a wealth of high-quality groundwater. My research is already done — the facility I'm heading to next, Terme Kanazawa, uses free-flowing groundwater from the Hakusan range in its cold plunge bath, and you can even drink it straight. The saunas and cold plunge baths in Toyama were remarkable, but Ishikawa's are sounding just as formidable. Hokuriku saunas — don't underestimate them.
I suppressed my mounting excitement as best I could and boarded the shinkansen to Kanazawa with what I hoped was a cool expression on my face.
