There is a Japanese manga that had a profound influence on my sauna travels. It's called Sadou.
Sadou follows a protagonist who journeys through Japan's sauna facilities, encountering people along the way and discovering what truly matters in life. It was later adapted into a TV drama starring Taizou Harada — a hugely famous comedian and accomplished actor — and sparked a full-blown sauna boom across Japan. At some point, the manga's author, Katsuki Tanaka, began getting involved in producing sauna spaces. The result of that work, years in the making, is Shibuya SAUNAS. It was a place I absolutely had to visit on this sauna trip.
I was standing at the entrance the moment it opened at 8 a.m. Shibuya SAUNAS is located just a 5-minute walk from JR Shibuya Station — a prime location — and when I arrived, a handful of other guests had already beaten me there. People who were clearly thinking the same thing I was. But even at a popular spot like this, showing up right at opening means you avoid the crowds. And since it was a holiday, plenty of people would still be asleep. Getting out and moving early in the morning can give you a legendary facility almost entirely to yourself.
Once inside, I was welcomed by a space designed down to the finest details. Even the shoe lockers were charming. I climbed the stairs, changed in the men's locker room, and headed in. Shibuya SAUNAS has two areas — WOODS and LAMPI — which alternate between men and women on odd and even days. Since this was an odd-numbered day, LAMPI was designated for men.
As a sauna-dedicated facility, Shibuya SAUNAS operates on a completely different concept from your typical super sento. There's no hot spring bath — it's essentially sauna and cold plunge, full stop. Authentic Finnish style, you could say. It's not for those who love onsen, but for anyone who wants to take their time savoring a variety of saunas, it's the perfect place.
The LAMPI area I used that day had four saunas:
- SOUND SAUNA
- KELO SAUNA
- MUSTA SAUNA
- BED SAUNA
For reference, the other area, WOODS, has five:
- TUULI SAUNA
- TEETÄ SAUNA
- KELO SAUNA
- VIHTA SAUNA
- HARMAA SAUNA
Each sauna has a completely different concept and structure, so every one offers a fresh experience.
For my first set, I chose the KELO SAUNA. With the facility just opened, I had it entirely to myself. It's built from kelo wood — known in Finland as the jewel of the forest — and a faint, sweet fragrance of kelo drifted through the room. Since this sauna is also used for whisking, it's designed so you can lie down while you bathe. With no one else around, I stretched out without hesitation and let the heat slowly warm my body.
The cold plunge bath is in the outdoor area — 150 cm deep, designed for standing entry. The water temperature hovered around 13°C, bitterly cold, and it chilled me to the core in no time. The rest area had a fully realized atmosphere — more like a small public park than a conventional relaxation space. No reclining chairs, no regular chairs either. You just find an open spot and settle in. Facilities with neat rows of recliners have their appeal, but this open, public-style layout felt refreshing. There's an atmosphere that naturally invites conversation.
For my second set, I went into the SOUND SAUNA. The theme here is sound, and it features an audio system co-developed specifically for this sauna by a musician and a manufacturer. Inside, the deep bass resonated powerfully and the overall sound felt rich and full — though that's about as far as my amateur ears could take me. The audio quality is undeniably exceptional, so I imagine that during aufguss events with music playing, it must feel like being at a live concert. If I ever get the chance, I'd love to come back and experience a Shibuya SAUNAS aufguss event.
For my third set, I entered the MUSTA SAUNA. It's a dark, modern space with subdued lighting — perfect for meditation. If the SOUND SAUNA's theme is sound, this one is silence. Doing a self-service löyly, the scent of the aroma blend and the rising steam filled the room, and it felt absolutely wonderful.
Every single sauna truly had a different concept and way to be enjoyed. Since sauna preferences vary from person to person, this is the kind of place where you could discover your own favorite style — or simply spend your whole visit in the one you love most. Personally, I found the SOUND SAUNA fascinating. I'd never really paid attention to sound while sitting in a sauna before. If there's a TV, the sound plays mechanically in the background; if it's silent, I meditate and turn my focus inward. I'd never had the opportunity to concentrate on sound itself, so this felt like a genuinely new way to experience a sauna — an eye-opening one at that.
After finishing my sauna session at Shibuya SAUNAS, I relaxed at a nearby café over coffee and dessert. Today was my last day, and the time to head back to Tokushima was drawing ever closer. Even trying to reflect calmly on the trip, I found myself getting excited all over again — it had been that spectacular a journey. But there was one more place I wanted to visit before it was over. The facility is in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, conveniently accessible from Haneda Airport. The name of this standout Kanagawa destination, where you can enjoy exceptional onsen and sauna, is Asahiyu Gensen Yuiru.
