September 26, 2025

Sauna on Wheels: Shizuoka Turns Old Buses into Tourist Hotspots

Shizuoka Prefecture is steaming up the travel scene with a unique twist: transforming decommissioned buses into mobile wood-fired saunas. The latest addition, Car No. 3 of the “Sabbath” fleet, debuted at Gotemba Premium Outlets with a lively “Birthday Steaming Festival.” Operated by Shizuoka Railway (Shizutetsu), the bus takes the theme of “Shizuoka Tea,” inviting visitors to relax while soaking in both steam and local culture.

A Sauna Experience with Local Flavor

Inside, the design mimics Shizuoka’s famous tea fields with terraced seating. Passengers can enjoy löyly—a burst of steam from sprinkling water on heated stones—by pressing a playful “Steam Button,” which also doubles as the exit button. Guests can recline, gaze out the windows, and enjoy an experience that cost Shizutetsu tens of millions of yen to bring to life.

Future events include a stop at Tateyamadera Onsen in Hamamatsu this October, with further plans to roll out mobile saunas in tea fields, offer tea-picking tours, and welcome inbound tourists at Shizuoka Airport and Shimizu Port, where cruise ships dock.

Sauna Culture at a Crossroads

The sauna boom in Japan is entering a new phase. Nationwide usage is down 40% from its 2019 peak, dropping to 16.48 million users in fiscal 2024, according to the Japan Sauna and Hot and Cold Bath Research Institute. While die-hard enthusiasts remain, casual users who surged during the COVID-19 years have tapered off.

Still, diversification is keeping the market alive—private sauna rooms for couples and groups, facilities blending dining and entertainment, and destination-focused saunas like Shizuoka’s Sabbath are all on the rise. With Shizutetsu and local partners spearheading creative projects and even launching the Shizuoka Sauna Council with Mitsubishi Estate, the question now is whether this fusion of wellness, tourism, and local culture can ignite the next sauna boom.