At 2 pm on Thursday the 4th of September, I noticed a certain level of tension, nay, almost aggression, in my dealings with everyday things. My purpose is not reason why, but rather to do and lie. Some 9 hours later, I was floating homeward like a jellyfish in an overcrowded fish tank. That is to say, I was politely bumbling and bouncing my way through the train station amongst a flurry of half-cut and overworked Tokyoites in their rush to catch one of the last trains home. All was well, as it often as. I had the highly esteemed Spa Laqua to thank for it. To be honest, I wasn’t that overwhelmed by Laqua after my visit. It’s a touch expensive at 2600 yen (3150 if you enter the healing zone), but after visiting Asakusa Rox for the same price a week later, I kinda realised that actually it’s a damn fine way to blow a cool 3G.
For starters, it has arguably the best collection of saunas in town. There are 3: the first is a dark-mountain cabin-like sauna, maintained at 100 degrees, electric, no tv, but with camping paraphernalia in it. It’s very quiet and extremely relaxing. The second sauna is a standard 90 degree tower sauna which happened to be playing some fantastic cooking shows on this particular day. The final sauna was kept at 80 degrees and had the occasional aufguss session in it. I’m not going to lie: I did 7 sauna sessions on this particular day and I think that might actually be a new personal record.
Unfortunately, the rotenburo and ofuro sections of LaQua left me wanting. It is at this point that I should mention what is immediately obvious before entering LaQua: it is situated smack bang in the middle of Tokyo Dome, right next to a roller coaster. What this means is you are subject to screech and screams of the rollercoatser at various points in the LaQua experience. I would be lying if I said that this doesn’t detract from the rotenburo experience, which itself does not have that great a view over this part of Tokyo. What is perhaps even stranger is that one can both feel and hear the roller coaster from within the silent healing zone 40 degree rooms. It’s an odd combination. However, if one goes outside to the ‘viewing platform’ (whilst wearing a yutaka), it is somewhat amusing to be totally chilled, reclining on some nice chairs, whilst watching people plummet on this jet coaster. It seems like a strange place to build an onsen but I’m sure the money in their bank says otherwise.
The healing zone, with 5 or soganbanyoku, is a real treat and something of a departure for me. So I’ve never really have much time for the ganbanyoku- these rooms maintained at about 40-50 degrees, sometimes humid, sometimes with various essential oils being heated and dispensed through the room while you lie on mix of heated slabs of granite or smaller rocks. I dislike them for one simple reason- you have to wear clothing, most often a yutaka, while doing so. Even though you are given a large towel, you can not be naked in here. Whether this is due to hygiene or due to the belief that ganbanyoku rooms should always be mixed gender, I don’t know. But I spend enough time in summer sweating in my business clothes, and to be honest I find the whole experience kind of gross. Even if the lighting is really ace. Having said that, LaQua also has a slightly refrigerated room in which one can watch a variety of jellyfish floating about. Now that’s chillaxing. The healing zone also has provides some very well-designed tiki-style sitting areas, which would be perfect for a mid-onsen date, of which there seemed to be quite a few happening that day. Remarkably, beer is not served in the healing zone, which, I must admit, is something of a departure from the norm. I can’t recall another time or place where beer wasn’t served. I’m kinda surpised we don’t serve it during class sometimes.
Beer IS available in the restaurant area, albeit it is perhaps slightly overpriced and must be drunk under some less than relaxing lighting. The rest area though is positively massive: this features many a reclining couch in areas both with and without tv sets. Games and book are also offered for your entertainment. I considered pulling an all-nighter here (an extra 1500) and I dare say one could easily pull a 12 hour shift here. But, after 5 or so hours, I had had enough.
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THE SCOREBOARD OF SENTO SUCCULENCE |
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| Features: | 3 Saunas, standing mizuboro, 2 types of jet spa, 2 small rotenburo, 3-4 ofuro of good quality water at 40 degrees, massive rest area, a few restaurants, observation deck of Tokyo Dome, extensive massage services etc. |
| Bath Heat/10 | 7 (40) |
| Sauna heat/10 | 10 |
| Spatial aesthetic/5 | 3 |
| Quality of Chit chat/5 | 3 (due to the potential in healing zone) |
| Variety of bath types/10 | 6 (The ofuro were pretty basic) |
| Quality of rotenburo /10 | 6 |
| Mizuburo/10 | 8 |
| Lighting /10 | 7 |
| Cost to value /5 | 3 (2600 for basic entry, another 500 or so for the healing zone. But no neyu, minimal jacuzi, and an average rotenburo means a less cost-satisfaction ratio) |
| Accessibility /5 | 3 (2min walk from the station, but when I am ever near this station? ) |
| Little extras /10 | 7. Pretty sweet little drinking fountain, awesome rest area, and 3 saunas has gotta count for something. Also, the don quixote nearby as a killer selection of beers |
| Overall feeling /10 | 7 |
| OVERALL PROXIMITY TO BOILING POINT/100 | 70 |
1. Niwanoyu was closed.
2. I couldn’t be bothered taking the party all the way to Oedo Onsen in Chiba.
3. I missed the last train home in a nearby area.
4. I had been going to Soshigaya Onsen 21 too much and needed a break.
5. I wanted to have a little bath here and there, but mainly I would go there to have a play date with some fellas or a lady.
And that’s that.
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September 29, 2014
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