On Friday (yesterday), after an intense internal struggle, I gave up on making the trip. My sauna trips typically kick off on Friday evenings — the idea being to finish work and head straight out. But this week, messages from clients kept coming in well into the evening, and my own tasks were still unfinished. To start a trip on Friday and actually make something of it, I need to be done with work by 5 PM at the latest. I didn't finish until 6:30 PM.
I spent Friday evening at my local sauna and woke up Saturday morning. I went for a walk, then sat down to breakfast while watching a show — and I could feel myself slipping into that all-too-familiar mode of frittering the day away. Not moving is so easy. You don't do anything. You don't make any decisions. And just like that, you burn through 48 hours. That's a valid way to spend a weekend, I suppose. I've certainly zombie-walked through plenty of Saturdays and Sundays before. But when I spend my time that way, I don't actually recover. There's a real difference in the energy I come back with — between weekends when I travel and weekends when I don't.
I forced myself to flip the switch, grabbed my keys without overthinking it, and got in the car. I already had a destination in mind, so I jumped on the highway and headed toward Kyoto. This was to be a Kyoto sauna trip.
The first stop was Sagano Onsen Tenzan no Yu. The facility uses a free-flowing natural spring drawn from 1,200 meters underground, and it's well-equipped with both sauna and cold plunge bath. Free-flowing hot spring water — that phrase never fails to pull me in. There's something profoundly special about experiencing nature's gifts in their most direct form. Many facilities filter and circulate their water, which makes those that commit to a true free-flowing source genuinely rare. That's exactly why I chose this place to open my Kyoto sauna trip.
Stepping into the main bath area, I was greeted by the pleasant scent of hinoki cypress. Just to the right of the entrance stood a large sauna room. Beyond a double set of doors, a spacious interior spread out before me — I was immediately certain this was going to be a great sauna. But first things first: a leisurely soak in the natural hot spring to warm up. I moved out to the outdoor area and slipped into the golden-hued water. Gradually, the tension drained from my body, and a deep, enveloping sense of relaxation washed over me. The spring water flowed continuously into the tub, a steady offering from 1,200 meters below. I could taste nature's gift in the most direct way possible.
Time for the sauna. Inside, two METOS iki stoves sat commanding a space large enough to comfortably seat fifty people. One would already be a luxury — two was almost too much. A pleasant woody scent filled the air. The size, temperature, humidity, and fragrance all hit exactly the right notes. I was settling in nicely when 1 PM arrived and two staff members entered for the aufguss session. After a quick introduction, they poured aromatic water over both iki stoves. The scent of the day was grapefruit — a bright, citrusy fragrance that instantly swept through the sauna room. Each of us was then fanned with a large paddle in turn. I hit my limit partway through, thanked the staff, and stepped out.
The cold plunge bath was right outside the sauna door — perfect flow. The temperature was an ideal 16°C, and it was impressively deep. I eased my shoulders under the surface and let my aufguss-heated body cool down slowly and thoroughly. After the cold plunge, I settled into one of the outdoor chairs for some fresh air. Just a little while ago, I'd been on the verge of turning into a couch-bound shell of a human at home — but forcing myself out the door had led me to this wonderful place.
I went through a second and third set of sauna → cold plunge → fresh air, and by the end I was well and truly in a state of totonou. My stomach was growling too, so I decided to wrap things up and grab something to eat.
The restaurant inside Sagano Onsen Tenzan no Yu was quite spacious, and counter seating was available for solo visitors like me. I browsed the menu and ordered the simmered sea bream. As I savored the meal, something dawned on me: I hadn't booked a place to stay that night. I'd bolted out of the house on impulse and completely forgotten.
As I scrolled through a hotel booking site, a familiar name caught my eye — Manyo no Yu, well known across Japan. It turned out that staying at Hotel Kyoto Eminas came with unlimited access to their hot spring baths around the clock. Whether it was the last-minute booking or just good luck, the price was surprisingly reasonable, and I reserved it on the spot. With that, both my accommodation for the night and my evening sauna plans were sorted. My next destination: Hotel Kyoto Eminas.
