On the first day of the trip, I woke up at 4:30 in the morning.
It was excitement that woke me.
It's always like this. On sauna trip days, I wake up early. Just like an elementary school kid the night before a field trip.
From the moment I opened my eyes, I felt ready to sprint out the door. I immediately got moving and started preparing to leave. Unfortunately, my destination of Toyama was far away. The journey involved going from Tokushima to Osaka first, then taking a limited express train from Osaka to Fukui Prefecture, and finally riding the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Toyama Station — quite a long trip. I got ready in 30 minutes and was in the car by 5:00 AM.
An early morning drive only heightened my excitement. Normally I'd still be fast asleep at this hour. And at this time of day, the roads are practically all mine. Belting out songs at full volume to blaring music as I raced across the Naruto Strait and through Awaji Island, my stomach started growling. I decided to stop for breakfast at the Awaji Service Area. I ordered a fresh whitebait bowl set and wolfed it down in no time. With my stomach full and energy restored, I got back on the road. I headed for JR Nishinomiya Station, which has convenient access to Osaka Station. Around 7:00 AM, I parked near JR Nishinomiya Station, then took a local train to Osaka Station, arriving there at 7:30 AM. From Osaka Station, it was about a three-hour train ride — I arrived at Toyama Station at 10:30 AM. Being a weekday, there weren't many people around.
Why did I move so early in the morning in the first place? Because timing is absolutely critical when visiting a well-known sauna facility. I hate crowds. The mere presence of too many people drains my motivation entirely. So I always try to time my sauna visits during quieter hours. After visiting all kinds of facilities across Japan, I've learned that even the most famous spots are quiet on weekday afternoons — and if you aim for 10:00 to 11:00 AM, you can't go wrong. That's because it overlaps with checkout time at capsule hotels and similar places, so the crowd thins out. The same held true at Spa Alps, the sacred ground of Hokuriku sauna — when I arrived, only a handful of cars were in the parking lot.
At last, I stepped into the hallowed facility. Spa Alps is renowned for its natural underground water from the Northern Alps. The water quality is the finest in Japan, and the water in the cold plunge bath is actually drinkable. As a devoted lover of natural groundwater, I felt like jumping for joy — but I composed myself and walked calmly to the reception. The interior had a wonderfully retro atmosphere, full of a sense of history. You could tell this place had been cherished by people for a long, long time. With a cool expression, I checked in and headed to the main bath. The scenes I'd seen countless times in magazines and online were now unfolding right before my eyes.
My first impression upon entering the bathing area was: divine. The spacious bath hall had a simple layout — a sauna, two cold plunge baths (both very large), a warm bathtub (very, very large), and an outdoor relaxation space. The windows were large and open, with sunlight pouring in. I had the strange sensation of standing under a spotlight.
First, I went to the washing area to cleanse myself. Then I warmed up in the warm bathtub. What I noticed immediately was how soft the water felt. It was like soaking in a hot spring — my skin grew smooth and silky, and even my hair turned glossy. That kind of reaction from your body is simply impossible with tap water. There are many types of groundwater out there, but the water at Spa Alps is clearly in a class of its own — the finest in Japan.
Once my body felt nicely warmed up, I decided to take a dip in the cold plunge bath before heading to the sauna. The instant I stepped in, my body let out a roar of delight, wrapped in that enveloping, soft water. Even submerged in cold water, the tension drained from every muscle — an incredibly relaxing sensation. That's something only a natural water cold plunge bath can offer. In the corner of the bath there's a tap, where drinkable natural water gushes out with force. I brought my mouth right to it and drank deeply. This wild bathing style is utterly addictive, and I am already thoroughly hooked.
