There is a Japanese manga that had a big influence on my sauna travels: Sadou. Sadou depicts the protagonist touring Japan's sauna facilities, meeting people through saunas, and discovering what matters in life. It was later adapted into a drama starring Taizou Harada, a hugely popular comedian and accomplished actor, which sparked a nationwide sauna boom. At one point, the manga's author Katsuki Tanaka became involved in producing saunas. What was completed after that process is Shibuya SAUNAS. This was a facility I absolutely wanted to visit on this sauna trip. I was standing at the entrance at opening time, 8:00 am. Shibuya SAUNAS is in an outstanding location, a 5-minute walk from JR Shibuya Station, and when I arrived there were already a few people ahead of me. They seemed to be thinking the same as I was. Even popular facilities won't feel crowded if you enter right at opening. Besides, since it was a holiday many people would still be sleeping. By getting active early in the morning you can sometimes enjoy a top facility almost as if you had it to yourself. Inside, a space designed down to the last detail greeted me. Even the shoe lockers were charming. I went up the stairs, changed in the men's locker room, and headed into the saunas. Shibuya SAUNAS has two areas, WOODS and LAMPI, and they swap male and female use on odd and even days. It happened to be an odd day, so LAMPI was for men that day. As a sauna-dedicated facility, Shibuya SAUNAS follows a concept different from a typical super sento. There are no hot springs; basically it offers only saunas and a cold plunge bath. It could be described as a genuine Finnish-style approach. People who love hot springs might not like it, but for those who want to take their time and enjoy various types of saunas, this is an ideal facility. In LAMPI, where I spent the day, there were four saunas: ・SOUND SAUNA ・KELO SAUNA ・MUSTA SAUNA ・BED SAUNA By the way, the other area, WOODS, has five saunas: ・TUULI SAUNA ・TEETÄ SAUNA ・KELO SAUNA ・VIHTA SAUNA ・HARMAA SAUNA Each sauna has a completely different concept and structure, so every sauna offers a new experience. For the first set I enjoyed KELO SAUNA. Since it was just after opening, I had it almost to myself. This sauna uses kelo wood, prized in Finland as a wooden jewel. A faint, sweet scent of kelo wood filled the sauna room. The sauna is designed for whisking and allows you to lie down while enjoying the sauna, so I lay down without hesitation and warmed my body in a relaxed state. The cold plunge bath is in the outdoor area; it is deep, 150cm, and meant to be entered standing. The water temperature was around 13℃ and very cold, so it cooled the body all at once. The rest area is also highly crafted, more like a small public park than a conventional lounge. There were no reclining chairs or regular seats. You find an open space and sit down. Facilities with neatly lined-up recliners are nice, but this kind of public-style layout felt fresh. It also gave a sense that conversations might naturally start. For the second set I entered SOUND SAUNA. This sauna is themed around sound and is equipped with a sound system jointly developed by musicians and manufacturers for this room. Inside the bass really resonates and the sound feels full-bodied. As a non-expert I can only offer that much of an impression, but there is no doubt the sound quality is high, so when music is played during an aufguss event it should deliver an atmosphere like a live concert. If I get the chance I would like to attend an aufguss event at Shibuya SAUNAS. The third set was in MUSTA SAUNA. It is a dark, modern space perfect for meditation. If the theme of SOUND SAUNA is sound, this sauna is silence. When you do a self-aufguss, the aroma and steam spread throughout the sauna room and feel wonderful. Truly, every sauna had a different concept and way to enjoy it. Since people prefer different kinds of saunas, here you can discover the sauna you love or simply enjoy the ones you already like as much as you want. I personally found SOUND SAUNA extremely interesting. Until now I hadn't paid much attention to sound while in a sauna. If a TV was on it would supply mechanical noise, and in a silent sauna I would meditate and focus inward. Having the opportunity to focus on sound is a new way to enjoy a sauna, and I found it very educational.

After finishing my sauna session at Shibuya SAUNAS, I relaxed at a nearby cafe with coffee and dessert. It was the last day of the trip, so the time to return to Tokushima was approaching fast. While the whole trip had been extravagant enough to make me excited even when trying to reflect calmly, there was one more place I wanted to visit. The facility is in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, with good access from Haneda Airport. It is one of Kanagawa's top facilities for superb hot springs and saunas, called Asahiyu Gensen Yuiru.