Interview with the two who developed the floating sauna
We spoke with Shunsuke Shimada, the CEO of ITONAMI Co., Ltd., and Shin Kimura, a director of totonou Japan Co., Ltd., about the background of establishing the floating sauna, their commitment to the experience, and their thoughts since the opening.
Wanted to create winter activities
Can you tell us what led to the creation of the sauna at float?
Shimada
The initial motivation was the thought that it would be nice to have winter activities.
Since float opened in September 2019, we have established summer activities over several seasons.
Given the location right in front of the Seto Inland Sea, guests can enjoy swimming in the sea.
Winter is a slow season, so we began considering a sauna as something that could be experienced even in winter.
Ultimately, the decision to introduce it was due to my meeting with Kimura.
While he visited float several times, I heard him say, "I'm starting a sauna import business."
As I listened to Kimura talk about the barrel sauna from Estonia, I thought it would fit well with float, and that was the deciding factor.
Kimura
I was invited by a friend to visit float for a workation.
Working while looking at the Seto Inland Sea from my room was truly refreshing.
Because I had spent time at float several times, I also thought that the barrel sauna would be perfect for float.
The features of the barrel sauna are design and durability
Why does totonou Japan Co., Ltd. handle barrel saunas from Estonia?
Kimura
The initial trigger was my friend from university and co-founder Saito, who stayed in Estonia.
Saito and I had been going to domestic saunas and bathing facilities long before the sauna boom.
Even after he went to Estonia, we kept in touch frequently, and I learned that saunas are widely popular there.
I also learned about the existence of barrel saunas from Saito.
Eventually, as the COVID-19 pandemic spread and sauna popularity increased, all saunas became crowded.
When I tried researching barrel saunas, I found that they were not prohibitively expensive, so I decided to buy one for private use.
When I posted about it on social media, the response was good.
Thinking, "If I'm getting this many inquiries, maybe I should import them," I started the business.
Can you tell us the features of the Estonian barrel sauna?
Kimura
There are mainly three features.
The first is design. The round and cute appearance is appealing.
And if you add windows like at float, you can enjoy the surrounding scenery from inside the sauna.
This is a characteristic of saunas installed outdoors.
The second is wood processing methods.
Thermo treatment is a technique that reduces the moisture content in the wood through heat treatment, drying it out.
The wood treated with thermo treatment is called thermo wood, and it is characterized by preventing the expansion and contraction of the wood.
Since it is heat-treated, it also has a pleasant aroma.
If there were a sauna made of thermo wood, we would recognize it by its scent.
The third is wood thickness. The thickness of the wood we import is 42mm.
This thickness is designed to maintain the sauna's interior temperature even in the very cold winters of Northern Europe.
Being thicker, it is characterized by superior durability and heat resistance.
Sauna stones are "Shirasakura Mikage" from Yakage Town
What was your impression when you first experienced the floating sauna?
Shimada
I thought it was really great, and during the period leading up to the opening, I was going in every day.
I felt that we had created an amazing activity for winter.
Also, when I did a "Löyly" in the floating sauna, I was glad to find good sauna stones.
In the floating sauna, we use "Shirasakura Mikage" (Hakou Mikage) sourced from Yakage Town.
Initially, I inquired simply because I wanted to use stones, but when I visited the quarry and spoke with them, I learned that over 90% of the stones mined are unusable.
It seems that if there are even slight scratches or patterns, they cannot be used as products.
However, since they were not processing or selling them separately, they kindly said, "You can use them."
When I took them back and actually poured aroma water on them, they did not crack under the heat and worked well.
I thought it would be wonderful if customers learned about Shirasakura Mikage and also had the opportunity to learn about Kurashiki.
Memories of a series of experiences
The floating sauna offers not only the sauna experience but also a complete flow of experiences from renting swimsuits made of denim to dining, which I feel is meaningful in everything, including Shirasakura Mikage.
Shimada
There aren't many sauna facilities that are this thorough in terms of experience, especially in Okayama.
I hope our customers can feel what ITONAMI is doing as an experience.
