Japanese saunas have many rules. Before entering the sauna, it is customary to wash your body and hair. In the sauna room, you should not wring out your towel or scatter sweat. Before entering the cold water bath, it is important to rinse off the sweat. Diving into the water bath is also not allowed. Among these rules, one unique to Japan is the etiquette of not conversing in the sauna room. (However, there are sauna facilities where talking is allowed.)
But when you go to the sauna with friends, there are times when you want to chat freely in the sauna room, right? In such cases, I recommend trying a “private sauna.” It is a type of sauna where you can rent a small sauna for yourself or with friends. In a private sauna, you can enjoy the sauna experience without worrying about the unique rules and etiquette of Japan, and chat comfortably with your friends!
There are many wonderful private saunas in Tokyo, but this time, let me introduce “sauna ooo TOKYO“ located near Bakurochou Station!
The area where “sauna ooo TOKYO” is located is relatively close to Tokyo Station and Akihabara, and you can also enjoy sightseeing in the vicinity. It is not an unreasonable distance to walk from Tokyo and Akihabara! The nearest stations are Higashi-Nihonbashi Station and Bakuroyokoyama Station. The estimated travel time from each station is as follows.
1-minute walk from Higashi-Nihonbashi Station
1-minute walk from Bakuroyokoyama Station
3-minute walk from Bakurocho Station
26-minute walk from Tokyo Station
15-minute walk from Akihabara
□About Booking
“sauna ooo TOKYO” operates on a strictly reservation-only basis. You can easily make a reservation through their website! However, please note that membership registration is required. Let me explain the process to you.
First, go to the Booking page and proceed with the membership registration.
Enter your email address and click on the button mentioned above (“Sign up for free”) to receive a verification email.
Click on the link in the verification email to proceed to the membership registration page. On the first page, enter your name, mobile phone number, gender, and password, and check the box after reading the terms and conditions.
On the second page, you will enter your credit card information. By registering your credit card here, the facility usage fees and other charges will be automatically deducted after your visit, making it more convenient. However, if you feel uneasy, you can also choose to skip this step.
Once you have completed the input up to this point, you will be redirected to the reservation page.
There are two private saunas available at “sauna ooo TOKYO” Each sauna has different capacities, facilities, and prices, so please choose according to the number of people.
↑↑Once you have selected the room, the next step is to choose your preferred date and time. Since the sauna is quite popular, it’s recommended to make your reservation early. You can book up to three weeks in advance.
↑↑ You can also rent swimsuits as an option. However, please note that there is no designated changing room inside the sauna area.
Once your reservation is confirmed, you will receive an email. Check the date, time, and type of sauna room in the email. On the day of your reservation, you will need to enter a passcode to access the sauna room. The passcode is also provided in the email. You can also check the passcode from the member page on the website.
※ You will receive a similar email 30 minutes before your reservation time on the day.
△About “sauna ooo TOKYO”
The entrance has a stylish and sophisticated vibe, resembling a trendy bar. The reception is located on the 3rd floor, so you can take the elevator to reach the 3rd floor.By the way, you can order drinks in the sauna room, but there is no water available. It’s a good idea to buy sports drinks or mineral water before you go!
The reception area also serves as a café space called “+o+o+o Kitchen,” which is convenient to use after your sauna session or when you arrive a little early. Make sure to arrive about 5 minutes in advance.
Please inform the staff at the reception about your reservation details. If you’re unsure, showing them the email should be fine.
Once it’s time, head to the 2nd floor where the sauna rooms are located! There is a tablet in front of the door where you can enter the access code to enter. Be careful not to confuse the △ room with the □ room. The lighting in the △ and □ rooms creates an exciting and inviting ambiance!
After opening the door, remember to take off your shoes before entering the sauna room!
This is the □ room. As soon as you enter, you will find a washroom, lockers, and a toilet. The lockers are not very spacious, so it’s recommended to place large bags on the floor. Since there is a possibility of getting wet from the water in the cold water bath inside the room, it’s better to keep your belongings near the lockers or near the entrance.
First, let’s thoroughly wash your body and hair using the showers. There are two shower units available. There is also an overhead shower for your preference. Once you feel clean and refreshed, it’s time for the sauna room! Take the mat provided with you as you enter the sauna room.
The sauna room has an incredible feature – the floor is covered with tatami mats! Although the photo may appear quite bright, in reality, it is much darker, resembling an ancient tea room.
The interior space is not particularly large, and the ceiling is intentionally designed to be low (to ensure the circulation of heat). As a result, the temperature inside is quite high. When I visited, it was around 95-100 degrees Celsius.
It’s amazing to have conversations with friends in an atmosphere where you can barely see each other’s faces. Self-loyly (the act of pouring water onto the sauna stones to create steam) is also allowed, but remember to follow the rule of doing it approximately once every 10 minutes! Excessive use may cause damage to the stove.
Once you have sufficiently warmed up, step out into the resting area and take a shower to rinse off the sweat. After rinsing off the sweat, it’s time to plunge into the individual cold water bath with a big splash! It’s a unique feature of the private sauna, with a water temperature of around 15 degrees Celsius. The perfect temperature! Since it’s a private sauna, you won’t be scolded even if you submerge your entire body!
After cooling down your body nicely, step out of the cold water bath and towel off your body! “sauna ooo TOKYO” provides two bath towels per person, so use one of them to dry your body after getting out of the water bath! Remember, properly drying your body or not can make a difference in the level of relaxation you experience.
In Room □, there is a sofa bed where four people can lie down comfortably, as well as two chairs. After thoroughly drying your body, relax in your preferred spot. It’s a great place to chat with friends and take a break!
While there is no outdoor bathing area, having this much space with close friends next to you makes it an amazing experience.
↑↑This is how the △ room looks like. Unlike the □ room, it doesn’t have a sofa bed, but it can comfortably accommodate 2-3 people. In fact, being not too spacious might make the conversation livelier!
Just like the other sauna room, this one also has a tatami floor where you can enjoy self-loyly!
●+O+O+O Sauna And Kitchen
After leaving the sauna, return to the 3rd floor for some relaxation time. After experiencing ultimate relaxation in the sauna, the world looks radiant, doesn’t it? It’s a special experience to have a leisurely conversation with close friends in such a state.
They offer a wide range of original drinks! These drinks have been specifically developed to cater to the needs of your body after the sauna experience.
That sounds amazing! The variety of curry options and their dedication to creating medicinal curry must be quite impressive.
It’s great to hear that you had a memorable experience with your friends after a long time. The combination of the sauna, delicious food, and engaging conversations sounds like a perfect way to spend time together. While the reservation process might require a bit of effort, it’s definitely worth considering as a unique experience during your Tokyo trip.
Enjoy and create wonderful memories!
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