Sauna for beginners:
how many minutes, and what about the cold bath

Two questions come up again and again from people trying a sauna for the first time: how many minutes do you stay in, and do you have to take the cold bath. This article answers both, using the order the staff at The TOJI.ba MATSUKAWAKAN suggest.

The Forest Sauna has two cabins, a mid-temperature herbal room at 85C and a very hot room at 110C. You can start with either one and go at your own pace.

The full step-by-step is on the How to use the sauna page. Here we keep it to the three things beginners worry about: time, the cold bath and choosing a temperature.

How many minutes: ten to twelve in the 110C room

How long should you stay in the sauna? For first-timers, this is the hardest part to judge.

At the Forest Sauna, the staff suggest about ten to twelve minutes in the 110C room as a first guide.

Rather than going straight in, warm up in the indoor bath first, then drink some water before you enter.

About two minutes before you leave, add a loyly. That is the way the staff here suggest.

The 110C room is set up so that everyone, from beginners to regulars, gets there.

85C or 110C: which room to start with

The Forest Sauna has two rooms, an 85C mid-temperature herbal sauna and a 110C very hot sauna.

The 85C room is blended with a scent chosen for the day, and it is made for taking your time in the steam.

The steam might carry white birch or roasted green tea, depending on the day.

The 110C room is set up so that everyone, from beginners to regulars, gets there.

In the order the staff suggest, you enter the 110C room first and take the 85C room later. You can read more on the The Forest Sauna page.

The cold bath: 120cm deep, fed by mountain water

Not sure about the cold bath? Here is exactly what you are stepping into.

The cold bath at the Forest Sauna is 120cm deep and fed with mountain water.

It is both free-flowing and filtered.

In the order the staff suggest, you take the cold bath after the 110C room, then rest outdoors.

Resting outdoors: three kinds of seats to choose

After the sauna and the cold bath, you rest outdoors and let your body settle.

The open-air rest area at the Forest Sauna has three kinds of places to sit.

There is a lie-down space where you look straight up at the sky, a chair with an adjustable footrest, and a deep reclining chair, and you can use whichever you like.

There are more than ten rest chairs, and a fire is lit from 20:00.

The full flow: three rounds at the Forest Sauna

Here is the whole thing, put together, the way the staff suggest it for first-timers.

Warm up in the indoor bath and drink water, then move through the 110C room, the cold bath, the outdoor rest and the 85C room, and repeat that for three rounds.

Step	What you do
1	Warm up in the indoor bath and drink water
2	Ten to twelve minutes in the 110C room
3	A loyly about two minutes before you leave
4	The 120cm cold bath
5	Rest outdoors
6	The 85C room

These six steps make one round, and three rounds is the guide.

Self-loyly is allowed at the Forest Sauna, so you can adjust the steam yourself.

If it is your first time, keeping this order in mind means you can enjoy it without rushing on the day.

Booking and what to bring for your first visit

You wear a swimsuit in the sauna, and swimsuits and ponchos can be rented on the day.

Day-use sauna sessions must be booked in advance, so please reserve before you arrive.

Please do not use the sauna straight after drinking, and if you are pregnant or have a condition such as high blood pressure, please check with a doctor first.

Guests with tattoos are welcome in all of the baths at The TOJI.ba MATSUKAWAKAN.

For day-use details see the Day-use sauna page, and for an overview see About the saunas.

Frequently asked questions