Saga 'Mifuneyama Rakuen Hotel Rakan no Yu' Saunas Can Get This Good (Sauna Trip 2021) (Sauna Report)

Following the sauna boom, the number of people seeking saunas as a leisure activity has increased. In response, saunas themselves are increasingly taking on the characteristics of leisure.
To put it simply, they are becoming increasingly 'luxurious'. Kanda's Sauna Lab Kanda and Oiso's S.WAVE, which pursue stylish and clean spaces, as well as Jimbocho's Solo Sauna tune, which caters to the selfish demand of not wanting to be bothered by others, and tent saunas that combine outdoor activities to bring saunas into nature, are all part of this trend.
What they all have in common is that the cost of the sauna experience is rising. While it is gratifying to see the base of the pyramid expanding for saunas as an affordable refreshment, where does this luxury lead? A members-only sauna? Building a sauna at home? There are many possibilities, but one answer lies in Saga.
'Mifuneyama Rakuen Hotel Rakan no Yu'. It is the ultimate destination for a luxury sauna.
To conclude, you absolutely must stay here and enjoy the sauna.

'Rakan no Yu' is a high-end ryokan, and the hospitality is truly amazing. When you are picked up from Takeo-Onsen Station in Saga, you are surprised to find that the teamLab art space has already begun before you even check in. While you are busy taking photos in surprise or being treated to a welcome drink, you are guided to your room, which is also beautiful and surprising. (As an aside, that space by the window with two chairs and a table is also firmly present in such a stylish ryokan, and I wonder if that is just the regulation.) The area leading to the baths also smells wonderful, and just being there, surrounded by an extraordinary atmosphere and hospitality, gets you excited.

The hot spring has an alkaline quality that is slightly slimy, but it is an exquisite sliminess that isn't so slippery that the floor becomes dangerous. The texture when you submerge your body is just right, and it is easy to see why it is called a 'beauty bath.' (Though I feel like most hot springs are called beauty baths.)

The men's sauna is so dark that for a moment after entering, you don't even know if anyone else is there, and in that space, a long sauna stove is spotlighted like a sacred object. Naturally, you can perform self-loyly, and because the stove has high heat, the fragrant loyly water scooped into the ladle evaporates in an instant, filling the dark, narrow sauna room. There are three levels of seating, and the top level gets quite hot when you take on this loyly. Inevitably, the temperature and humidity are set quite high, which is perfect for my (the author's) preferences.
The lack of unnecessary noise is also nice. I learned later from the drama 'Sa-Do 2021,' which featured this very facility, that the sounds of the nearby forest are played in real-time in this space. No wonder I thought I could hear the sounds of insects nearby. It acts as a moderate noise that cancels out the breathing and sweating sounds of the people around me, which I appreciate.
Also, besides the fragrant loyly water, it seems there is also roasted green tea (hojicha) available for loyly. I couldn't pour the hojicha myself when I was there, but a faint, savory scent remained in the sauna room. I would definitely like you to experience this as well.

The cold bath uses hot spring water. And it's quite deep. The smooth plastic bathtub feels like a jacuzzi and is fun. The water temperature is boldly stated as 16°C on the information board, and you can feel the strong will behind the message, 'This setting is the best.' As expected, the soft water that envelops your whole body feels great, and it's a cold bath you'll want to stay in forever. Among all the ones I've been to, it might be the closest to perfection after Shizuoka's 'Sauna Shikiji,' and perhaps the closest thing to the 'idea' of a cold bath. My 'I want to live in this cold bath' ranking, which has been updated frequently lately, has been updated once again. Sauna lovers should go to Saga just for this.

There are plenty of places for outdoor air bathing: (1) chairs, (2) deck chairs (made of soft silicone), (3) on top of rocks, and (4) lying directly on the wooden deck. I especially recommend (3) on top of the rocks... there is a flat rock near the cold bath, and it feels just right to lie down there. I don't think you'll understand what I'm saying, but this is something you have to see for yourself. And (4) lying directly on the wooden deck, where you can lie spread-eagled in the nude and look up at the sky while bathing in the outdoor air, surrounded by the quiet sounds of nature and watching the blue sky or the darkening sky, is an experience you absolutely cannot have in the city, so I recommend it.My own work 'Isekai Sauna' often depicted outdoor air bathing in nature, and I was able to experience it for the first time, which was even a little moving.

