Skip the stress of early flights by soaking in hot springs and board your flight feeling refreshed.

Early morning flights can be a hassle. Do you wake early and rush to the airport, staying at a nearby hotel, or rough it out overnight in the terminal? Our sauna-loving reporter Seiji Nakazawa faced this dilemma before a recent trip. He had found a reasonably priced flight from Narita Airport, but because it left so early, he decided that it would be easiest if he stayed in a hotel close to the airport. As he was searching for accommodations, he came across a super sento called Sora no Yu.

Super sento, large public bathhouses that are known for having a wide variety of baths and amenities for visitors to enjoy, are not everyone’s first thought for travel accommodations. However, Seiji was attracted by the idea of soaking in a bath before heading out on his travels completely relaxed. With the added bonus of a free shuttle bus and the proximity to the airport, Sora no Yu seemed like the perfect accommodation for his early flight.

Seiji booked a night for 6,200 yen (US$39.70), though rates can drop to as low as 4,700 yen depending on the day, making it a much more affordable option compared to nearby hotels—especially for Seiji, since he had only booked one day in advance.

Free shuttle buses connect Sora no Yu to Narita Airport’s Terminals 2 and 3, though buses to Terminal 3 are limited to mornings. Seiji found the main pickup point to the hot spring hotel at Terminal 2’s 23-B bus stop, which took a little bit of searching as it stood alone right at the end.

▼ Timetable from Narita Airport Terminal 2 going to Sora no Yu

With shuttles running just once or twice an hour, Seiji missed his and opted for a 10-minute taxi ride instead, which cost 2,100 yen, so it’s fantastic backup if you’re short on time.

The facility is large, with an atmosphere resembling that of a hot spring inn. The spacious interior includes a restaurant and shop on the first floor, and a stone sauna, cafe and bar, and capsule hotel on the second floor. Despite the many other facilities on offer, Seiji’s first stop was naturally the baths on the third floor.

▼ There are even massage chairs

The third floor features hot springs, changing rooms, and a laundry area. The bathhouse itself is massive and had a carbonated bath, which is among the highest-concentrated baths that Seiji has ever experienced, and made his skin feel all tingly. The sauna is equally impressive, being spacious and reaching 90 degrees Celsius (194 degrees Fahrenheit), and has a window with a view of the open-air baths. There was also an artificial hot spring and a cold bath, rounding out the facilities located inside the building.

After a quick dip in the cold bath, he stepped outside to the open-air baths, which are large enough for even the sauna-loving Seiji to feel impressed by.

Relaxing outside, Seiji heard the roar of jet engines and glimpsed the faint images of airplanes flying through the sky. The wide-open surroundings, coupled with the view of nothing but sky and planes, made him feel like his thoughts might fly off together with the planes.

The final hot spring also left a lasting impression on him, making him feel utterly relaxed. This is a great location even for people who prefer saunas like Seiji. In addition to the free shuttle bus and the short travel time from the airport, this super sento is perfect for early morning flights from Narita. Seiji started to think that every time he departs from Narita in the future, he would stay at Sora no Yu. However, as he headed to the capsule hotel section of the facility, still feeling the warmth of the hot spring, he realized a potential problem with staying there: with how relaxed he was from the bath, would he be able to wake up on time for his flight?

The capsule hotel area on the second floor is separated by secure, card-activated doors, with separate sections for men and women, allowing everyone to sleep with peace-of-mind.

▼ Securely-locked doors to the sleeping areas

The capsules are clean and spacious, and come with thoughtful amenities like earplugs.

▼ A roomy and modern capsule

▼ Even the earplugs are happy to be here.

Despite how great they would be for blocking out the surrounding noises, with his fear of oversleeping his 5:30 a.m. alarm, he forewent the earplugs.

▼ Over-relaxation meets early morning wake-up worries

In the end, his worries were unfounded, as he woke up before his alarm and was able to leave quietly, without any issues. Seiji recommends that if you do stay here and have an early flight, don’t overindulge as he did and enjoy the baths until their 11:45 p.m. closing time.

Even if you don’t want to stay, Sora no Yu offers day packages for visitors to enjoy. The price for the bath is 1,000 yen on weekdays, or 1,500 yen if you want to enjoy the stone sauna also, although prices are cheaper for members. Do note that you will need to bring your own towel or rent one, with costs starting at 150 yen.

▼ Prices for children are in brackets. Children under 12 can’t use the sauna or stone sauna.

With its excellent location, free shuttle service, and superb baths, Sora no Yu is ideal for early flights from, or late flights to, Narita Airport. Just don’t relax so much that you miss your alarm! Although, if you would rather enjoy some amazing saunas without this worry, Seiji has put together a list of his top four saunas to share with others.

Hotel location
Narita Kuukou Onsen Sora no Yu / 成田空港温泉 空の湯
Address: Chiba-ken, Sambu-gun, Shibayama-cho, Kayama Shinden 27-1
千葉県山武郡芝山町香山新田27-1
Open 10:00 a.m.-11:45 p.m.
Website

Photos ©SoraNews24
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