[Sakatsu] The sacred place of tent sauna! First in Japan, maybe the first in the world? Enjoy a tent sauna experience at the waterfall basin and Hisetsu-no-takiFalls.

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Murotamayu. Born on New Year's Day, raised in Tokyo. Eat well, play well, and talk well. I got addicted to saunas on my trip to Finland and posted a sauna beginner's travelogue on my note. Usually we are a whimsical music eventer, chamber, and we are planning various things.

Men and women in swimsuits are happily bathing in the waterfall basin. At first glance, it looks like a refreshing summer scene, but this is Mie Prefecture in early February. The water temperature on this day was approximately 8℃. This sight is great for saunars who enjoy sauna activities, but it may seem strange to those who don't yet know saunas.

In fact, until just the other day, I was also thinking, ``Sauna = endurance competition'' and ``Water bath? Are you willing to sacrifice your life?'' Not only does he dislike saunas, he's also an outright anti.

However, the more people like that, the more shocked they are when they come into contact with something ultimate. Yes, six months ago, I woke up in my hometown of Finland. In the sauna.

(My travelogue for beginners in Finland, where I went to 6 saunas in 4 days, is written in my notebook!)

Since then, I've been wandering through a sea of information in search of a Finnish sauna...and to my surprise, I found an incredible sauna in Mie Prefecture that probably doesn't even exist in Finland.

The ultimate tent sauna that you can go to whenever you feel like it, beside the waterfall basin. In other words, “Sa Falls”!

That's why I went there. In order to bathe in Japan's clean water, I went to the tent sauna at "Hisetsu-no-takiFalls Campsite"...

■ Let's go to Sa Falls!

“Hisetsu-no-takiFalls Campsite” is located at the southern tip of Mie Prefecture. It is located on the border with Wakayama Prefecture, in the Kumano area of the Kumano Kodo, a World Heritage Site.

​Convenient night buses depart from the metropolitan area every night. The train departs from Saitama/Omiya and also stops at Busta Shinjuku, but my husband and I, who live in Tokyo, decided to start from Yokohama.

Because there is Sky Spa YOKOHAMA.
This is a sauna with many fans, and as expected, it is located on the upper floor of the express bus terminal. From sauna to sauna... "Saakatsu" is the perfect sauna trip. The sauna continues from bedtime to morning.

Stay until the last minute at a spa with a night view before riding!

23:05. It will be 9 hours each way, so it won't be that different from going to Finland.
However, Mie Kotsu's buses have three rows of independent seats with partition curtains and outlets, and are completely flat like business class. That's only 10,000 yen.
Best of all, thanks to the sauna right before boarding, even my husband, who doesn't like express buses, fell asleep.

8:05am. The campsite is closer to the Sanko Shingu Station, which is just one block away, but it was too early in the morning and there was nothing there. Therefore, we recommend going to the last stop, Katsuura Onsen, and refreshing yourself in the natural hot springs.

OYO Hotel & Rent-A-Car 660, located right in front of Kii-Katsuura Station (on the left in the photo), has a natural hot spring open from 6 a.m., as if it were prepared for express bus travelers. thank you. You can open the bathroom window, so it feels like an open-air bath.

After feeling refreshed, we took a walk to the nearby fishing port. Katsuura is famous for tuna!

This time, Mr. Satake from the campsite came to pick us up by car, but you can also take a town bus from Shingu for just 100 yen.
Since there are only a few, I have posted a model plan at the end of the article. please refer!

Drive along the Kumano River for about 30 minutes from Shingu town to the campsite.
The sky is wide. The air is delicious!

We have arrived at the campsite.


■ Sauna while listening to the sound of the waterfall

A waterfall in the center. The constant spray of water is extremely dynamic!
Can I really come in here?

And a tent sauna!
Made by Finnish savotta, it's authentic, no, it's authentic. Let's do it, Mie Prefecture.

I changed into my swimsuit and went inside.
It is also typical of Finland that men and women can enter together, which is great for couples traveling together. The log chairs are also a nice touch.

In a tent sauna, there is a stove in the middle where you can burn firewood. Exhaust gas exits through the chimney. Although the tent was heated to about 80-90 degrees Celsius, the humidity was low, so it was still hardly stuffy.

Do self-lowering to increase the humidity inside the tent. We scooped up aroma water (aroma is also made in Finland) with a ladle and poured it onto heated stones (sauna stones).

Juper... Crackle crackling....