You absolutely must stay overnight

Even just this is more than enough for a sauna experience, so you would be satisfied even with a day trip. However, you should still stay overnight to enjoy it.

(1) The night is the best
Even after going to the sauna and having a fine meal, 'Rakan no Yu' is full of fun things to do. There is digital art created by teamLab inside the building and in the garden, and there is an art piece with a huge object inside an abandoned bathhouse that is a must-see. The art in the garden, which collaborates with the sheer cliffs of Mt. Mifune, is also dynamic, and since the art is scattered throughout the vast garden, it would take quite a long time if you wanted to see it all. Also, I learned from the 'Sa-Do' footage that there is something like a tea house in the garden where you can take a break, so I definitely want to experience that too.

After enjoying the art in the garden, since you've walked quite a bit, you wash off the sweat in the sauna and hot spring. You should also go to the sauna, which is open until 23:00, at night, because you can bathe in the outdoor air while looking up at the night sky. Since it's in the countryside, you can see the stars and the moon incredibly well, and you can hear the sounds of insects in surround sound, which is moving. It's a sauna experience you absolutely cannot have in the city, so you must go to the sauna at night.

(2) The morning is the best
You can also go to the sauna in the morning. Moreover, the men's and women's baths are swapped. Men's and women's swap!! This is amazing. You can experience not only the luxury sauna on the men's side but also the facilities on the women's side. Being able to experience both in a single stay without having to target a specific day is truly impressive, as they really understand the needs of sauna lovers. Naturally, women can also experience the sauna on the men's side, so if you are with someone of the opposite sex, the satisfaction of the trip will double.
The sauna on the women's side has a completely different concept from the men's side, and both the sauna and the cold bath are entirely different. (Though the settings are the same.)
First, there is a mist sauna on the women's side. A mist sauna is a facility that tends to be overlooked on the men's side, but it feels great when you're in it. The mist concentration is quite high, about the same as the mist sauna at 'Yuraku' in Kumamoto, so I recommend it.
Next, in contrast to the 'dark' theme of the men's side, the sauna on the women's side is a 'light' sauna, with plenty of light brought into a pure white igloo-like structure. Not only can you perform self-loyly, but what's rare is that 'Kugel'—aroma water ice balls—are always available, allowing you to enjoy your favorite aroma. These 'Kugel' are impressive for their special feel, their cuteness, and their ability to provide aroma while slowly melting, so I thought, 'So that's how you do it!' and they might appear in 'Isekai Sauna' someday. (Harau-ra would probably like them.)
The cold bath is located near the exit of the sauna room, and although it is smaller in depth and width than the men's side, it uses hot spring water and is large enough for several people, so you can cool your body down perfectly. Since it brings in the morning light from above, and with its design colored by gorgeous, multi-colored tiles, it reminds one of the baths of ancient royal women or a work of art.
Furthermore, there is a facility that doesn't exist on the men's side: a 'relaxation room,' which is also truly amazing. (1) Stylish relaxation chairs both indoors and outdoors, (2) multiple types of detox water and chilled green tea, and (3) sweets (pudding, anko-dama, and dried fruits)—it even delights your sense of taste. While other facilities have detox water, I never expected sweets! There was a shock that 'such hospitality is allowed,' and since the sweets themselves are delicious, I can only admire their hospitality. There was also a fireplace, so I suppose it can accommodate seasons when it's a bit too cold for outdoor air bathing.

Certainly, 'Mifuneyama Rakuen Hotel' is clearly more expensive than the ryokans you would use for a normal trip. However, you can definitely get an experience that is worth more than that. You stay here, eat delicious food using local Saga ingredients, enjoy the art, and go to the sauna many times. 'Rakan no Yu' provides such an overwhelming experience and hospitality that you can make it the main content of your trip. If there is one thing to note, it is that it is so overwhelming that after you check out, you'll feel like, 'Well, time to go back to Tokyo!', and even after that, unless something extraordinary happens, you will think about 'Rakan no Yu' forever, so I recommend staying here at the end of your trip.

As an aside, when I told the staff lady during a meal that I had come from Tokyo, she said, 'Everyone comes all the way from Tokyo, don't they? You go to that place in Kumamoto, then go to that place in Fukuoka, and then you come to us.'
--You are exactly right. That was completely my route.