This is what makes sauna trips so interesting. The night before, while I was looking at a map in the restaurant at Yudokoro Minori, I noticed how easy it would be to get to Mie Prefecture. In Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture, which is convenient from Nagoya, there was a facility I had had my eye on for a while. Originally I planned to finish the trip in Gifu and Nagoya, but I suddenly decided to head to Mie. I save every place I research on Google Maps, so while traveling I always get the idea that I might be able to visit somewhere unexpected. As a result, trips rarely go exactly according to plan. Maybe it's also because I dislike rigid schedules and tend to act on impulse. I left the hotel at 7:30, took a taxi to Ginan Station, then went to Nagoya Station and took the Kintetsu Line to Kuwana Station. At Kuwana I transferred to the Yoro Railway aiming for Tado Station. The train I boarded was bound for Ogaki. The moment I saw the name Ogaki, the thought of Ogaki Sauna flashed across my mind. But since I had already visited twice, I resisted the temptation and watched the mountain ranges pass by outside the window. I got off at Tado Station and walked about 10 minutes, then saw a large sign for Jinba no Yu. Approaching the facility, I caught a glimpse of the outdoor baths. This place advertises a scenic open-air onsen where you can soak in a natural hot spring while enjoying a sweeping view of the Nobi Plain. I was itching to get in. Inside, the facility felt immaculate. It gave me the impression of being at a high-end ryokan or hotel. The spacious interior includes a restaurant, a bedrock spa area, a relaxation lounge, and private rooms, so you could easily spend a whole day there. Even though it was early, as one of Mie's top facilities it was already lively. Entering the large public bath, I found an open, liberating space. The indoor and outdoor baths were connected, and the large front windows were open, offering a glimpse of the outdoor onsen and the Nobi Plain beyond. What a great atmosphere. The indoor area has a large dry sauna, two types of cold plunge baths, and functional pools such as a carbonated bath. The sauna itself is huge. The outdoor onsen is pure luxury: a beautiful space and layout, a natural panoramic onsen with views over the Nobi Plain, and about 20 infinity chairs lined up ready for totonou time. Truly wonderful. First, I decided to soak in the natural onsen. I sank into the outdoor onsen; the water had a silky texture. The Nobi Plain stretched out before me. With the fine weather today, it was the perfect view. You could even see the high-rise buildings around Nagoya Station. After soaking for a while my body felt warm and comfortable. When such a beautiful scene is spread out in front of you, you lose the will to move and just want to stare at it forever. This must be what real rest is. First set. There was only one sauna, so there was no choice to make, and I like that simplicity. The sauna room has six tiers of benches and is quite spacious. The walls are lined with brick, probably a material that emits far-infrared heat. It warms you from the core. On the top bench it read 90°C, but it felt more like 100°C to me. Maybe the high humidity made it feel that way. I sweated steadily and headed for the cold plunge bath. I planned to enter the 18°C cold plunge, but it was full. The neighboring 8°C single cold plunge was free. Inevitably, I plunged straight into the single 8°C bath. It was extremely cold. Yet nothing beats the exhilaration of a single. My whole body tightened in an instant and I felt my circulation surge. From the first set I felt sharp and totonou, and I dozed off for a while in an infinity chair outdoors. At this time of year, the spring weather only enhances how pleasant the outdoor cool-down feels. I could have stayed out there forever, but once I finally felt like moving, I hauled myself up for the second set. From the second set onward I repeated the same cycle of sauna and the single cold plunge. I totonou during the outdoor cool-down, then soaked in the natural onsen with its view over the Nobi Plain. As I repeated this, my condition improved, my mood brightened, and I felt genuinely happy. I hadn't planned to visit Jinba no Yu on this trip, but I'm glad I changed my plans. Three sets by morning, and I was fully totonou.

There are many leisure activities in the world, but how many let you be the main character? In onsens and saunas, your bodily sensations are always the protagonist, and other people's conditions don't matter. You can stare at a beautiful view and zone out. Relax during the outdoor cool-down until you're ready for the next set. Face yourself in the sauna and turn your attention inward. I believe this leads to recovery. In everyday life we are constantly exposed to external stimuli and rarely have time to focus inward. Saunas and onsens forcibly create that precious time for you. At the facility's restaurant I enjoyed a set meal that let me taste Mie's specialties all at once. After leaving, I retraced my steps back to Nagoya. Since it was my final day, there was one last destination. Although I have visited Nagoya many times, I had never been to a certain long-established sauna. That facility is called Sauna Fuji.