JAPAN'S FINEST ONSEN & SAUNA
The Finest Onsen & Sauna in Japan
57 SELECTIONS
Most of what we surveyed never even made it onto this site. This book is a further cut from what did. Our editor bathed in every onsen and sauna in it, and wrote only what they confirmed on the ground.
Oct 25–26, 2025 ／ 1 night, 2 days
Until now, I had never been to a reservation-only private sauna. I had always bathed in large communal baths surrounded by many people, but as I continued my sauna travels, I became increasingly curious about the world of private saunas. I had imagined it as a small, quiet space for peaceful self-reflection — yet reality never quite matches the imagination. In this Okayama Sauna Journey, I will share four episodes, including my account of experiencing a private sauna for the first time.
Every stop on this itinerary was visited in person by the Editor-in-Chief.
Read it in the order we travelled.
