Herbal and yakuso saunas in Osaka — 12 facilities
12 facilities in Osaka could be confirmed, on their official site or an equally citable source, to use herbs in the sauna as a permanent part of what they offer. 4 of them can be used as a private or reserved room, 7 are shared only, and 1 does not publish which.
By style: Thai-style herbal steam (3), Yakuso (medicinal herb) steam (6), Herbal löyly (3), Vihta / whisking (3) and Tent style (3). A facility that runs more than one style is counted under each.
The facilities listed are Asian healing & Herbal spa. Yakkao (大阪市北区), SPA&SAUNA Suisyun Hattori-Ryokuchi (豊中市), Thai Massage Salon naminone. (大阪市浪速区), Naniwa Kenko Land Yu-Topia (東大阪市), Herb no Iyai & Thai Massage flow (大阪市北区), Saito Tennen Onsen Sumire no Yu (茨木市), Osaka Sauna DESSE (大阪市), Tsurumi Ryokuchi Yumoto Suisyun (大阪市鶴見区), Higashikohri Yumoto Suisyun (寝屋川市), Yugenkyo Taihei no Yu Tadaoka (泉北郡忠岡町), Minoo Yumoto Suisyun (箕面市) and Yuraku Onsen (和泉市).
Look up the herbs themselves in the RootHerb Index, and the styles and terms in the glossary.
Frequently asked questions
Are there herbal saunas in Osaka you can book as a private room?
Yes — 4 of the 12 facilities listed in Osaka can be used as a private or reserved room: Thai Massage Salon naminone., Naniwa Kenko Land Yu-Topia, Herb no Iyai & Thai Massage flow and Osaka Sauna DESSE. Conditions and prices differ by facility, so please check the official site before you go.
What styles of herbal sauna are there in Osaka?
Thai-style herbal steam (3), Yakuso (medicinal herb) steam (6), Herbal löyly (3), Vihta / whisking (3) and Tent style (3). Thai-style herbal steam: Thai herbs such as plai, kamin (turmeric) and takrai (lemongrass) are simmered and the steam fills a sauna room or a tent. The room is usually kept at a low to middle temperature, around 40–50°C. Yakuso (medicinal herb) steam: The style found at bathing facilities across Japan. It covers rooms such as the kanpo yakuso salt sauna, where mugwort and kanpo crude drugs are turned into steam, as well as mushiyu and ishiburo — stone chambers warmed by hot-spring heat and lined with herbs. Herbal löyly: Water in which herbs have been steeped is poured over the sauna stones, so the scent rises with the steam. Vihta / whisking: Bundles of leafy branches — vihta, usually white birch — are hung in the sauna room, or used to whisk the body. Tent style: Steam from simmered herbs is fed into a tent, entered by one person or a small group.
How are facilities selected for this guide?
Only facilities whose permanent use of herbs in the sauna could be confirmed in primary sources such as their official site are listed. Herb use at one-off events, herbal baths alone, and löyly with aroma water alone are out of scope. No facility has requested or paid for inclusion. Facilities wishing to be listed or corrected are welcome to use the contact form.
Only facilities whose permanent use of herbs in the sauna could be confirmed on their official site or an equally citable source are listed. The date of confirmation appears on each facility page; prices, hours and the herbs used are subject to change.