Ah... that sounds good. The water in Kumano turns into steam, gradually covering your whole body with moisture. Beads of sweat slowly gushing out.

The light of the fire, the smell of firewood, the mist of steam, the chirping of birds, and the sound of a waterfall.

Gradually, time slows down. The time you spend relaxing and chatting is far from the image of a sauna, and it is a relaxing space like a bonfire.

Tontu, the guardian deity of the sauna, is also watching.

By the way, there are only a few permanent saunas in Tokyo that women can easily visit alone and where they can do self-lowering. So this time is really valuable.
In particular, tent saunas have nice unevenness in humidity and temperature, and that analog feeling is the best.

Here's some advice for those who aren't used to saunas.
If you feel a little stuffy in the sauna, you may find it easier to breathe through your mouth. Also, covering your head with a towel or a sauna hat will reduce the stress on your hair and skin from the hot air, allowing you to enjoy the sauna more comfortably.

The length of stay varies from person to person. Gradually, you will be able to find your own rhythm, such as being warm enough to feel comfortable and not getting too hot. It may be easier to understand if you think of it as the same as taking a bath.

■ Totono, struck by a waterfall in the middle of winter

Now, in order to cool down my hot body in the tent sauna, I headed to the waterfall basin.

It's a natural water bath!
Take a ducky boat to the waterfall.

Double rainbow!
But my body is getting cold, so hurry up. I row desperately.

It was so dynamic that I was a little nervous...

My curiosity got the better of me and I was sucked in.
After all, it's a waterfall basin inside a rainbow. The gravitational force is amazing.

However, the water temperature was 8℃. The water pressure is also great, so even though it's cold, it hurts a bit. But if you endure the pain for just a few seconds, all the cold suddenly disappears and your body feels warm. If this happens, you will be in invincible mode for a while.

Relaxing.... Take a break while listening to the sound of the waterfall in a reclining chair. The sky is wide.

At this point, my nose, which had a tendency to have a sinus infection, starts to clear up easily. It's strange, but it definitely works.
Regarding this, there are also research results from Osaka Gas regarding the relationship between saunas and rhinitis.
The air is getting more and more delicious...

Then, repeat the process of tent sauna → waterfall basin → rest, and enjoy hot and cold baths.
The scale is larger than a normal sauna, so one turn is relatively long.

After enjoying about 3 turns, your body will gradually become heavier and you will enter a deep relaxation mode, a feeling of euphoria that slowly spreads.
This is what saunas mean. It's my first time to do something on such a large scale! Sataki is the best!

This is only 500 yen for one hour. can't believe it. I want to go there every day.

The local saunars were also enjoying "Saakatsu" to the fullest.


■ Enjoy nature yoga and Ise lobster BBQ!

Furthermore, this time we were introduced to Mr. Yasuyo Nishitani of yoga ArboR, who teaches yoga locally, through Mr. Satake of the campground. (This is the person who was in the sauna with me above)

By the way, neither my husband nor I have any experience with yoga...

This scenery.
Warmed by flames and steam, bathed in beautiful waterfall water, and touched by the earth. I am playing with the earth with all my might.

As I mentioned at the beginning, beginners experience a wide range of emotions when they touch the ultimate. Yes, I immediately grabbed my yoga mat...

By the way, when you use sa-katsu, your sense of taste becomes three times more sensitive. This is also one of the best parts of saunas.
The food after “Saikatsu” is delicious! At Hisetsu-no-takiFalls Campsite, you can pre-order Ise lobster for BBQ.

A free lecture by a fisherman on how to handle lobster.

When I ordered the large size, they gave me two small fish and a turban shell as an extra. What is the definition of bonus?

The freshly squeezed spiny lobster seasoned only with seawater is plump and the miso is sweet...!

The meat is from `` Meat Shop Tanaka.'' The offal is extremely fresh as it is delivered directly from the farm.

Kumano's specialty saury sushi and Mehari-sushi.
An unexpected combination of shichimi that goes well with vinegared saury. The salty taste of Mehari-sushi wrapped in mustard greens is also good. Both are snack sushi that go well with alcohol.


■ A beautiful cottage perfect for indoor enthusiasts

By the way, we are an indoor bean sprout couple in the city. I've never been bad at camping. Honestly, the great thing about Hisetsu-no-takiFalls Campsite is that even people like that can come here with little to no effort.

