When I arrived at Kanazawa Station in the early afternoon, it was pouring rain. I initially planned to visit Kenrokuen Garden, but the rain was too heavy to go out, so I decided against it. With my plans forced to change, I decided to check into my accommodation earlier than planned. In such weather, the best way to spend the day is to stay indoors at the hotel and indulge in the sauna. The area around the station was extremely crowded, and I was surprised by the number of foreign tourists. It felt like I was in Kyoto, with so many foreigners around. Perhaps Kanazawa is popular because it's a city with a rich history. I took a local bus from Kanazawa Station and got off at the 'Matsushima' bus stop. After walking for a while, a massive building came into view. It was 'Natural Hot Spring Relax Park Terume Kanazawa,' the largest health spa in the Hokuriku region. After checking in at the reception, I headed to my room. Even though it's a hotel attached to a health spa, the room was spacious and quite comfortable. The bedding was mediocre, though. It was past 4 PM, and with nothing else to do, I decided to head to the large public bath. The large public bath at 'Terume Kanazawa' was incredibly spacious. There were many onsen baths with natural hot spring water flowing directly from the source, and despite the crowd, it was so large that it didn't feel cramped. There are two types of saunas available: the 'Stadium Sauna' and the 'Classic Sauna.' The 'Stadium Sauna' can accommodate over 30 people, while the 'Classic Sauna' can hold about 20. The cold plunge bath uses underground water from the Hakusan Mountain Range, and you can drink the water directly from the tap that fills the cold bath. It indicates that high-quality water is stored underground. First, I soaked in the natural hot spring bath. The brown spring water had a smooth texture like lotion. Despite the lukewarm temperature of 38°C, my body warmed up nicely. I then proceeded to the cold plunge bath. As always, when I soak in a quality hot spring, my body gets warm enough that I don't even need to go to the sauna. It must be because of the good quality spring water. The cold plunge bath was wide and deep, with a tap attached to the side wall pouring water at a tremendous rate. I moved there, cupped water in both hands, and drank it. It had a wild taste. Delicious. Smooth. The cold plunge bath was around 18°C, and it felt so pleasant that I could stay in it for a long time. Even though I hadn't been to the sauna yet, my body was already feeling relaxed. I pulled myself together and headed to the 'Stadium Sauna.' The exterior of the sauna was unusual. The neon signs were so flashy that it felt like I had entered a nightclub. Inside, the space was shaped like a cut-off octagon, with four iki stoves standing in the center. It seems that every hour on the hour, löyly is performed simultaneously with all four stoves. The sauna also has air vents installed at the top to distribute the löyly steam throughout the room. After thoroughly heating my body, it was time for the customary cold plunge bath. I felt grateful for the pleasant time I was having, feeling the blessings of the underground water on my skin. After the cold plunge bath, it was time for an outdoor air bath, but there were so many people that no chairs were available. I thought, well, it can't be helped. For me, the space and quality of the outdoor air bath aren't that important. As long as I can relax for 2-3 minutes after the cold plunge bath, anywhere is fine. I moved to the washing area, sat on a chair, and took a break. It's an Ogaki sauna style, but it's enough to achieve totonou. For the second round, I decided to go to the 'Classic Sauna.' The distance from the sauna room to the cold plunge bath was quite far, making the flow inconvenient, but I decided not to mind it. This sauna doesn't have a TV, and you can perform self-löyly. It's a sauna for facing yourself in a quiet space. The room was filled with a pleasant herbal aroma, making it very relaxing. Then, a group of people entered, chatting loudly. I had a bad feeling, but I pretended not to notice. I thought they would quiet down once they entered the sauna room, but they kept talking. They were having trivial conversations about women. In such cases, I always leave the sauna room immediately. I don't want to breathe the same air. Some people seem to endure it, but I can't stand it. I'd rather soak in the hot spring than accumulate stress. Since I was only moderately warm, I moved to the 'Stadium Sauna' to continue my sauna hopping. Having completed my warm-up in the 'Classic Sauna,' I started sweating immediately. The automatic löyly overlapped, making it impossible to think about anything unnecessary. I was glad I moved. After that, I moved to the cold plunge bath to cool down my body and drank more natural water in large gulps.

From the evening, I indulged in the ultimate natural hot spring, sauna, and cold plunge bath, feeling thoroughly refreshed. At the same time, I started to feel hungry. One of the pleasures of the sauna is the meal that follows.