About 11 SAUNA & SAUNNER 2024.11.11 11:11 Totonoe no hi
"Sauner of the Year" Award:
An annual recognition awarded to 11 individuals, groups, or companies who contribute to sauna culture not just by sweating in saunas, but as "professional sauners" who work hard to promote and educate people about sauna culture. The awards are announced and presented every year on November 11th, known as "Totonoé Day". Established in 2018 alongside "SAUNACHELIN", the award is now in its 7th year.
Professional sauners from various industries serve as judges to recognize individuals and organizations within Japan who create new value in sauna culture and dedicate themselves to developing and elevating sauna culture.
*Note: Names are listed in Japanese alphabetical order, honorifics omitted
Shiseido Co., Ltd. / BAUM
株式会社資生堂／BAUM
Focusing on enhancing the sauna lifestyle, Shiseido has released various products such as the "SHISEIDO MEN Sauna Skincare Kit." This year, they finally hosted a sauna ritual event. Partnering with their skin and mind brand BAUM, Shiseido aimed to elevate the comfort of the sauna experience by introducing an order and sequence to the typically open and free-flowing Japanese sauna, transforming it into a ritual.
Set at TOTOPA Meiji Park, Shiseido hosted the "BAUM Sauna Ritual" event, which featured an immersive, story-driven sauna style and 13 distinct rituals. This event became a major topic, drawing significant attention.
SAUNA WATCH
サウナウォッチ
A sauna-specific watch produced by Dr. Yasutaka Kato, chairman of the Japan Sauna Society. This watch took four years to develop, aiming to quantify the unique sensation of "feeling aligned" that each person experiences differently. By wearing the watch, switching to sauna mode, and recording heart rate data in the sauna, users can transmit data to a linked app, where it’s analyzed using a proprietary algorithm to quantify "alignment" and assess autonomic nervous system balance. This allows users to find the optimal way to enjoy the sauna safely and comfortably, generating significant buzz.
Preparations are now underway for the release of a new model that will offer enhanced usability.
Saunassa
Saunassa
Launched in the fall of 2021 under the theme “A Sauna Magazine for Everyone to Discover the Ultimate Alignment,” this magazine primarily features popular and new sauna facilities, experiential sauna reports, sauna goods, and articles on heat wave experts and Aufguss masters. Published annually, its fourth issue, VOL.4, was released this September.
To share even more information and reports beyond the pages of the magazine, the web edition "Saunassa.net" will launch in November 2023. With content tailored to sauna enthusiasts as well as resources for beginners and first-timers, it aims to broaden the reach of the sauna community.
SAUNA BROS.
SAUNA BROS.
Leveraging the brand of "TV Bros.," which was first launched in 1987, the sauna magazine "SAUNA BROS." was created to share the wonders and appeal of saunas with sauna enthusiasts. The latest issue, "SAUNA BROS. vol.8," finally features an extensive photo shoot and interview conducted in Finland, the home of the sauna. Together with actress Rena Takeda, who has graced the cover since the first issue, they traveled to the land of forests and lakes, resulting in a 30-page special feature.
Additionally, SAUNA BROS. shares sauna-related information through various channels, including an online store selling official "Peace-kun" character LINE stickers, merchandise, and sauna items; a web-based article and video series; and a collaboration with "AIGAN FOR Yu II," offering special sauna glasses.
Misato Shimizu
清水みさと
A popular "sauna enthusiast" actress known from posters of the sauna search site Sauna Ikitai. With a deep love for saunas, she has been dedicated to sauna visits 365 days a year for over 10 years, earning her the nickname "Princess of the Sauna World," as reflected in her book Sauna no Princess.
In addition to hosting radio programs such as Shimizu Misato’s Sauna Iko? and Hitomazu Kyo mo Ii Hi, she has numerous sauna-related columns: Sauna Journeys in Rurubu, Watashi wa Gokigen on Sauna Ikitai, Foodie Detours and Saunas in Liniere, Today’s Session: Totonoimashita! in Orange Page, and Sauna Diary with Ryoko and Misato on TABILABO.
