#Sauna News Digest 4
last updated 2024/06/28
Revolutionary invention for those who love sauna! Finnish style home sauna "Ouchi de sauna Rich" for two made by Ouchi DE Sauna
Niiro has finally introduced their pro model "Ouchi de Sauna Rich" (literally "sauna at home Rich") they have been preparing since last year. "Ouchi de Sauna Rich" is a second generation of "Ouchi de Sauna" series, which has been a record-breaking hit with more than 2000 units sold a year.
This pro model stands as a low-cost, home-use authentic Finnish sauna for two. The sale has commenced on the official store early May this year.
"Ouchi de sauna Rich" is an answer to your sauna frustrations
With the recent sauna boom, many saunas are overcrowded these days, due to which it can get noisy and uncomfortable at times. This can be a problem for the veracious Sauneers.
Ideally, sauna should be a place where you can rest your mind and body, relax to put it simply. On the contrary, due to the above conditions, sometimes it can make you feel fatigue.
Moreover, most sauna facilities are separate for men and women and you cannot enjoy it together with your partner. Even if you wish to have sauna at home, the usual full-fledged box-type saunas are hard to afford with prices that can go over 1,000,000 yen.
Here is where "Ouchi de Sauna Rich" comes in to help you.
Sauna tent for two
To explain shortly what is "Ouchi de Sauna Rich"; it is a tent for two in which you can have an authentic sauna experience with your significant other or a friend, in the comfort and privacy of your own home.
The main difference between this product and other tent saunas/box-type saunas is that up to two stoves can be installed. One can be used to produce a low-temperature (friendly for beginners), and two can be set to generate a high-temperature (for experienced Sauneers).
The results of some tests revealed that the temperature can rise from 65°C to 70°C in one hour after one stove has been turned on, and from 95°C to over 100°C in case of two stoves. At the same time, the 100V (1500W) stove's electrical costs are less than half compared to other box-type saunas, with one stove price figuring at only about 50 yen and two about 100 yen.
Sauna facilities charge fees for each use and depending on the place, these can be really expensive nowadays especially if you look at it from a month perspective. "Ouchi de Sauna RICH" however, is a way to reduce these expenses.
If you wish to increase insulation and reach an ideal temperature even in Winter and for outdoor use, you can also place a one-person tent inside the two-people one. It has been examined that the temperature rises to 108°C within 30 minutes of setting up the stove, and as much as 118°C after 1 hour.
No electrical work of any sort is required, and the tent can be used anywhere as long as you have an electrical outlet. Furthermore, it is safe and does not require starting a fire nor any after cleanup. It takes only 5 seconds to set up, and the tent is foldable, so it can be rolled up and carried in a storage bag.
It can be said that this Finnish-style sauna with löyly is a product that sauna enthusiasts should be exhilarated about.
You can do whatever you want: soak in an aroma of your favorite fragrance, listen to the music you adore, or watch a video or movie on your tablet inside.
Home DE Sauna RICH specifications:
・Tent
Size: W105 x D105 x H145cm
Weight: 3.180kg
Material: Polyester, Cotton
・Stove
Size: W20.5 x D32 x H50.5cm
Weight: 10kg
Power Supply: Power cord type 100V, 1500W
・Price
2-people tent + 1 stove: 98, 000 yen (tax included)
2-people tent + 2 stoves: 154,000 yen (tax included)
Official online store: https://revitalize.official.ec/
A new public sauna in swimsuits. Three types of cold baths with different temperatures
Formerly named "Tokitama Himitsu Kichi COMORIVER" (accommodation facility) located in Hiki-gun of Saitama, rebranded as "COMORIVER" starting June 13th. A new sauna area, "Public Sauna Area moku," has opened on July 16th.
Unlimited access to sauna
The above mentioned "Public Sauna Area moku" located on the deck space, offers unlimited access to three unique outdoor saunas: "Igloo Sauna," "Sauna Wagon," and "ASEMA".
The "Igloo Sauna" is a wood-fired sauna made in Estonia. It is characterized by its cute dome-shaped form inspired by the Igloo of Eskimos.
