Until now, we have been providing information mainly about saunas in Tokyo, but there are also many wonderful saunas in other parts of Japan! This time, we will deliver sauna information from another top tourist destination in Japan, Hakata, Fukuoka Prefecture!
By the way, Hakata in Fukuoka is a highly popular tourist destination for Japanese people as well, and it is particularly famous for its delicious food! Everything you eat there is delicious, but some of the most popular dishes include “Tonkotsu Ramen,” made with a pork-based broth, “Motsunabe,” a hot pot dish with plenty of vegetables and tasty offal, and “Mizutaki,” a light and savory hot pot made with the ultimate chicken broth. If you visit Hakata, be sure to try these dishes!
↑↑Introducing “WELLBE Fukuoka” located in Hakata, Fukuoka! This facility is a sauna complex with a capsule hotel, similar to Tokyo’s “Sauna Center.” It was renovated in 2020 and is undoubtedly the most famous sauna in Fukuoka!
Its convenient location, just a 10-minute walk from JR Hakata Station, the largest station in Fukuoka, is also one of its attractions! It offers a fantastic sauna experience for visitors to relax and unwind in Hakata, Fukuoka!
“WELLBE Fukuoka” being a men-only sauna facility is unfortunate for female visitors. However, no need to worry! Right next to “WELLBE Fukuoka,” there is a women-only sauna called “Sauna Lab,” also managed by the same company. As you can see from the entrance photo ↑↑, it is a very cute and stylish sauna facility. For couples, it would be an excellent travel plan to enjoy separate saunas and then share their experiences with each other.
I look forward to hearing more about “Sauna Lab” on another occasion for a report!!
↑↑By the way, right next to ‘WELLBE Fukuoka’ there is a popular izakaya (Japanese-style pub). This place also offers delicious motsunabe and ramen, making it a perfect option for a post-sauna meal! How about enjoying a meal there after your sauna session at WELLBE Fukuoka?
When you climb up the grand staircase at the entrance, you’ll see the lobby ↑↑ Upon entering, please take off your shoes and leave them in the shoe storage area. The sauna facility fees are as follows:
Weekdays:
- 90 minutes: 1,600 yen
- 3 hours: 2,300 yen
- Free time: 3,100 yen
- Night 2 hours: 2,100 yen
Weekends:
- 90 minutes: 2,000 yen
- 3 hours: 2,700 yen
- Free time: 3,500 yen
- Night 2 hours: 2,500 yen
After receiving the locker key at the reception, you head towards the locker room, but you can’t miss the rest area on the way ↑↑ It’s like a stylish cafe, but it is indeed a sauna rest area. When you feel tired from the sauna, you can change into the provided indoor wear here, take a break, and then return to the sauna, allowing you to enjoy the sauna experience to the fullest.
The desk by the window provides a perfect space for activities like PC work as well!
↑↑The photo above is of the changing room. Here, you change into the provided indoor wear. Since there are not many doors, it’s easy to misunderstand, but wandering around naked is not allowed. Please remember to wear the provided indoor wear when moving around the facility.
Once you have changed into the indoor wear, it’s time to head to the sauna! Beyond the door at the end of the corridor is the dressing room (photo below). Here, you remove the indoor wear, store your valuables in the lockers, and then head to the sauna room!
Ta-daaa！！！！！
When you open the door, you are greeted with this view!!! It’s quite an intriguing space, isn’t it? You might wonder, “Is this really a sauna??” There is something different about this photo, right???
Well, you’re right! There are no bathing tubs here. (They do have a cold-water bath though.) Interestingly, during the renovation in 2020, they apparently decided to get rid of the original bathing tub and turned the space into a resting area and saunas. You can really feel the owner’s passion for saunas.
Don’t worry, they have showers available, so you can thoroughly wash your body and head to the sauna room!!! There are a total of three sauna rooms here!
The first one is the small sauna room called “Karafuro,” located right next to the shower area. This sauna is designed with the image of traditional Japanese steam baths. It is quite small and has a low ceiling, so please be careful when entering. It can comfortably accommodate about two people, so it tends to fill up quickly. The competition to get in can be high, but it’s definitely a sauna you should try!
By the way, the wooden sign hanging at the entrance that says “空室” means “vacant” or “unoccupied.” When nobody is inside, flip the sign to the other side before entering.
The interior of the sauna looks like this. It’s just like a traditional tea room! The dim lighting creates a great ambiance. It’s the perfect space to immerse yourself in the sauna alone. Due to the low ceiling, the steam circulates rapidly, so be cautious not to overdo the löyly (steam).
Next up is this sauna room! It’s a notably large sauna room, offering a comforting and standard sauna experience. However, don’t be mistaken, it still maintains high humidity and ensures top-notch quality.
In this sauna room, they conduct regular Aufguss sessions at scheduled times.
There is an Aufguss service every 2 hours starting from 3:00 PM, and the last session is at 1:00 AM!!!! It’s a great relief for those who arrive late at night!!!!!
↑↑The last sauna room we are introducing is this one! It’s a self-lovely sauna room with a calm atmosphere. And the most distinctive feature of this sauna room is undoubtedly the fact that the cold-water bath is located inside the sauna room itself!! The water bath can be seen at the back in the photo.
The shorter the distance between the sauna and the water bath, the better, and here, the water bath is at zero distance from the sauna!! When your body gets warm, you might feel like jumping into the water bath right away, but remember to rinse off the sweat before entering!
Entering the cold-water bath, you will experience a peculiar sensation where your body feels cold, but your head remains warm. It’s a very unique and relaxing state. I highly recommend trying it out!
And here is the famous cold-water bath of “WELLBE Fukuoka”. It may look like an ordinary jacuzzi, but guess what, the water temperature is 4 degrees Celsius!!!! It’s on a whole different level from your usual cold-water baths! You definitely wouldn’t want to soak in this for long. Just dip up to your shoulders and quickly get out! Even that alone can open the door to relaxation!
Before getting in, make sure to pour some of the water from the jacuzzi on your body to acclimate yourself to the cold!
After getting out of the cold-water bath, make sure to dry off quickly and head to the resting area! While there is no outdoor bathing space here, they have a fantastic indoor resting area. The lighting from the glass ceiling feels just like natural sunlight. There is ample space, so even if someone is sitting next to you, it won’t feel crowded.
Personally, I recommend the white chairs!!
Finally, let me introduce you to the cryotherapy sauna!! This is a one-person cryotherapy sauna that allows you to experience the extreme cold of Finland, with temperatures around -25 degrees Celsius. The sauna blows cold air from the top, allowing you to cool down your body without having to enter a cold-water bath. It offers a different kind of pleasure compared to the cold-water bath!
With three types of saunas, two types of cold-water baths, and the cryotherapy sauna, you can try out various combinations! Please find the set that suits you best and enjoy the most comfortable experience!
In this article, we explored “WELLBE Fukuoka,” one of the top sauna facilities in Fukuoka that rivals even Tokyo’s saunas! Being one of the most famous saunas in Fukuoka, it offers not only exceptional saunas but also an excellent cold-water bath experience. The resting areas are also well-equipped, allowing you to spend an entire day there!
↑↑ The above photo shows the Premium Room of the capsule hotel. It’s almost comparable to a single hotel room! Staying here is much more affordable than booking a regular hotel room, making it an excellent choice to use this as your base for exploring Fukuoka. Be sure to fully enjoy both the city of Fukuoka and its saunas!!!
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