News Home sauna kits catering to sauna boom in Japan

Responding to the growing popularity of saunas in Japan, Hands Inc., a Japanese retailer, has introduced a compact home sauna kit called "Ouchi Sauna" (which translates to "sauna at home"). This innovative product allows individuals to enjoy the benefits of a sauna without leaving their homes. The "Ouchi Sauna" is available at Hands' Shinjuku store and on the company's website until 20 June.


According to the company, the 55-kilogram kit is easy to assemble, taking only about 20 minutes. Its base measures 70 cm by 90 cm—around half the size of a tatami mat—and is 1.4 metres high. Once assembled, it can be used with a 100-volt household power supply, so no additional construction is required.

The temperature can be set between 30 and 65 degrees Celsius. Electricity costs depend on the temperature setting and room temperature, but are estimated to range from 600 to 1,200 JPY (about USD 4 to 8) for 30 days if it is used for one hour per day. The heat emitted from the unit is negligible and it does not heat up the entire room when used.

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The sauna retails for 374,000 JPY (roughly USD 2,400), plus 25,000 JPY (about USD 160) for shipping.

I'm a big fan of sauna, and gladly my gym boasts the hottest one in town which I make liberal use of. I keep an old Sriracha bottle I fill with water and a custom mix of essential oils to "spice up" the experience.

Unfortunately we only have showers at the gym, so I have to go to a local spa (more of an overpriced sento) to get a cold plunge, steam room and warm soaking pool. It's really nice to count 108 breaths or more in the cold plunge and jump in the warm pool, feeling the tingling of blood returning to your extremities.

During the pandemic I considered getting a home sauna, a small one could go for 1,000-3,000 USD, but a lot of them are infrared, which I haven't tried myself and aren't sure if it's worth it.