The "Sauna Wagon" (shape of an old wagon car) and "ASEMA" (trailer shape) are also wood-fired.
After warming up in each sauna, visitors can jump into one of three cold baths, each of them with different temperature.
In addition, with emergence of this new sauna area, you can reserve the already existing "Igloo Sauna" and "Sauna Mokki". They call this a "Private Sauna Area sen". With the Tsuge River flowing in front of the facility, you can enjoy a beautiful view and cool down.
COMORIVER is a 12-room lodging facility located along the beautiful clear waters of the Tsuge River. Based on the concept of "clear stream and wood fire," guests can fully stay amongst the nature, enjoying outdoor sauna and BBQ.
About COMORIVER
Rebrand opening date: June 13 (Thu) *"Public sauna area moku" is opened from July 16.
Is the peak of the sauna boom in Japan over? Kazutoshi Hayashi talks about the causes and the future of sauna
The creator of the word "Neppashi" Kazutoshi Hayashi (熱波師; Japanese word for "Aufgussmeister" in German), speaks about the sauna boom.
The unprecedented sauna boom was heavily influenced by the TV Tokyo drama hit "Sadō" broadcasted in 2019. People began to seek for the so called "totonou" feeling, while entrepreneurs took the chance and popularized private saunas, as well as undergone renewals of already existing hot bath facilities, etc.
There have also been changes in the other aspects of the industry, not necessarily related to the tangible aspects. Having its roots in Germany, Aufguss (sending the steam waves within the sauna room using a towel) has been recognized in Japan and "Neppashi" became an almost idol-like occupation.
However, the sauna boom cooled off with the COVID outbreak, which occurred right at the momentum of this movement. As of 2024 (post-covid era), the "remains of the boom" appear to be stagnating.
With the decreasing popular of sauna, what efforts will be made on the part of business owners to keep customers coming, and is there a possibility of the high demand reappearing?
Writer Yukie Morita, a hot spring Sommelier and Neppashi, interviewed Kazutoshi Hayashi, manager of Fantasy Sauna & Spa Ofuronokuni in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture and a representative of "Sauna Monthly". He is know to have coined the Japanese term for Aufgussmeister, "Neppashi". They talked about the future prospects of the ever changing hot bath industry.
(Yukie Morita): Mr. Hayashi, you have been a manager of a hot spring facility soon after you joined the company in 2001. You had a chance to observe the scene before and after the sauna boom. What do you think was the timing the popularity of sauna has reached its peak?
(Kazutoshi Hayashi): As a matter of fact, there was a kind of anticipation amongst people in the industry since around 2017. However, it must be said that a huge trigger was the first broadcast of the drama "Sadō".
There is a scene in this drama in which the main character inquires a manager about origins of a certain hot spring bath he stops by. Possibly inspired by this, I have been asked similar questions more and more frequently, especially by young customers. For example "What kind of idea does this facility held"?
Certainly, there may have been such curiosity among customers before, but the drama had a big effect on their willingness to strike up conversations about these things. Until then, the only time they would talk to us was when they had some complaints. So it was a really positive change.
Before the "Neppashi" was born
(Yukie Morita): Surely, number of young customers increased in the heat of the boom. I believe that in case of "Ofuronokuni", its acclaim was influenced by the creation of "Neppashi".
(Kazutoshi Hayashi): Yes, in fact until we introduced the “Neppashi” to the world, back in 2013 we only considered löyly or Aufguss like "pouring some water on the stone" or "producing some steam". We did not do Aufguss at the time at all. It was right around that time when I met Mr. Katsumasa Inoue. One day, while having some conversation, we came up with this idea of Neppashi.
(Yukie Morita): You mean Katsumasa Inoue, a leading Neppashi traveling all around Japan and giving his aufguss performances, right?
(Kazutoshi Hayashi): I met him at some event when he was still a pro wrestler. At the time, he was unable to compete due to eyes problem. We talked about Löyly and Aufguss, which were just starting to get implemented in a few hot springs facilities.
