With the growing awareness of health consciousness, Japan has been experiencing a sauna boom in recent years, and it has become a culture that is deeply rooted in society. One important element that has been driving this boom is the unique Japanese concept of “To-to-nou,” which refers to the state of feeling refreshed and ecstatic after going through several sets of sauna, cold water bath, and outdoor relaxation. The idea of integrating the body and mind to achieve peace of mind through the sauna experience is similar to Zen meditation, making it one of the cultural practices closely related to Japan’s spirituality.

As a result of the sauna boom, various forms of saunas have emerged in Japan, including women-only saunas, private saunas, and saunas located near rivers or lakes for their scenic views. In this article, we will introduce the “Shibuya SAUNAS,” which has gained attention as the “bible” for sauna enthusiasts in Japan, as it is produced by Mr. Katsuki Tanaka, the author of the book “Sa-do.”

Beautiful Space Design and Premium Sauna Experience

Shibuya SAUNAS is a facility operated by TOYOKE Co., Ltd., a wellness company that specializes in spa facility production and vegan food planning and development, and its distinctive features lie in its meticulously designed interior and its beautiful design.

There are nine elaborately designed sauna rooms and four cold baths, and in every one of the rooms, the skin-touching areas are finished with corners removed, with attention to detail and the choice of materials. In addition, in order to minimize visual noise, we have carefully designed the illumination to make the signage in the building as minimal as possible. The architect in charge of the saunas conducted research in Finland and a whisking experience in Lithuania, and he said he incorporated a lot of his findings there.

In an interview by the Good Cycle Project, Mr. Tanaka Katsuki said, “Today, we are suffering from mental and brain fatigue due to environmental destruction and the negative effects of the work environment. Now is the time to regain the balance of mind and body through experiencing nature. Many of the recent boom trends include “camping alone,” “mindfulness,” and other forms of sensory gratification, and we believe that saunas can be positioned in this category. In fact, Shibuya was the first place in Japan to have an authentic Finnish-style sauna, but since then, it has evolved in its own unique way in Japan and failed to inherit what a sauna should be. Some saunas do not have a water bath, some saunas play TV in the sauna, and the forms of saunas are so diverse. Here, we want to provide a sauna experience that is comfortable for all, and is intended only as a “rest”. That is what Shibuya SAUNAS is all about.

The following are the characteristics of each sauna.

Dishes produced by a well-established Michelin-certified vegan restaurant

Inside the establishment, there is a vegan restaurant with a new concept supervised by Mr. Yusuke Nomura, the fourth-generation chef of the Michelin two-star Shojin-ryori Daigo. All the menus offered are vegan-friendly. The concept is “casual food that does not hinder the healthiness of the body even after sweating in the sauna”, and they offer casual menus such as curry, ramen, donuts, and craft Oropo^[1].

Made with domestically produced apples, carrots, onions, and ginger, this vegan curry is seasoned with spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, and cumin. It is gluten-free and does not contain refined white sugar.

Made with tapioca flour in the dough, these donuts have a fluffy yet chewy texture. We offer three flavors: plain, cinnamon, and chocolate.

Based on kelp broth, this ramen expresses a rich flavor and umami with carefully selected soy sauce.

1. ^[1]Oropo is a drink made by mixing Pocari Sweat with Oronamin C, sold by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co.↩