Shibuya Saunas

Innovative. Ground-breaking. Cultural crossing.

Tattoos Okay? Yes
Sauna? Lots!
Price? $$
Should I bring toiletries? No
Best for? Anyone seeking out a premium sauna focused experience. Anyone with tattoos or dietary needs. Sauna junkies.

This review is going to work a bit differently. An aspect of Shibuya Saunas that makes it so special is that it essentially two separate sauna facilities with an overarching style. Each respective side alternates every other day between men and women, giving both genders the chance to experience everything Shibuya Saunas has to offer. For the Pokemon fans reading this, think of this like a release of a new generation of Pokemon games (Fire Red and Leaf Green, Sword and Shield, etc.). While both games have a lot in common, certain Pokemon are only available in one game, so both are required to get the whole experience.

The bulk of the review will walk you through what a session at each of both the WOODS and LAMPI portions of Shibuya Saunas are like.

WOODS

(Contains 3 upstairs saunas, two downstairs)

I walk into a dark grey hallway. After showering off the worries of the day, I smell fresh birch leaves and hear birds chirping. Looking to my left, I see a closed off, yet inviting wooden door. I enter the door, only to be greeted by the increasingly audible bird sounds and pleasant scent of birch leaves (Vihta in Finnish). Sitting down, I am transported to the countryside. My worries of the day quickly start to dissolve as the world starts to simplify, both internally and externally. I gradually settle into a steady comfortable sweat until suddenly, I feel the call to slowly transition out.

Spotting a nearby body length cold bath, I wash my sweat off and dip in to the bath to cool off. A slight shock, followed by acceptance of the cold, ends with the urge to sit down. Briefly rested and recharged, several unfamiliar faces start entering a large door. Curious, I follow behind and join them.

Notably more intense than the last sauna, the auto-loyly steadily increases the humidity as needed. More fellow saunners start to trickle in and join me. By the time I am ready to move on, there is a line to enter the neighboring Vihta sauna. Another cold bath trip ensues…

Settling into my sauna routine, I see a lit staircase down the hall. Feeling adventurous, I ascend to see what lies in store.

Lush, serene, and quiet, who would guess that you’re only a number of blocks away the world’s second-largest subway station? Certainly not me…

With three saunas to choose from, I head towards the largest, most inviting of my options.

As I enter, I am greeted with a sign indicating the aroma for the day. Diffused in the water used for self-loyly, the room carries a refreshing, yuzu/citrusy* scent that immediately puts you at ease. Looking out the expansive window and into the immaculate outdoor garden, it’s hard not to feel both at peace and overjoyed all at once. Ready for a cool down, I wash off and head for the walk in cold plunge.

*The aroma is switched out daily. I have been lucky enough to enjoy a range of essential oil blends on my visits.

Deep and cold, this sensation makes the downstairs cold bath pale in comparison. I feel icy and relieved all at once, particularly when I stand under the cold waterfall flowing down onto the bath. Nearing the limit of my cold tolerance, I head to one of the ledge benches.

In Japanese cooking, much attention is given to all five senses, or 五感 being satisfied. I can’t help but feel that same attention present in the outdoor garden. Clean, quiet, pleasant smelling, and comfortable, I feel exhilarated and at peace. That’s the paradox of sauna. Peace and excitement. Existing at the same time. A sign of maturation is realizing that two seemingly conflicting feelings can coexist. As helpful as philosophy and introspection has been in coming to this universal truth, perhaps nothing has taught me this more than my time spent at the sauna.

These are the kinds of thoughts that pass through me as time flows by in seemingly an instant. At once, I feel ready to explore my surroundings a bit more. Eager to try the Kelo sauna, now without a line, I cram into the four seat, hut-style sauna.

Set at a lower heat and with fewer seats, this Kelo sauna gives a more intimate feeling than the expansive, grand nature of the TUULI sauna. Just me and three other individuals enjoying the slow yet inevitable heat that increases over time. Across the bench, a fellow saunner looks around the room to seek approval to add more water to the rocks. We all nod in agreement. While the heat will inevitably increase, it is the added humidity that comes right away, along with the wonderful, calming sound that only comes from loyly. I feel comforted by both the easy heat and the soothing scent of the Kelo wood, safe even. A few faces come and go in the Kelo sauna until I feel the call to leave. Earning a steady sweat overtime, my body carries a rewarding kind of exhaustion without feeling attacked by the heat, as a lesser sauna can unfortunately do.