After that, he retired from wrestling, and I guess you could say that him participating in the Aufguss events was pivotal to the boom. If you ask me, more than anything else, I had an overwhelming desire to have Mr. Inoue on board to play an active role in this movement, with his one-of-a-kind personality.
Even so, I wasn't thinking of him as a producer of something. I was more like, “wow, that strong guy from the ring is here".
We found a perfect blank spot
(Yukie Morita): I've heard that you thought of the "Neppashi" term together.
(Kazutoshi Hayashi): That's correct. Around 2013, Mr. Inoue created the world of “Neppashidō” (literally "The way of Neppa" or "The way of Aufguss") as a way to teach about Aufguss, just like martial arts or tea ceremony. From the very beginning, we were convinced that Aufguss will expand, and from a Master eventually disciples would follow.
Mr. Inoue's pursuit in the study of Aufguss was to “create the best possible environment in the sauna room". That was the beginning. During public holidays, guests began to come from Tokyo and the suburbs.
(Yukie Morita): There are many things related to sauna and hot bath that you have been a creator of, such as “Neppashi Certification Test” ,“OFR48,” (making a female staff idol), and "Gekkan Sauna" (“Sauna Monthly” in translation) magazine. Do you have any new ideas upcoming?
(Kazutoshi Hayashi): Recently, we have been thinking about “making stars of body care therapists”. Our body care store located inside the facility, competes with the so-called “street stores” that charge ¥3,980, and we are not a match for them when it comes to this price. If this is the case though, we need to attend some events and show off. Like Neppashi, we need to target people coming to see us from distant places.
It might sound adverse, but actually, it is a great business opportunity. When people ask me, “Who is a famous person when it comes to body care?” I can't think of anyone right now. That's why I'm interested in this topic. We found this perfect blank spot so to call.
(Yukie Morita): Then, you had convinced a manager of the relaxation corner "Kea Kea" (“Care Care" in English), Ichiro Onishi, to be a "Sauna singer".
(Kazutoshi Hayashi): Onishi was originally a licensed karaoke teacher in the Kansai region, and he told me, “I can write music and lyrics too”. So I asked him to compose some songs like “Akasuri Blues".
Older people stopped coming due to increase in young customers
(Yukie Morita): Now that the so-called "sauna boom" seems to have ended, what are your thoughts on the future?
(Kazutoshi Hayashi): The peak of the sauna boom may be over in the Kanto region, but colleagues from the same industry have been saying that is it just getting started for the rural areas.
This might be the same in both metropolitan and remote areas, but the popularity of hot bath facilities is more about people than the place itself.
Having a look at the customers these days, I see that they are making an effort to connect with others through social network and trying get out of their comfort zone by visiting different facilities than the ones they usually go to. When on vacation, they stop in rural areas and gain new information. I hope to see more of this kind of behavior in the near future.
More than anything else, I believe we are the ones who should be leading this movement. I think that in the further development of the industry, places like health land and men's saunas will play the biggest role.
(Yukie Morita): As the peak of the sauna boom expands across the country, the Kanto area experiences a stagnation. As stated in a survey report by the Sauna Research Institute, even though sauna is getting more popular among the youth, half of the respondents have decreased their visits to sauna because of the COVID, and other reasons such is “Tt has become too crowded” and “I got bored of it".
(Kazutoshi Hayashi): When it comes to the current situation of the sauna, it is the wealthy middle-aged men who have stopped visiting because of the COVID. These are people who would come for a long course of Akasuri, or who would come once every three days and pay 10,000 yen for a body care, or eat and drink in abundance. They stopped coming because their families did not accept that. This is a very painful situation for those in charge of Akasuri and Body Care. On the other hand, it is also true that the number of young customers has increased. I realize that some people are fed up with crowds that come together with it.
However, we have noticed that many of the youth that are coming in groups, recently started coming on their own as well, as long as they like the place.
No matter how you look at it, there was definitely a peak in the sauna boom. It is only natural that there must be a decline after that, but I think the industry as a whole is getting up on its feet.
In order to keep this process improving, it will be necessary to make efforts such as managing social network accounts, including not only big public bathhouses but also small sentō.