This year, she won Saunner of the Year for the third time, achieving Hall of Fame status.
Steam♡Twins
Steam♡Twins
Japanese aufguss masters Netsuko Gotou and Minami Shakeyama, both frequent competitors on the world stage, have joined forces as a powerhouse duo. They performed The Miracle Worker, a piece inspired by Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan, at the Japan Aufguss Championship (ACJ2024), where they secured first place in the team division against Japan’s top aufguss artists.
Additionally, at the Aufguss WM 2024 world championship held in the Netherlands, the pair earned a remarkable fourth place, showcasing the exceptional skill of Japanese aufguss techniques to the world.
Link（Minami Shakeyama）
Zekkei Sauna Trip
絶景サウナ旅
Writer Miho Kawabe and photographer Maho Sasaki, an unbeatable duo, have created a unique sauna travel photo-essay, capturing the charm of Japan's diverse sauna culture. Over just three months, they journeyed across Japan, visiting 70 distinctive sauna locations, including breathtaking views, private saunas, and gender-friendly facilities, all meticulously chosen and independently researched. This masterpiece is entirely composed of original essays and photographs.
As they write in the introduction: “With crystal-clear, soft waters, lush forests, and boundless skies full of stars, traveling to find extraordinary saunas is also a journey to rediscover Japan’s natural beauty.” This book is a true homage to Japan’s allure, a must-have for any sauna enthusiast.
Shigeo Takahashi
高橋茂雄(サバンナ)
As the comedic half of the duo Savannah, this entertainer has earned his place as one of the top sauna enthusiasts in the entertainment world. He installed a sauna in his home and even owns a vacation house featuring not one, but two saunas—a "barrel sauna" and a traditional Japanese-style "second sauna." His announcement to gift his personal home sauna to the new residents during a move caused quite a buzz.
Through his YouTube channel Shigeo Channel and the TOKYO MX show Savannah Takahashi’s Sauna no Kamisama (God of Sauna), he continually shares the joys and benefits of sauna culture across various media. With three consecutive wins of the Saunner of the Year award, he has secured a place in the Hall of Fame.
Nico Naraoka
奈良岡にこ
Nico Naraoka, a multi-talented entertainer under Yoshimoto Kogyo, works as an actress, talent, and YouTuber. Her YouTube channel, Naraoka Nico Channel, centers on sauna culture and beauty and boasts over 880,000 subscribers as of November 2024. Originally aspiring to be a comedian and enrolling in NSC, her shift to acting came after her appearance in the drama Aogeba Toutoshi, giving her a unique background that blends humor with a down-to-earth relatability, setting her apart from other female YouTubers.
In her videos, she seamlessly introduces sauna etiquette while thoughtfully highlighting each facility’s unique features, earning praise from sauna fans and the facilities themselves.
Nebanya
ネバーニャ（根畑陽一）
Captivated by the allure of the Russian sauna, or *banya*, this trailblazer apprenticed under master practitioners in Russia to learn the art of *whisking*. In 2021, they became the first Japanese practitioner to demonstrate whisking at the Banya Fest Whisking National Championship in Moscow. Alongside performing at various events across Japan, they launched Japan's first whisking school, *Progress*, where they have trained over 100 individuals to date. This key figure has made significant contributions to the expansion of whisking culture in Japan, establishing themselves as a pioneer in the field.
Link
madsaunist
madsaunist
The Academic Sauna Label, an innovative team composed of *uk* (general director), *YAS* (strategic consultant), and *YsK* (medical doctor), approaches sauna from a scientific perspective. They are professionals in tent and outdoor saunas, aiming to promote a unique academic sauna theory that combines insights from experts across various fields, research papers, and their specialized knowledge. Their pioneering work includes the development of outdoor sauna equipment, such as a "steam generator" for continuous superheated steam, a "stone tower guard," and a "chiller" (cooling water circulation device). Through comprehensive sauna event production, they continue to revolutionize the outdoor sauna industry.
Link