Japan's Sauna Culture: Adding Saunas to Group Wellness Trips

Wellness buyers now ask for saunas as well as hot springs in Japan. Our Japan team explains the routine and the etiquette in its guide to Japan's sauna culture. This page is the short version for agencies that sell Japan alongside our other destinations.

What Is the Japanese Sauna Routine?

• The cycle. Sit in the sauna, rinse off, take a short dip in the cold bath, then rest in a chair, often outdoors. Repeat two or three times.
• Totonou. Japanese sauna fans use this word for the calm, settled feeling at the end of the cycle.
• The setting. Most saunas sit inside the single-sex bathing areas of onsen hotels, public bathhouses and spa complexes, so the bathing rules apply.
• Sometimes an extra charge. Some public bathhouses charge separately for the sauna, so we confirm it with each venue.

Where Do Saunas Meet Winter?

Akita Prefecture's winter campaign, launched on 1 October 2026, names onsen and sauna among its four winter highlights, including a sauna that uses Lake Tazawa, Japan's deepest lake, as a natural cold plunge. Snow, cold air and a sauna make a strong winter evening for a group.

How Do Saunas Fit a Group Programme?

• Small spaces. Saunas hold far fewer people than an onsen, so we choose hotels with large bathing areas or book private saunas for a set time.
• Same rules as the onsen. Tattoo policies and bathing etiquette apply in the sauna too.
• Safety first. We brief every client before the first visit: drink water, keep each round short, and leave if unwell.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does totonou mean?

It is the word Japanese sauna fans use for the calm, settled feeling after a full cycle of sauna, cold bath and rest.

Are saunas in Japan mixed or single-sex?

Most are inside single-sex bathing areas. Private saunas can be booked for couples, families or small groups.

Is there an extra charge for the sauna?

Sometimes. Some public bathhouses charge separately for it, while hotel saunas are usually part of the bathing area.

Where can groups combine sauna and snow?

Akita is one example: its winter campaign highlights saunas with a snow view and a lake used as a cold plunge.

Sources

• Akita Prefecture winter campaign announcement (Japanese)
• Tokyo Sento Association: how to use a sento (Japanese)

Where Explera Fits

Our Japan team builds wellness programmes around onsen, saunas and quiet days, and covers ryokan stays in our Japan onsen and ryokan note.

Write to b2b@explera.jp or message +66 93 656 8090 on WhatsApp. Explera DMC is IATA TIDS-registered (96215733) and an ASTA member (900408341).