Morning sauna is truly a delightful experience. Last night, I indulged in an exquisite sauna and horse meat cuisine, and before I knew it, I was in a dream. I returned to the real world at 5 AM, having slept soundly for about 7 hours. Knowing I could enjoy the sauna again from 6 AM, I was at maximum excitement from the moment I woke up. At 6 AM, I moved to the large bath as soon as it opened. Just like last night, I was the only user. Perhaps the other guests were still asleep. I undressed and entered the large bath. The fresh morning air mixed with the steam, creating a sacred atmosphere. After showering, I first slowly soaked in the artificial hot spring. It's an artificial hot spring using 100% natural water from Aso. As soon as I entered the water, I couldn't help but exclaim, "Ah, this feels so good! It's the best!" Saying it out loud made me feel even better. Despite it being 6 AM, I was full of energy. After warming up my body in the artificial hot spring, I was ready. I entered the morning sauna room. The morning is different from the night. Perhaps my body was still asleep, as it warmed up slower than at night. Sweating also took longer. I could feel each sleeping cell slowly waking up and starting to activate. As my pulse rate increased, I felt like the day was truly beginning. Once I started sweating, I poured the original aroma water over the sauna stones. The sizzling sound was pleasant. It seemed like my sensitivity to sound was higher in the morning. As the steam rose, the aroma spread throughout the sauna. It was truly a wonderful scent. I sat nearby, closed my eyes, and felt the heat. After leaving the sauna, I entered the cold plunge bath. I had noticed it yesterday, but next to the cold plunge bath, there was a commercial freezer like those in restaurants. Inside, there was a large amount of ice. You can put ice where you soak to lower the perceived temperature. Placing ice on your head is also fun. Above all, the soft water quality of the groundwater feels great. "Yuyasui Zen Luxury Sauna & Spa" is a wonderful facility that heals with its water potential, hospitality, and space design. After two sets, I finished my morning sauna and enjoyed detox water and tea in the lounge. The luxurious Japanese-style space was irresistible. And I was the only one there. I spent an incredibly elegant time from the morning, enjoying the lounge for a while. Once again, I lost track of time, having left my smartphone in the room, so I didn't even know what time it was. On this Kumamoto sauna trip, I felt that my existence was not independent but part of nature and space. No, it felt like I gained a new sense of merging with nature and space, and a way to lose track of time, elevating my human sensory level.

While having breakfast, I ponder what to do before returning to Kansai today. I plan to leave Kumamoto Station in the early afternoon, so I have time in the morning. Where should I go? The answer was obvious without even thinking about it: "Let's go to 'Yurax' again today." Since I've come all the way to Kumamoto, if I can visit the sacred place of the west once more, I want to go. Being able to enjoy the sacred place two days in a row is just perfect. On a journey, the "number" of places visited is important, but sometimes it's also crucial to visit the same place multiple times to enhance the density of the experience. By visiting the same place again, you can make new discoveries that you might have missed on the first visit, and different sensibilities can emerge. After relaxing in the hotel room for a while, I checked out and headed to Kumamoto Castle. The main keep, lost in the earthquake, has been wonderfully restored, and it seems that the reconstruction is progressing. I went to the top of the main keep and was healed by the view overlooking Mount Aso and Kumamoto City. With the sightseeing done, it's about time to head to 'Yurax.'