My sauna journey in Nagoya was initially planned to be by train. This is because the sauna facilities I was interested in were concentrated in Nagoya City. However, I discovered something. If you're going to Aichi Prefecture, there's a facility you must visit along the way. That facility is "Tenkou no Yu" located in Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture. Tenkou no Yu is in a location that's difficult to access without a car. For this reason, I decided to take a car for my Nagoya sauna trip. As a result, this decision led to an extraordinary experience because, as expected, Tenkou no Yu was absolutely fantastic. From Owari Seto Station in Aichi Prefecture, it's a 20-minute drive towards Tajimi City in Gifu Prefecture. As you proceed along the single-lane mountain road, a large facility that stands out even from a distance comes into view. You can also see a large sign saying "Tenkou no Yu." The parking lot is also incredibly large. Passing through the entrance curtain, I head to the reception. The interior has the atmosphere of a hot spring inn. After passing through a long corridor, the entrance to the large bath finally comes into view. I immediately undress in the locker room and enter the bath. A spacious area unfolds before me. Right in front of me is the main sauna room, and in front of the sauna is a 7°C cold plunge bath. Next to it is a 16°C cold plunge bath. The cold plunge baths use natural underground water. There's also an indoor bath where you can enjoy natural hot springs, and many people are so relaxed that they lose consciousness. Although I was curious about the open-air bath, I decided to cleanse myself and warm up my body first before exploring further. Moving to the open-air bath, there are two barrel saunas with different concepts, and there's also a 14°C cold plunge bath outdoors. It feels like there are saunas and cold plunge baths everywhere. In the center of the open-air area, there's a hot spring with a continuous flow from the source, and here too, many people are losing consciousness due to the overwhelming pleasure. As I proceed further, there's an outdoor relaxation space said to be one of the largest in Japan. Honestly, it was the first time I saw such a large outdoor relaxation area. In a space large enough to play futsal, a large number of chairs are lined up. No matter how many guests there are, you won't have trouble finding a chair to sit on. The facility's specifications are undoubtedly top-class in Japan. After checking the layout, I entered the main sauna. The moment I entered, I was enveloped in a heavy heat. When I enter a good sauna, I often describe it as "heavy heat." What does "heavy heat" mean? The heaviness refers to high humidity. A sauna with high humidity makes the air feel heavy. With plenty of moisture, it feels hotter than the temperature indicated by the thermometer. In fact, at that time, it felt around 100°C, but the thermometer showed about 80°C. Tenkou no Yu seems to be very particular about its sauna, and there was an explanation about the ideal humidity for the sauna room. The humidity is apparently set at 55%. It's said to be the most gentle humidity for hair and skin. The sauna room is also dimly lit and very quiet. Gentle heat is emitted from the large sauna stove. As I closed my eyes and meditated for a while, the auto löyly started. Instantly, an incredible heat wave enveloped my body. Strangely, my back felt hot. In general, with auto löyly, the front of the body tends to get hot, but why was this different? The secret lay in the structure of the sauna room and the blower that circulates the air. The main sauna at Tenkou no Yu has a dome-shaped ceiling. Therefore, the wind sent from the blower travels along the ceiling, circulating from behind us. This was why my back felt warm. It's quite rare for a facility to have such detailed air circulation design, and although I was nearing my limit with the löyly, I couldn't help but whisper "amazing." After the main sauna, I entered the 16°C cold plunge bath. It has the soft water quality characteristic of underground water. Additionally, this cold plunge bath is a jet bath, so the sensation feels like 14°C as the water film is stripped away. Exiting the cold plunge bath, I moved to the incredibly liberating outdoor relaxation space. Indeed, the cold plunge bath with underground water is wonderful. The refreshing feeling is different. It feels like mint water is seeping into my pores. Are my pores happy? Facilities that use good water always have this phenomenon. In Gifu Prefecture, the underground water at "Ogaki Sauna" and "Megumi no Yu" had the same phenomenon. It's incredibly pleasant. For the second round, I headed to the barrel sauna in the open-air bath. There are two types of barrel saunas: the "Conversation Sauna" for enjoying conversations with friends, and the "Silent Sauna Zen" where talking is prohibited. I was impressed by the consideration to allow a wide range of sauna experiences without imposing the fixed notion that conversations should be avoided in saunas. Saunas should be free. That's the true essence of what a sauna should be. In the old days of Northern Europe, people spent diverse and free time in sauna rooms, grilling meat, drinking alcohol, chatting, or reading. At Tenkou no Yu, it's designed so that those who want to talk and those who want to meditate quietly alone can each have the best time. I, wanting to spend quiet time alone, entered the "Silent Sauna Zen." I was again surprised by the interior structure. There are partitions provided, allowing you to enjoy the sauna in a completely private space. It's truly "Zen." In general, saunas where you can do self-löyly aren't this considerate. You can do self-löyly, but the room is densely populated, and there are often incidents where you touch the skin of the person next to or in front of you. I realized through experience that just having partitions significantly changes the degree of meditation. Without worrying about the person next to you or the space, you can enjoy the heat of the sauna with a pure heart. I entered the cold plunge bath located immediately after exiting the open-air barrel sauna. This one is set at 14°C and is a shallow cold plunge bath. It's very pleasant. At the same time, a host-like young man who was sitting in front of me in the barrel sauna entered the cold plunge bath. "Alright, this feels great!" he exclaimed. His voice increased my happiness, and I naturally smiled. I think if the world's leaders, such as prime ministers and presidents, held summits after entering saunas and cold plunge baths, the world would be more peaceful than it is now. With such thoughts, I concluded today's sauna session. Tenkou no Yu is absolutely fantastic.

After leaving the bath, it's time for a meal. According to prior research, Tenkou no Yu's food is also delicious. Looking at the menu, everything looks so appetizing that you'd want to try it all. However, there's one dish I must have here: "Dry Cutlet Curry." It's a golden combination of curry pilaf, curry soup, and tonkatsu, and it was exquisite. Today involved long travel from the morning, getting into a state of perfect relaxation at Wellbe Imaike during the day, and at Tenkou no Yu at night. What a luxurious day. I was able to visit facilities representing both Gifu and Aichi in one day. I have no regrets left. All that's left is to sleep. I'll sleep well and prepare for tomorrow's activities. Tomorrow, another amazing facility awaits me.