The intention behind linking the self-Löyly experience in the floating sauna with dining is part of that.
Previously, when we were doing "Cacao Löyly," we provided chocolate made from cacao ground with a stone mill by the stone supplier who provides us with Shirasakura Mikage, as sweets and drinks.
In this way, the experience in the floating sauna can serve as an opportunity to learn about the region.
I would be happy if guests could feel our activities during the slow time, including the time spent outside of the sauna.
Conversations arise from experiences
What kind of reactions have you received from customers since the opening?
Shimada
We are surprised that the number of customers is two to three times what we expected.
I thought the sauna would mainly be experienced by guests staying at float, but many people come specifically to enjoy the floating sauna.
There are also people who come back multiple times, which makes us happy.
Moreover, it is gratifying that they are experiencing our initiatives.
In particular, the rental of swimsuits and sauna hats is quite popular.
I appreciate that people come to us knowing that we create items under our ITONAMI brand.
The feelings of ITONAMI are reaching the customers.
Shimada
It seems that the experience at the floating sauna is a catalyst for conversations among customers.
In Japan, it's not very common to have conversations in the sauna, but at the floating sauna, those who happen to have booked the same time become friends.
After experiencing the floating sauna, some people have gone out to eat together (laughs).
Kimura
That's interesting.
While it's rare in Japan, in Estonia, making friends in the sauna is the norm.
Among those who use barrel saunas purely as saunas, it's clear that float is trying to make the sauna experience as good as possible.
Each aspect related to the floating sauna is truly wonderful as it is provided to customers as a unique experience that can only be had here.
Enjoy experiences that can only be had at the floating sauna freely
Finally, please give us a message.
Shimada
I think the floating sauna is ideally operated not just for the time spent in the sauna, but as an experience that includes the time before and after.
I want to continue creating opportunities for customers to deeply understand our efforts, such as discussions about sauna stones and aroma water.
Please take your time and enjoy your time at the floating sauna or float.
Kimura
I have a strong desire for people to enjoy freely in the sauna.
There are many enjoyable elements in the sauna, such as low-temperature sauna, cold bath, and outdoor bath.
I hope you will try various things and enjoy your time while playing, and within that, I want you to enjoy the experiences that can only be had at the floating sauna.
In conclusion
Whenever friends from outside the prefecture come to Okayama, I take them to float or the floating sauna.
Not only can you enjoy the view of the Seto Inland Sea, but you can also meet people, things, and activities that are meaningful in Okayama.
After the interview, I felt I understood why I want to spend time at the floating sauna, including the time outside of being in the sauna.
Would you like to experience the time of "totonoi" that can only be had at the floating sauna?
Floating Sauna Data
| Name | Floating Sauna |
|---|---|
| Location | 1421-26 Kojima Karakoto-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 080-3885-3737 (DENIM HOSTEL float: 086-477-7620) |
| Parking | Available A free municipal parking lot for about 40 cars is available at the bottom of the hill. |
| Business Hours | [Mixed Bathing Sauna 90-minute Course] 9:30 AM～/11:30 AM～/1:30 PM～/3:30 PM～/5:30 PM～ [Women-Only Sauna 90-minute Course] Irregularly held [Private Sauna for 2 People 90-minute Course] Weekdays only, irregularly held [FRYDAY NIGHT SAUNA 90-minute Course] 7:30 PM～ *Mixed bathing Please check Instagram for details. |
| Regular Holidays | None |
| Usage Fee (including tax) | [Mixed Bathing Sauna 90-minute Course] 2,200 yen (including tax) [Women-Only Sauna 90-minute Course] 2,200 yen (including tax) [Private Sauna for 2 People 90-minute Course] 6,000 yen (including tax) [FRYDAY NIGHT SAUNA 90-minute Course] 3,000 yen (including tax) |
| Payment Methods |
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| Reservation Availability | Yes Please contact us by phone for changes or cancellations to reservations during reception hours. Reception hours: 10:00 AM～6:00 PM |
| Toilet | Western-style toilet |
| Website | Floating Sauna |
