サウナしきじ, Traditional sauna in Suruga-ku, Japan
Sauna Shikiji is a sauna and bathing facility in the Suruga-ku district of Shizuoka city, offering both dry and steam heated rooms alongside cold plunge pools. The building operates around the clock and has separate sections for men and women, with locker rooms and shared rest areas.
Sauna Shikiji opened in the 1960s, during a period when sauna culture inspired by European models was spreading across Japan. Over the following decades, it grew into one of the most talked-about facilities in the Shizuoka area while keeping much of its original format.
Sauna Shikiji is known among sauna enthusiasts across Japan for its natural spring water, which flows directly from the ground beneath the building and feeds the cold plunge pools. Many regulars make the trip from far away just to experience this water, which has a reputation unlike anything found in a typical urban bathhouse.
Because the facility is open around the clock, arriving in the early morning or late at night generally means fewer people and easier access to the pools and steam rooms. Showering thoroughly before entering any heated room or pool is required, and staff are present to ensure this is followed.
The spring water under the building is soft enough that it is also used in the steam rooms, giving the steam a noticeably different feel from what you find elsewhere. Some visitors say their skin feels different after a session here, something they attribute to the mineral content of the water.
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