I'm also begging the "wealthy middle-age men": "Please, come back!".
About the "next move"
(Yukie Morita): Regarding the sauna boom, you observed that there was a shift in the age of customers, as well as a rapid increase in the Neppashi.
(Kazutoshi Hayashi): More people are going to saunas and more people are fanning with towels. This is like a Sengoku period of Neppashi. I think that future Neppashi must be clear about what they want to do.
It will no longer be enough to just say "I want to see the people smile" or "I do it, because it's fun". There will be a need for a unique personalities.
I know this because I do projects such as the "Neppashi list" in "Sauna Monthly", and there are many Neppashi in their thirties now. I would like to see more unique individuals, such as "sexy grandpa" or "attractive mature women" come out.
(Yukie Morita): I take that the future of the sauna industry should expect to have some strong originalities. How about your vision of a "next move" following the sauna boom dropdown?
(Kazutoshi Hayashi): Thank you for asking, indeed. Next comes "Sauna entertainment". With the popularity of Neppashi, it became clear to us that the customers will want more of it.
At the same time, I want the staff to highlight their individual skills, such as "I'm actually playing in a music band" or "I'm a comedian".
Ultimately, it seems to me that there is no more opportunity to initialize a next boom when it comes to equipment of the facilities. As other have said, the carbonated hot bath boom was followed by the sauna boom, but there is no other "big thing" coming anymore.
That's precisely why I think we may experience a return to the Kenkō Rando, with people in the center of the sauna entertainment.
What is required, is not only a "skilled staff". No matter how much sauna-loving entertainer there might be, this is not enough. I believe that we have to bring the "heat" from within the hot bath industry itself.
Things that AI cannot do
(Yukie Morita): However, it seems to me rather difficult for a manager of a large hot bath facility to come out to the forefront.
(Kazutoshi Hayashi): That is precisely why it is needed. I am glad that the time has come where small facilities are able to do something that large facilities cannot. The "Manager's Directory" (支配人名鑑 in Japanese) that will be published in "Sauna Monthly" is a perfect example of this. Someone must stand as a "face" of the store.
Of course, there will be some complaints. But in the end, someone has to step forward.
Let's keep in mind that the hot spring industry has always been the last to change, with introduction of new systems and products. The industry's small size and lack of cohesiveness was a cause for it, so we have been trying to convey the culture of hot springs to people.
(Yukie Morita): I imagine hot spring industry developing further. I understand that the future lies in the intangibles rather than tangible initiatives?
(Kazutoshi Hayashi): As a manager, I have seen a variety of machines used in hot baths, and I realized that hardware breaks down more often than people do.
Obviously, this derives from my feeling that humans are more interesting than the machines, but I can say with certainty that hot bath facilities will remain even in this era of AI.
AI can't do things like soaking in a bath. We want to continue doing these things that neither AI nor machines can do.
Therefore, when I mention a "sauna entertainment", what I envision is something like "Heartwarming "Foodocumentary" Omouma" of Chukyo TV.
Not just anyone should stand at the front. It's best to have someone who can react enthusiastically when a customer comes in.
I will say it again and again. The boom will cease, but as long as there are people with ideas, the hot bath industry will continue to thrive.
Fantasy Sauna & Spa Ofuronokuni Yokohama
［Address]
2-25-23 Shimosueyoshi, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture
［TEL］
045-585-4126
［Business hours]
Weekdays 11:00 - 24:00, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 8:00 - last admission at 23:00 (open until 23:40)
［Holiday]
Third Monday of each month (open if the Monday falls on a national holiday)
［Fee]
・Adults (junior high school students and older): 950 yen on weekdays, 1100 yen on weekends and national holidays and special days (year-end and New Year holidays, Bon holidays, etc.)
・Children (elementary school students and above): 350 yen on weekdays / 400 yen on weekends and special holidays (year-end, New Year, Bon Festival, etc.)
［Access]
9 minutes by bus from JR Kawasaki Station. 1 minute walk from Shin-Tsurumi-Bashi", 2 minutes walk from Tobu Hospital.