On the first day of my journey, I woke up at 4:30 in the morning. It was the excitement that woke me up. It's always like this. On sauna trip days, I wake up early. Just like an elementary school student the day before a field trip. I was so excited that I felt like I could dash from the moment I woke up. I immediately started getting ready for departure. Unfortunately, Toyama, my destination, is far away. First, I would go from Tokushima to Osaka, then take an express train to Fukui Prefecture, and from there, head to Toyama Station via the Hokuriku Shinkansen. I finished preparing in 30 minutes and got into the car at 5 a.m. Early morning drives excite me even more. It's a time when I would usually still be asleep. Plus, at this hour, the roads are practically empty. As I sped through the Naruto Strait and Awaji Island, singing loudly to booming BGM, I started to feel hungry. I decided to have breakfast at the Awaji Service Area. I ordered a raw whitebait rice bowl set and devoured it quickly. With my stomach full, I felt energized and hit the road again, aiming for JR Nishinomiya Station, which has good access to Osaka Station. I parked the car in a parking lot near JR Nishinomiya Station around 7 a.m. Then, I took a local train to Osaka Station, arriving there at 7:30 a.m. After about a three-hour train ride from Osaka Station, I arrived at Toyama Station at 10:30 a.m. It was a weekday, so there weren't many people around. The reason for traveling so early in the morning is that timing is crucial when visiting famous sauna facilities. I hate crowds. Just the presence of many people can kill my motivation. Therefore, I aim to visit saunas during less crowded times. From visiting various facilities across the country, I've learned that even the most famous places are empty during weekdays. Especially if you aim for 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., you can't go wrong. This is because it coincides with the checkout time at capsule hotels, resulting in fewer people. The same goes for the sacred place for saunas in Hokuriku, Spa Alps. When I arrived at the facility, there were only a few cars parked. Finally, I was about to enter the sacred place. Spa Alps is famous for its natural underground water from the Northern Alps. The water quality is top-notch in Japan, and you can even drink the water from the cold plunge bath. As someone who loves underground water, I felt like jumping for joy, but I decided to maintain a cool demeanor as I headed to the reception. The atmosphere inside was very retro, giving a sense of history. I thought it must have been loved by people for a long time. I checked in with a composed face and headed to the large bath. The scenery I had seen many times in magazines and on the internet spread out before me. My first impression upon entering the bathroom was "divine." The spacious bath area was simple in design, featuring a sauna, two cold plunge baths (very large), a warm bath (very, very large), and an outdoor relaxation space. The windows were large and open, letting in plenty of sunlight. It felt like I was under a spotlight. First, I went to the washing area to cleanse myself. Then, I warmed my body in the warm bath. What I noticed was how "soft" the water felt. It had a texture like being in a hot spring, making my skin smooth. Even my hair became silky. It's a reaction that would never happen with tap water. There are various water qualities even among underground water, but the water at Spa Alps is clearly top-notch in Japan. Once my body was nicely warmed, I decided to enter the cold plunge bath before going to the sauna. The moment I entered the cold plunge bath, my body started to roar as it was enveloped by the soft water. Despite being in cold water, I felt my whole body relax, which was incredibly soothing. This is the unique experience of a natural water cold plunge bath. There was a tap in the corner of the cold plunge bath, where drinkable natural water was gushing out. I brought my mouth to it and drank directly. This wild bathing style is addictive, and I'm already hooked. After sufficiently cooling my body, I moved to the sauna room. The sauna at Spa Alps is a rocky sauna, with a massive sauna stove sitting in the center. It's probably custom-made, but it's very large. The number of sauna stones is also extraordinary. Regular löyly is performed from the top of these sauna stones, maintaining the humidity. My impression of the sauna was "the heat is soft and pleasant." Saunas are usually "tough places" where you endure the heat, your heart rate rises, and you feel a sense of life-threatening danger. However, the sauna at Spa Alps was pleasant. Despite being set at a high temperature of 93°C, there was no suffocating feeling or skin-stinging heat. You can relax and sweat as if you were in a normal room. The material of the sauna, the sauna stove, the balance of humidity—they must have paid attention to everything. After the sauna, I headed to the exquisite cold plunge bath. There was a rinsing area right outside the sauna, and the cold plunge bath was right in front. This flow was perfect. I entered the private cold plunge bath and embraced the natural water from the Northern Alps with my whole body. I couldn't help but exclaim, "Ah, this feels so good." Then I moved to the edge of the cold plunge bath, drank the natural water to rehydrate, and felt more energized due to the mineral-rich water compared to commercial water. I then moved to the outdoor relaxation space and gazed at the garden, losing consciousness despite it being only the first round. Barely regaining consciousness, I headed for the second round of the sauna. Once again, the gentle heat enveloped my body. Both the sauna heat and the cold plunge bath were soft. Such a sauna facility is rare even in Japan. In the end, I enjoyed four rounds of sauna, cold plunge bath, and outdoor relaxation as I pleased. I lost track of time. That's how liberating Spa Alps is. I didn't want to leave the large bath. After thoroughly refreshing my body, it was finally time for the much-anticipated sauna meal.

"Spa Alps" is also famous for its food. The dishes made with seasonal ingredients and seafood from the Hokuriku region are delicious. Even in the dining hall, they use natural water from the Northern Alps, making the rice cooked with it exquisite. After changing into the facility's attire and going up to the second floor, you will see a sign that says "Alps Dining Hall." It's a great name. Just the name makes you want to enter the place. Next to the dining hall, there is a reclining space where you can read as many comics as you like. It feels a bit retro but is clean. It somehow reminds me of Ogaki Sauna. In the spacious area, there are private booths where you can work and a sleeping room with futons laid out. The perfect plan is to enjoy a delicious meal, take a nap, and then enter the sauna again in the evening. I entered the dining hall and ordered the "Alps Set Meal" and "Ginger Pork." After achieving totonou with the superb sauna and cold plunge bath, I recharge my energy with a delicious meal. My taste buds are sharpened, and my sense of happiness doubles. I love this time so much. Feeling good physically, enjoying delicious food, and sleeping well—if these three things are in place, humans are basically happy. Sauna trips make me question this essence for myself. While entering the sauna or cold plunge bath, I ask myself, "Am I happy now?" I can immediately answer, "I'm extremely happy!" At this point, I'm living the best life. Having satisfied my stomach, I was reading comics in the reclining room and fell asleep before I knew it. Entering the sauna and taking a nap during a weekday afternoon feels incredibly good. When I woke up, it was 3 PM. It seems I had taken a nap for about two hours. During that time, the fatigue from the morning was completely gone, and lunch was digested. Which means there's only one thing to do: enter the sauna again. In the end, I did four sets of sauna, cold plunge bath, and outdoor air bath in the evening. It felt so good that I wanted to stay here forever. I truly felt that way. However, there is always a time to end everything. There is no pleasure that lasts forever. I decided to conclude with four sets and leave the large bath. I don't know when I can come here again. I might never be able to come again. Such feelings arose, but this is also the real pleasure of a sauna trip. Basically, it's a once-in-a-lifetime encounter. Enjoying a single visit to the fullest and recording it as a treasure of life. I left "Spa Alps" with tears in my eyes. However, the journey has just begun. I have to head to tonight's accommodation, which also has an amazing sauna. It's a sauna that APA Hotel, known worldwide, has seriously created. The next destination is "APA Hotel Stay Toyama."