After an invigorating cold plunge, I spot a corner of the room with one last sauna to try.

After crawling into what feels like a door from the Shire, I walk up the steps to enter the TEETA sauna. The room feels worn in, in a comfortable sort of way. The self-loyly set up further contributes to a DIY vibe. The room transports me to a cabin on a nice day, an escape with nothing but you, perhaps a few friends or family members, and nature. Unpretentious and no-nonsense, the TEETA sauna delivers a high heat that snuck up on me. Before I knew it, the sun seemed to be setting on me. The day slipping away as thoughts pass me by, like the beads of sweat that suddenly drip down from everywhere on my body. With limited stamina, I decide to depart.

Emerging out of the hobbit door, the day has passed me by, and the outdoor garden has revealed a new face. Beautifully lit, the atmosphere, or 雰囲気, completely changes. Awe-struck, I rush into the cold plunge and take it all in. The endorphins. The rush. The greenery. The pause of my thoughts as I slip into a oneness with the moment. My legs carry my conscious mind to the closest bench. I am one with the moment. This is totonou….

My time to depart has come. I descend down the stairs from which I came to rinse off, and return to reality. Away from the WOODS, away from the sauna.

For now…

LAMPI

(Contains 2 upstairs, 2 downstairs sauna) [translates to “Pond” from Finnish]

Choosing to start my day with a sauna, I find myself in a naturally lit, grey hallway. With several potential routes to chose from, the bright wood door with only a small window beckons to me the most.

After crawling up to the wooden beds, the cozy setup along with the intensity heat get me to ease into this ingenious sauna in no time at all. The warm temperature seems to tuck me in like a warm blanket on a cold day. I can’t imagine ever wanting to leave. Comfortable, safe, and warm, the day is off to a great start. Outside of the two strangers beside me, I feel siphoned off from the rest of the world, but like I could hop back in at any moment I want. I decide not to for another ten minutes…. as long as my body can take. Afterwards, I feel the call to explore, and take on the rest of the LAMPI.

Bot not before a trip into the body length cold bath (just like the one found in the WOODS)…

Across the hall lies a larger, more inviting door with what seems to be a room with a grey interior.

With a window running along the top bench, the MUSTA Sauna already gives a more inviting presence than the cozy bed sauna. The expansive yet inviting grey wood seating gives the room an accommodating feeling. I take the invitation to (after seeking consensus from the room) pour some water on the rocks. Self loyly: the ultimate invitation. While it’s noticeably a bit hotter than the bed sauna, the heat is welcome and un-abrasive. My pores already opened up from the bed sauna, I can lean into the heat a bit more. I can feel myself waking up, especially after my first cold plunge earlier. The time comes for another one.

After a slightly longer dip in the cold bath, I take a seat and sip on some herbal water. Restorative, it aids my search for inner peace staring at the tinted window, glowing white. After a repose, I feel energized. Time to go upstairs.

Plants, mist, water. Like a forest on a dew-filled morning, mist ushers out underneath the numerous trees on the crisp rooftop deck. Awe-struck, I stand and soak in the view. Distracted, I almost forgot why I came upstairs in the first place: to sauna.

An inviting sign advertises the essential oils in the loyly water: yuzu. Enticed, I follow the sign into the sauna.

A wall of sound hits me upon entry- my gaze quickly turns towards the source of the sound. A spherical floating triangle is at the corner of the room, commanding presence throughout the sauna. The ethereal sounds make me feel like I’m in a science fiction movie (albiet, one with a scene inexplicably taking place in a sauna). The essential oil-infused self loyly set up add more sensory immersion to the experience. Through the window facing the garden, I can see the mist accumulating, slowly hiding the base of the surrounding plants. Once again, I get the sense that while I logically know I am only a matter of blocks from Shibuya Station, I couldn’t feel further from it.

