Against the backdrop of Mt. Nanashigure’s caldera plains, the red roof of the local favorite Nanashigure Mountain Lodge has long stood out as a place for hikers and nature lovers to spend nights. For seven kilometers in any direction, you won’t find another house, and yet this cottage feels like hidden home away from home.
But this place has another name: the “Falling Star Lodge.” The reason is because the low levels of light allowed to leak into Nanashigure from the outside world make the area around the cottage prime stargazing ground. The skies are so gorgeous that it regularly welcomes observatory directors to hold gatherings on stargazing and astronomy.
Few people love the natural grandeur of Mt. Nanashigure as much as Mr. Tachibana, the cottage’s owner. He directs that same passion towards outdoor saunas, remarking that “Nanashigure is the first place in Japan where you can enjoy a sauna under the stars.” There are two such saunas; one is a traditional wood-fired sauna steeped in the culture of Iwate, the “Ihatov Sauna.” The other is a tent sauna with temperatures reaching 120 degrees and an infinite view of the skies. Even first-time goers may find the owner’s love for saunas to be infectious!
The café attached to the cottage, “Chai-hana,” is known by hikers for its cozy, restful atmosphere. Furthermore, the recent “workcation” trend joins other visitors who stay for long periods, reflecting on themselves and their surroundings. Everyone deserves some time in their life to contemplate things, after all.
“Löyly” is a Finnish word that refers to the concept of steam and its texture. In Finland, special stones are heated on a stove, and splashing water over them generates steam, which in turn affects the sauna’s humidity and warmth. This is löyly, and the result is plenty of perspiration!
