It was like an oasis. If I were told, 'You can visit only one hot spring before you die,' I would want to relax in the open-air bath here and pass away peacefully. About an hour and a half drive from Mimasaka City in Okayama Prefecture, I arrived in Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture. It was my first visit to Miki City. If it weren't for my sauna travels, I probably would never have come here in my lifetime. With some time to spare until evening, I decided to enter a nearby café and get some work done. Strangely enough, when traveling for sauna experiences, writing articles becomes more productive, and ideas come more easily. Seeing the same scenery at home every day gradually decreases productivity. Perhaps taking sauna trips on weekends can enhance one's performance as a human being. After working for about two hours, I decided to head to my destination. Tonight, I am visiting 'ZIKKAI SPA.' This facility was featured in the book 'LAST PARADISE: Saunas in Japan You Want to Visit Before You Die' by the comedian Shigeo Takahashi, known for his love of saunas. Ever since I read this book, I've been eager to visit, and finally, I made it here. Upon arriving at the facility, I passed through the entrance, which had the atmosphere of a hot spring inn, and completed the reception process. The interior is very spacious, and if you're not careful, you might get lost. I stepped into the large bath on the second floor. The locker room is also spacious and has a clean feel. I slowly undressed and entered the bath area. The bath area consists of an indoor bath and an open-air bath, with the main attraction being the open-air bath. First, I cleansed myself and warmed my body in the indoor carbonated bath. Then, I moved to the open-air area and was left speechless by its vastness. In my life, I had never seen such a large open-air bath. It seemed large enough to easily accommodate 100 people. The rock construction and atmosphere were outstanding. In that vast space, natural hot spring water flowed endlessly. The word 'oasis' seemed perfectly fitting. As I slowly submerged myself in the natural hot spring, I felt my whole body relax effortlessly. It felt as if someone was whispering in my ear, 'You did well today. Please take a good rest.' In the midst of the overwhelmingly large open-air bath, my body floated alone. Enveloped in an overwhelming sense of liberation, just soaking in the hot spring brought me to a state of perfect relaxation. As I wrote at the beginning, I found myself thinking that I would like to come here once more just before I die. The open-air area of 'ZIKKAI SPA' is structured on two levels. The first floor has a huge open-air bath and a salt sauna, while the second floor features a dry sauna, cold plunge bath, outdoor fire pit relaxation space, natural hot spring pot bath, and rock bath. I moved to the second floor and decided to sweat it out in the dry sauna first. Entering the sauna room, a Sawo-made iki stove stood in the center, with enough space to accommodate over 30 people. The room temperature was around 90°C, enveloped in the gentle heat emitted by the iki stove. Fortunately, I had the place to myself, so I decided to lie down and enjoy the sauna. Even if someone else were to enter, there was no need to worry given the ample space. Closing my eyes, I was soothed by the scent of wood and deeply felt the sauna's heat. Lying down allowed for even heating of the body, naturally inducing relaxation and enabling a longer stay. It was a completely different sensation from sitting in the sauna. After thoroughly warming my body in the dry sauna, I moved to the cold plunge bath. The cold plunge bath was also enormous. It seemed large enough for 20 people, with considerable depth. The water temperature was probably around 13°C. I submerged myself completely, cooling my entire body. With such a large cold plunge bath, there would likely be no 'waiting' involved. Everything here is on a grand scale. After the cold plunge bath, I moved to the outdoor fire pit relaxation area. The 'fire pit' is the highlight, allowing you to enjoy a fire while taking an outdoor break. The season is autumn. In the slightly chilly outdoor air, the fire pit is a delightful addition. The warmth of the fire, the scent of smoke, the cool outdoor air, and the sounds of nature—all of these stimulate the innate senses of being human. Here, there are no smartphones, computers, or televisions. It's a place where you can focus on being alive. As I gazed at the fire, I felt a sense of happiness. I had encountered yet another wonderful facility. Every time I go on a sauna trip, I am moved. Each time, I think this facility is the best I've ever experienced in my life. Even when I think there can't be anything better, traveling around Japan reveals many amazing facilities, and it feels like I'm constantly updating my life's best. However, there is no superiority or inferiority among the facilities. Many facilities born from Japan's hot spring culture have their own unique characteristics. I wonder what kind of inspiration awaits me next. With such thoughts in mind, I concluded my sauna experience for the day.

After the sauna, it's time for a sauna meal. I ordered a steak bowl at the facility's restaurant. Since this is the last sauna trip of the week, I decided to splurge a little and enjoy some meat. The perfectly cooked steak recharged my body, which had just finished a sauna journey, with energy and vitality. I felt no fatigue at all. With additional energy, I could give my all again starting tomorrow. During weekdays, I work with full effort, and on weekends, I embark on sauna trips to places I've never been. I believe that if I can increase my sense of living and experiences, and die with as many memories as possible, I will be happy. Ultimately, what matters in life is how many memories you can create. With such thoughts, I left 'ZIKKAI SPA' and drove home.