At my heat limit, I head outside. I cut through the mist and venture to the walk-in cold plunge. Even on my third sauna round, the cold comes as a shock. The sheer depth of the cold plunge pool puts it on a different level than its counterpart downstairs. I finally start to settle into the cold. The initial shock is gone, and I feel relief from the heat. Suspended above the rooftop deck, I take in the beauty of my surrounding plants, mist, and wood; all while in an elevated cold-induced trance. This now transitions from a trance to the base instinct to exit, before the cold starts to become frigid once again.

Taking a minute, I grab a seat on the bench and close my eyes. Although I am in the heart of Shibuya, I feel at one with nature. A much needed break in the early part of my day. It’s easy to forget how much the worries of life can burden your mind over time. Especially if you don’t take time to tend to them and breathe. When you start to accept this, it can initially be stressful, even scary at times. But with time, checking in with yourself makes the journey that much easier. More peaceful. More steady. That’s what my time in the sauna provides me with- a chance to go into my body, and check in with myself. Those are some thoughts that pass through my head anyway…

I have one more sauna to explore. Right across from the Sound Sauna, the Kelo sauna rears its head. Familiar from my walk in the WOODS, its value remains undiminished on a return trip. Its timeless, steady and low heat, aided by the self-loyly puts me at ease. This Kelo sauna is a great balance to the energy-giving sound sauna, serving as an energetic cooldown to the session. I feel safe and happy. The camaraderie of three random strangers bonded over a high quality heat and silence. As the comfort reaches its end and turns into overheating, I find my way to the door.

I poke my head around the corner and spot a bucket with a lever. Pulling it summons a powerful splash of cold water to the top of my head. Like a layer of primer on a painted wall, the cold splash is like a cold dip priming me for the more intense plunge to come.I feel less caught off guard by the cold this round. It only serves as relief…

I take a moment to sit down for one last time. Taking a good, long look at the misted plants on the rooftop deck. The serenity of the moment. The peace and good feelings that come from a quality sauna session. The feeling is shortly followed by the nudge of “it’s time”. I take one last look before I head down the stairs, and return to the ordered chaos of Shibuya station…

Shortcomings:

Two and a half hours is a bit short on the time limit. However, this only applies on the men’s side, as the women’s is three hours. Additionally, you can pay for extra time at a reasonable rate, so it’s not a huge deal.

Best Moment:

WOODS
Going into the Vhita sauna for a last session before checking out gives a sense of peace and relaxation. It’s hard to walk out of and feel anything but absolutely refreshed and content with the world.

LAMPI
Really hard choice. I’ll narrowly give it to the bed sauna on originality. Set at a perfect temperature to settle into the heat and walk out with a satisfying layer of sweat. That said, the sound sauna comes very close….

Overall
The rooftop garden on both sides never ceases to amaze me.

Just narrowly missing out in the LAMPI section is the incredible Sound Sauna upstairs, complemented by the plants regularly covered in mist every 10-15 minute that you can see through the sauna window.

Bonus Note:
The staff here is exceptionally kind! The bar is high for customer service in Japan, but every time I have been here, every team member has been exceptionally helpful and friendly (and patient with my Japanese). Please return the favor and be a good customer. The staff and team here puts a ton of effort into making this place as great as it is, so remember to be a considerate guest!

Conclusion

Shibuya Saunas is an absolute joy to visit. The two sides is a novel idea that gives the venue ample reason to revisit. This currently sits as one of my top sauna recommendations in all of Japan. Not only is it incredible, but also accessible for first time visitors to Japan.

I can’t recommend it highly enough. If you want to try Japanese sauna, if you are looking for a tattoo-friendly venue, or are even just looking to unwind while sightseeing in Shibuya/West Tokyo, give Shibuya Saunas a visit.

Food Pairing:

In-House Restaurant

This has actually been on my list every time I have been here, but I still haven’t made it in (it’s either been busy with a long wait, or I have had plans afterwards). With a Michelin-star chef at the helm of the all-vegan kitchen, I (although not a vegan) am eager to try the cafe!

I plan to update this with a first hand account next time I am in, but the reviews are good for the in-house dining option!

Shibuya Station

Shibuya Saunas is located just a few minute walk from the world’s second largest subway station, Shibuya Station. The famous “Shibuya Scramble” needs no explanation. Nearby, there are so many restaurants, I would recommend walking around until something catches your eye! There is something here for every budget and flavor palette.