Shibuya SAUNAS is an invigorating facility that has been built under the general supervision of Mr. Katsuki Tanaka, the author of Sado, which has contributed to the sharp rise in the popularity of saunas in Japan in recent years.

The facility is dedicated solely for saunas, as it has nine sauna rooms and two types of cold water baths, but it does not have any bathtubs for taking a warm bath. The facility is divided into two areas, "WOODS" and "LAMPI," which means “forest” and “pond” in Finnish, the country in which saunas originated. The areas used by men and women are switched based on even-numbered days and odd-numbered days. First, a variety of saunas are introduced.

Tuuli Sauna (WOODS): "Tuuli" means "wind." As its name suggests, this sauna room has been designed for aufguss, which is characterized by the use of hot air.

Sound Sauna (LAMPI): This sauna is equipped with a sound system. The combination of the chill music and the sauna heals you through both your ears and your body.

Teetä Sauna (WOODS): "Teetä" means "tea." With the design inspired by a tearoom in which people sit around the stove, here you can enjoy the sense of Japanese "zen."

Kelo Sauna (WOODS & LAMPI): This is a Kelo sauna, which is also used for "whisking".

Vihta Sauna (WOODS): This sauna room covered with vihta offers you a relaxing time as if you were "forest bathing."

Musta Sauna (LAMPI): "Musta" means "dark." Here you can enjoy self-serve löyly in a dark and calming atmosphere.

Harmaa Sauna (WOODS): "Harmaa" means "gray." Here you can enjoy automated löyly, which has been set at 15-minute intervals.

Bed Sauna (LAMPI): This one is also an automated löyly room, but what’s new and interesting is that you can lie down while enjoying the sauna.

Once you have enjoyed the saunas to your heart’s content, let’s cool down your body in a cold water bath. There are two cold water baths with different depths and lighting, so you can choose the one that suits your mood at the moment.

Syvä (WOODS & LAMPI): "Syvä" means "deep." Both baths are quite deep, with the one in LAMPI being 150 cm deep and the one in WOODS being 145 cm deep, so you can dip your whole body in them.

Matala (WOODS & LAMPI): "MATALA" means "shallow." You can lie down in this cold water bath, so you can enjoy a relaxing bath time.

At Shibuya SAUNAS, the "fresh air bathing" space is also a bit different. It features tiered platforms, and each plat form is pretty wide, so you can invigorate yourself in any position you like.

Enjoy the most invigorating experience ever in the spacious fresh air bathing space.

Moreover, the facility also offers aufguss and "whisking." Aufguss is the act of dispersing steam using a towel. It was originated in Germany, and it lets you enjoy both aromatic scents and hot air. "Whisking" is a form of massage said to be beneficial for both mind and body. It is performed by using a tool called a "whisk," which is made with the leaves of trees such as white birches and oaks. It is available in the Kelo Sauna room dedicated to "whisking." Every day, aufguss is performed by a different staff member, and they are so particular about its quality that one of them is even an aufguss competition champion. It is available in the Tuuli Sauna room dedicated to aufguss. For the aufguss schedule and the staff members, check out their official website.

Aufguss (left photo) and Whisking (right photo).

After an invigorating experience of uncompromising quality, let’s fill your stomach with some sauna dishes. At the restaurant on the 1st floor, you can enjoy plant-based dishes supervised by one Michelin star restaurant "Shojin Ryori Daigo." The healthy dishes will definitely make your body and mind happy.

The restaurant offers a variety of dishes such as plant-based curry, as well as SAUNAS Oropo* with no coloring and honey. *"Oropo" ("オロポ" in Japanese) is a trademark of Otsuka Pharmaceutical.

In addition to the sauna spaces and the restaurant, the facility features a variety of other spaces such as a meeting room and a working space where you can work efficiently with refreshed mind and body, as well as a shop where you can purchase original items made in collaboration with diverse creators. It is also one of the rare hot bath facilities in Japan that you can use even if you have tattoos, welcoming diverse people. When you get tired from a long trip, why not heal your mind and body through the ultimate invigorating experience at Shibuya SAUNAS?

■DATA Shibuya SAUNAS Address: 18-9 Sakuragaoka-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Opening hours: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. Closed : No regular holidays Mail：[email protected] Official website: https://saunas-saunas.com/en/ Instagram:@shibuyasauba https://www.instagram.com/shibuya_saunas/ (Information as of March 2024.) ＜Related articles＞ ・[JAPAN SAUNA TRIP vol.1] "Koganeyu"