[∆℃℃™ (Achichi) Zone IN Kanucha Resort]
Experience the Tent Saunas at a Resort Hotel Surrounded by the Lush Nature of Yanbaru (Nago City)

The Kanucha Resort Hotel boasts a panoramic view of Okinawa’s Oura Bay, where dugongs, a cousin of manatees, are said to inhabit. It is a luxurious resort hotel surrounded by the rich nature of Yanbaru in the northern region of Okinawa Island.



The [∆℃℃™ (Achichi) Zone IN Kanucha Resort] is an event held at the hotel’s poolside area where people can experience the exhilarating tent sauna in their swimsuits. This innovative event makes great use of the outdoor pool area that is not in use in the winter months. The sauna tents are available for small groups of individuals, families, or friends at a time to avoid being too crowded.



SAVOTTA is a famous brand in Finland where saunas are a big part of their culture, and at Kanucha Resort, they have nine Savotta tents that can accommodate one to six bathers at once. The rate for one person for 1.5 hours is ¥6,600 (including tax, hereafter) and ¥17,600 for six people. You can round up people to go with you and enjoy a good deal at ¥2,933 per person.





The temperatures inside the tents are set between 80-90℃ but these tents can be set as high as 100℃. By warming your body, your blood vessels expand and this promotes good circulation. Blood flow is responsible for delivering nutrients to every part of your body and ridding your body of waste. Spending some time in a sauna will warm your body and give you good circulation in a way that is much less stressful for your body compared to regular bathing in a tub, where the veins in your body become narrower due to water pressure. There are already many sauna-lovers in the world, but it’s getting more and more attention for its beauty and health benefits. With its recent surge in popularity in Japan, these sauna enthusiasts are now collectively referred to as “Sauners”. 





At the tents in Kanucha Resort, you can even experience a Löyly sauna where water mixed with aroma oil is splashed onto the hot sauna stones, producing steam and increasing the temperature. This is perspiration-inducing bathing method is unique to Finland. The hot steam engulfs all those in the tent, and the rising heat invites sighs and sometimes even laughter among the people because it can get pretty hot. 



There are three types of aroma oils that they add to the water to use for the Löyly sauna: Gettou (ginger lily), lemongrass, and Shikwasa citrus. They all have refreshing scents and heighten relaxation. The oils are also available for purchase at ¥800 each.





For ladies who are concerned about heat damage to your hair, they also offer sauna hats with their original designs for ¥7,800; and hair treatments by the sauna lifestyle brand, HEY OK for ¥500, so anyone can enjoy the sauna tents worry-free.





After enduring the heat to your comfortable limit, take a break and jump into the chilly 16℃ outdoor pool just outside the tents, surrounded by palm trees. It’s almost as though people sit and bear the steamy heat of the sauna just to experience this exhilaration. What makes it even better is that it isn’t your ordinary cold-water baths at regular sauna facilities, but it’s a beachside pool within the Kanucha Resort. You can spread your limbs and float, swim or splash around and enjoy the blast of coolness. With the beautiful ocean view right before your eyes, you’ll feel refreshed and free like never before.

In the poolside area where the sauna tents are, there’s gentle music playing in the background to take you away from the regular noise of daily life. The relaxing and comfortable music flows in harmony with the waves splashing in the distance. The music is composed by the ‘sauna musician,’ Kengo Tokusashi.

After a refreshing dip in the pool, find a comfortable beach chair and relax your body and cool down. From the heat of the sauna to the cooling pool, and then the crisp air outdoors, you’ll feel thoroughly relaxed like your body’s floating. This state is what the “Sauners” are always in pursuit of, clearing your mind of all thoughts and just “being”. 



I asked the three gentlemen at the tent sauna how they enjoyed it, and they were completely satisfied and responded, “Really clear-minded,” “I could even hear my heart beating,” and “The pool was awesome!” The tent sauna experience at the palm-lined poolside in Kanucha Resort with the beautiful view of the ocean offers a uniquely Okinawan experience in one of the best resorts in the country. The setting will certainly satisfy the most seasoned Sauners.

Also, since October of last year, Kanucha Resort Hotel has established the Kanucharian Resort Office within their grounds to further attract people on workations, as well as remote workers, and even for corporate training and seminars. For those choosing accommodations for these purposes, the tent sauna has a great appeal. The Kanucha Resort’s poolside tent sauna, surrounded by the rich nature of Yanbaru, is the best place to soothe your mind and body. You’ll feel refreshed and rejuvenated so that you’ll be flying through all the things you need to do.

This is also a great way to enjoy yourself while in Okinawa in the winter season. The outdoor pools are empty during this time of year, but now, even before the summer arrives on Okinawa, the pool is once again a popular spot and a great match with the tent saunas. I hope that more people will experience this wonderful event to experience the arrival of a new era in travel to Okinawa in the wintertime. Just don’t forget your swimwear.


 

[∆℃℃™ (Achichi) Zone IN Kanucha Resort]

Address: Kanucha Resort Beachside Pool Area, 156-2 Abu, Nago City, Okinawa
Telephone: 0980-55-8880
Hours: 13:30 to 19:30 (Last Entry at 17:30)
Website: https://www.kanucha.jp/information/156770 
Dedicated Website: https://www,kanucha.jp/acczone/     
Days of Operation: Open Saturdays only until March 7. Hours and days are subject to change depending on the social situation.
Please check their official website or SNS.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/achichi_zone    

Okinawa CLIP photo writer, Yu Murakami