I arrived at Suruga Health Land in a state of total exhaustion.
Earlier that day, I had done 3 sets at Sauna Shikiji in the morning, then 5 sets at Fujisan Tennen-sui SPA Sauna Takanono-yu in the evening. The sheer bliss had left me in a state of euphoria, but fatigue was catching up with me. On the local train from Fuji Station to Okitsu Station, I stood the whole way despite there being empty seats — too afraid I'd miss my stop if I sat down. When I arrived at Okitsu Station, I thought I'd grab a taxi, but the quiet station plaza was completely deserted. Not a taxi in sight — not even a stray cat. Could a health land that represents Shizuoka really be out here? There was no sign of any taxi coming. So I decided to walk. Google Maps said 15 minutes on foot. That's manageable.
After walking for a bit, the smell of the sea hit my nostrils, and a large building came into view. Suruga Health Land. As I stepped into the lobby, the silence I'd experienced outside seemed like a distant memory — the place was buzzing with people. Families, elderly couples, travelers like me — all sorts of people, and not a single unhappy face among them. Everyone looked like they'd just totonou'd in the sauna, had a delicious meal, and were thinking, this is the best! I was genuinely exhausted, but the energy of the place gave me a second wind. Could I manage 3 more sets?
I checked in and headed to my single room. It was already past 9 p.m. The room was extremely compact — truly just a place to sleep. And that was perfectly fine. Unlike a capsule hotel, it was a fully private room, so I didn't have to worry about noise. I set down my bag and lay on the bed. Then an overwhelming wave of drowsiness hit me. I couldn't even muster the strength to pick up my phone. I blacked out right there.
The next time I regained consciousness, it was 5 a.m. The best wake-up I'd had in a long time. My fatigue had vanished somewhere far away, and I felt completely refreshed. Since I'd lost consciousness around 9 p.m. the night before, I'd slept for about 8 hours. I'd passed out within about 15 minutes of checking in. Here I was at Suruga Health Land, and I'd gone to sleep without exploring the facility or even stepping into the sauna. But there was no need to feel down about it. The main bath is open 24 hours, anytime you want. And now that my energy was fully restored, wouldn't this make for the perfect morning sauna session?
Sunrise was approaching, so I decided to take a morning walk before the sauna. Suruga Health Land sits right along the coast, with a sweeping view of Suruga Bay. I changed and headed outside, strolling along the shoreline. Then, right as the sun rose, Mt. Fuji revealed itself in all its glory. It was utterly magical, and I sat on the seawall for about 20 minutes just taking it in. There were a few fishermen nearby, and even they were calling out between casts, "What a beautiful morning!" The only reason I got to experience such a perfect morning was because I'd crashed at 9 p.m. the night before. Everything that happens is connected, leading you to the best possible moments.
Refreshed by the walk, it was finally time to savor one of Shizuoka's finest sauna experiences.
When I entered the main bath area, the first thing that struck me was the sheer size of the changing room. How many lockers could there possibly be? It was on an entirely different scale compared to every facility I'd visited before. While taking that all in, I stripped off my clothes at lightning speed and stepped into the bathing area.
Before washing up, I did a thorough sweep of the space. The indoor section had a silky bath mixing carbonated water with the source spring, a large pool, a Finnish sauna, a cold plunge bath, and a walking bath. Stepping out to the outdoor area, I found a tub with a free-flowing overflow of the ancient hot spring water — drawn from geological strata about 10 million years old — along with two cold plunge baths (cold springs) beside it. The cold plunge here uses the actual source water, cooled down to around 16°C and flowing freely. It had to feel incredible. I made a note to get in later. Next to the cold plunge was a high-temperature sauna. So many types of baths and saunas — an exceptionally well-equipped facility. With a hint of excitement building inside me, I headed to the washing area to get cleaned up.
For my first set, I started with the outdoor free-flowing source spring bath. Soaking in ancient hot spring water while gazing out over Suruga Bay in the early morning — I could feel every cell in my body waking up and rejoicing. Once I was sufficiently warmed through, I made my way to the high-temperature sauna. Around 100°C, I'd guess. Seriously hot. And there were three iki stoves lined up side by side in Finnish style. Three iki stoves — what an incredibly luxurious sauna. As expected from iki saunas, the humidity was high, and I broke into a deeply satisfying sweat. When I hit my limit, I rinsed off and plunged into the free-flowing source water cold bath. The soft, mellow spring water wrapped around my skin and cooled me down. The texture was unmistakably different from tap water.
After the cold plunge, I settled into a chair in the outdoor relaxation area, gazing out over Suruga Bay as I let my body recover. And I reflected on the journey. This sauna trip had started at Kobe Sauna, and continued through Ogaki Sauna, Sauna Shikiji, Fujisan Tennen-sui SPA Sauna Takanono-yu, and now Suruga Health Land — a truly dream-worthy lineup. Every single facility had moved me, each delivering its own extraordinary sense of bliss. If I could, I'd keep traveling forever — but today I have to head home. One more day to make the most of.
For my second set, I went into the Finnish sauna in the indoor section. No TV in there — just a window from the sauna room looking out over the breathtaking view of Suruga Bay. Facing myself while gazing outside, drawing peace from the scenery. That balance was something else. When I reached my limit, I rinsed off, slipped into the cold plunge in the outdoor area, and then totonou'd during my outdoor rest. My morning sauna session was complete.
I checked out and left Suruga Health Land behind. Somehow, I had a feeling I'd be back. No particular reason — just a quiet sense of it. They ran me to Okitsu Station on the shuttle bus, and I took the train from there to Shizuoka Station.
Well, I had nothing left unfinished in Shizuoka. So I bought a bullet train ticket to Nagoya. The journey wasn't over yet. Going to Nagoya meant only one destination: that legendary sauna. The sacred ground of Wellbe Sakae.
To be continued.