Cottage, spacious!
It was just built in 2018, and the bath and toilet are separate, and the kitchen has a refrigerator, range, and rice cooker.
Of course, futons are provided, so even though it's called a "campsite," it's more like a home. How easy.
Therefore, it is OK to bring special items as long as you can bring them to the public pool (swimsuit, bath towel, sandals, etc.). There is also a clean shower room on the premises for day visitors.

But I'd like you to stay the night anyway. because…….

■ Sauna even on starry nights

You can also use the tent sauna at night. Light up, waterfall!

The illumination is only available for a limited time from December to February, but night viewing is possible during other periods as well. A small light illuminates the waterfall.
(The tent sauna is closed from July to August due to the campsite's busy season)

The brightly lit stove is a fun feature that can only be enjoyed at night.

The waterfall at night is a little scary, but it felt so good!

The night sky I looked at while taking a break was full of stars!
I was able to take this many photos with my iPhone, so please imagine that they are about 10 times more visible to the naked eye.
Space x waterfall pot x sauna. The world is now mine.

■ There are many attractions in the surrounding area!

The next morning, we went for a walk in the Kumano area.

Kounouchi konochi in KihoTown is a place of great spiritual power. This is the forest where Izanami and Izanagi met.

It is known as the god of safe childbirth, and it looks like it will bring good luck.

Just in time for Setsubun. I had the Kumano version of metsuki.
The thorns are said to be holly, but I don't see them often, so I wonder if they are unique to this region. They make the demons flinch with the smell of anchovies, stab them with spikes, and tie them up with the moss in the middle. It has a high degree of perfection as a weapon.

We also received drinks from the members of konochi Ikikki Council. It came at a good time. Kumano's sake is delicious.

Afterwards, we crossed the river at the prefectural border and headed to Kamikura Shrine.

The stone steps at Kamikura Shrine are so rough that they are almost like cliffs.

My husband was happily climbing up the mountain, and Mr. Satake was getting used to it.

...I have a low back.
It took about 30 minutes to reach the top, but we climbed for about 10 minutes and then turned back around. From the top, you can see the sea as well.

During the Onto Festival held on February 6th every year, men holding burning torches run down these steep stairs at night. (Women are not allowed to participate).
During this period, the costumes are also sold at Aeon, and tourists can participate as long as they are wearing the costume. Gentlemen who are confident in their legs and hips, what do you think?

My Kumano trip is coming to an end, and I'm smiling after just a short climb up the mountain.

■ The scent of Kumano as a souvenir

A recommended shop to stop by is the aroma shop `` M'A Fabry,'' which features the scent of Kumano.

Chocolate with a natural scent born from the Kumano forest.
I fell in love with the package design at first sight! 48 is Shibahara cedar, 96 is Kuromoji, and the natural scent gently wafts through your nose. My first time trying chocolate like this!
We recommend pairing it with gin, but in Finland there is also gin made in saunas. This is a must-try product for saunars.


■ It's okay even if you don't have a car

13:55. It's time to say farewell to Kumano with my back hair being run over.
From Sanco-Shingu Station, take the 4-hour express bus to Nagoya, which does not require reservations. Speaking of Nagoya, it is sauna. From sauna to sauna to sauna...and then back home on the Shinkansen.
With this, the sauna trip for the sauna is complete!

In addition, for people in the Tokyo metropolitan area who want to see things without having a car, we have prepared a model plan that takes advantage of the low frequency of buses.
This is just an example, but please use it as a reference!

(Reference: About the operation of the town bus)


Actually, there were a lot of parts that I couldn't finish writing, so I wrote them in my notebook. It is full of behind-the-scenes stories that make the trip even more interesting.


● Feel the power of fire and water in a natural sauna

Since the Kumano area is rich in hot springs, saunas have not received much attention until now. However, this area has held festivals to worship flames and has benefited from the blessings of the sea and rivers. Is there any place more suitable for a sauna, where you can feel the power of fire and water throughout your body?

Although it is such a sacred place, the waterfall sauna is a place you can go to whenever you feel like it.
Why not immerse yourself in nature on the weekend and experience peace on a grand scale?


Click here to reserve Hisetsu-no-takiFalls campsite!
https://hisetsu.jp/main/

Click here to make express bus reservations for those in the metropolitan area!
http://www.sanco.co.jp/highway/nankitokyo/

No reservations are required for the express bus from Nagoya. On a weekend morning, we hopped on the bus and were at the waterfall in the afternoon!
https://www.sanco.co.jp/highway/nankinagoya/