The bathing method that was mainstream for the ancestors of the Japanese people was not "warm water bathing" in hot springs or baths, but "steam baths" like saunas, whose history dates back to the Nara period. Before the mid-Edo period, steam baths were mainstream in Edo's public baths. In Finland, where saunas originated, saunas are not only a place to enjoy steam baths, but also a place for naked socializing. In that sense, Japanese bath culture and Finnish sauna culture have a lot in common. All Japanese ancestors were sauna lovers. When you think about it that way, doesn't saunas make you feel closer to them? At " Ibusuki Hakusuikan bath at "Tokiwa no Yu" at "Kamogawakan" in Kamogawa Onsen, Chiba Prefecture.

The heyday of loyly saunas. A loyly sauna is a bathing method that raises the perceived temperature and encourages sweating by pouring water on sauna stones to generate steam and increase the humidity in the room. The mainstream method is to pour aromatic water instead of regular water to enjoy the scent and benefits. There are two types of loyly: auto-loyly, where a machine sprays water at set intervals to perform the loyly, and self-loyly, where you pour water or aromatic water on the sauna stones yourself. When doing it yourself, it is important to be considerate and say a word to those around you as you pour the water quietly.

Many five-star hotels, especially in Hokkaido, have introduced loyly saunas. For example, at the Kitakobushi Shiretoko Hotel & Resort , the auto loyly sauna is very popular, as you can enjoy the view of the drift ice in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

Also, Iwai no Yado Noboribetsu Grand Hotel , created the "Oni Sauna" with the concept of "putting three hot springs and sauna as the main focus" based on the motif of Noboribetsu's mascot, Oni. You can enjoy auto and self-louly. The producer is professional sauna user Matsuo Dai, who created the world's first sauna as a ballpark at S-Con Field, and he also produced the sauna at Toyako Manseikaku Hotel Lake side terrace . Also, Akan Yuku no Akan Yukyu no Sato in Akanko Onsen Akan Onsen has opened a Finnish-style dome-shaped observation sauna on the rooftop of the observation bath, the first in the world to be made of 360-degree insulating composite glass.

One sauna that has attracted attention and is said to change the concept of saunas is "Iki," which recreates a Finnish smoke sauna. It has been introduced at Shika no Yu in Jozankei, Hokkaido, and Yohi Yuinosato Azumakan in Dake Onsen, Fukushima. Of particular note are the large number of sauna stones installed, which store thermal energy from the heater and emit far-infrared rays. By pouring water on them, more powerful steam is generated, allowing you to enjoy a powerful loyly. At Azumakan, an entire floor has been renovated into a "Dake Sauna," and an infinity cold bath with a view of the Adatara wilderness has also been opened.

In response to the sauna boom, an increasing number of five-star hotels are introducing full-scale loyly saunas. There are many luxurious hotels where you can enjoy a loyly sauna in the privacy of your own room, so be sure to check them out.