After cooling down sufficiently, I moved to the sauna room. The sauna at Spa Alps is a rocky sauna, with a massive sauna stove sitting at its center. It's likely custom-made — impressively large. The number of sauna stones is on a whole different scale. löyly is applied regularly from above those stones, maintaining the humidity. My impression of the sauna: the heat is gentle and wonderful. Normally, a sauna is a grueling place where you endure the heat, your heart rate climbs, and you feel like you're flirting with danger. But the sauna at Spa Alps felt genuinely pleasant. Despite the high temperature setting of 93°C, there was no stuffiness or skin-stinging heat whatsoever. I could relax and sweat as if I were sitting in an ordinary room. The materials of the sauna, the stove, the balance of humidity — every detail must have been carefully considered.
After the sauna, I made my way to the exquisite cold plunge bath. There's a rinse shower right at the sauna exit, and the plunge bath is right in front of you. The flow is perfect. I slipped into the plunge bath all to myself and let the natural water of the Northern Alps wash over every inch of my body. I couldn't help saying out loud, "Ahh, this feels amazing." I drifted to the edge of the bath, drank deeply from the natural water to rehydrate, and felt my body come alive again. It's richer in minerals than bottled water — you can feel the difference. Then I moved to the outdoor relaxation space, gazed at the garden, and despite it being only my first set, I lost consciousness entirely.
I barely regained my senses and headed into my second sauna set. Once again, that gentle heat enveloped my body. The sauna heat is soft, the cold plunge water is soft. A facility like this is a rare thing even in Japan. In the end, I lost track of time and enjoyed four sets of sauna, cold plunge, and outdoor relaxation to my heart's content. That's the kind of liberating freedom Spa Alps gives you. I kept thinking, I don't want to leave this bath.
After thoroughly restoring my body, it was time for the long-awaited sauna meal.
The food at Spa Alps is just as famous as its baths. Dishes made with seasonal ingredients and Hokuriku seafood are exceptional. The kitchen also uses the natural water from the Northern Alps, so even the rice cooked with it tastes extraordinary.
Changing into the facility yukata and heading up to the second floor, I spotted a sign reading Alps Shokudo (Alps Dining). What a great name. That name alone makes you want to walk right in. Next to the dining hall is a reclining lounge area where you can read manga to your heart's content. It has a retro feel but is clean and tidy. Somehow it reminds me of Ogaki Sauna. In the spacious area there are also private work booths and a sleeping room with futons laid out. A perfect plan was taking shape: a delicious meal, an afternoon nap, and then one more round of sauna in the evening.
I walked into the dining hall and ordered the Alps Gozen set meal and pork ginger stir-fry. After being brought to perfect balance by the exceptional sauna and cold plunge, a delicious meal began recharging my energy. My senses were sharpened, and the feeling of happiness doubled. I love this time more than anything. Feeling good in your body, enjoying delicious food, sleeping soundly — if a person has these three things, they are basically happy. A sauna trip brings you back to that essential truth. While sitting in the sauna or the cold plunge, I ask myself, "Am I happy right now?" And I can answer instantly: "Absolutely, completely happy." At that moment, I know I'm living the best life.
With my stomach satisfied, I started reading manga in the reclining lounge and before I knew it, I'd fallen asleep. Napping on a weekday afternoon after a sauna session is the greatest feeling imaginable. When I woke up, it was 3:00 PM. It seemed I'd slept for about two hours. In that time, the morning's fatigue had completely disappeared and lunch had been digested. Which meant there was only one thing left to do: get back in the sauna.
In the end, I did four more sets of sauna, cold plunge, and outdoor relaxation in the evening as well. It felt so good that I genuinely wanted to stay forever. I truly meant it from the bottom of my heart. But everything has its moment of ending. No pleasure lasts forever. I drew the line at four sets and stepped out of the main bath. I don't know when I'll be able to come back — maybe never again in my life. That thought crossed my mind, but that is also the essence of a sauna journey. Every visit is, at its core, a once-in-a-lifetime encounter. You give everything to a single visit and carry it forward as a treasure of your life.
With tears in my eyes, I left Spa Alps behind. But the journey was only just beginning. I had to make my way to tonight's accommodation — and that hotel has an incredible sauna of its own. A sauna built with serious intent by the global APA Hotel chain. The next destination: APA Hotel Stay Toyama.
