Become one with the artwork! What is "Genkiro"?
Let's head to the Genki Ro venue!
Is it art? Is it a sauna? I'm not very familiar with art, but I arrived at the venue feeling excited. After checking in where I parked, a kind staff member greeted me.
On the way to the locker room, I was shown a restroom in a prefab-like building and a cafe space where I could drink coffee and relax.
Apparently, Otani, where the venue is located, is famous for its high-quality stone. It's a region with many enormous underground spaces because people have been digging and quarrying stone there since ancient times.
Overwhelmed by the grand energy of the massive underground space and the Generator
As you head towards the changing room, a work of art resembling a giant tree, nearly 10 meters tall, appears before your eyes.
Now, before the experience! {% highlight %} "Genkiro"What is X?" was taught to me!
Staff: Artist Ms. Kuribayashi created this work drawing inspiration from her diverse experiences. For instance, she has visited Fukushima for over 10 years since the nuclear accident. Unlike the negative information from the outside, she realized on-site that she was actually being energized by the people of the region.
And so, I personally experienced the incredible energy that emerges when people become "energized," and from that inspiration, this work...GenkiroAnd so it was completed. The characteristic feature is that everyone who appreciates it can enter into the work, become a part of it, and become refreshed in body and mind through an experience similar to that of a sauna.
Me: I see. Perhaps that's why I feel an ineffable energy from this work.
Staff: Also, there's something very impressive that Mr. Kuribayashi said.
I am him.Genkiro) I didn't make him.Energy reactorwas born using me. Actually, I was made reluctantly. But there was nothing I could do since he wanted to be born. So after he was born, he...GenkiroWhether they will fade away or be cherished by everyone depends on him. I won't interfere and I enjoy seeing what happens after they are made.
And. They're truly an interesting person, aren't they?
Me: Wow! Hearing that story just now, all at onceGenkirocame to seem not just like a work but a "living thing." And I became desperate to meet Mr. Kuribayashi.
Artist Takashi Kuribayashi
Circulate herbal tea from the inside and outside of your body to become "energetic."
The herbal steam made in the large kiln is the energy source for the genkiro.
After experiencing the artistic sensibilities of the works, I headed to the changing rooms. They mentioned that you could also rent traditional Japanese wraps and muumuus. With hairdryers available, you can feel at ease even after your experience.
A locker room nestled in the underground space.
When I changed clothes,GenkiroArriving at the kiln. It's a kiln that generates steam, and they apparently add locally sourced medicinal herbs here, boil them, and create herbal tea.
GenkiroIn this context, they place great importance on {% highlight %}breathing{% /highlight %}. It is said to be important to inhale the energizing steam into your body, expose a lot of your skin, and bathe in it with your whole body.
I was taught that herbal teas are made with accents of loquat leaves, fig leaves, bamboo leaves, and goldenrod, mixed with herbs like rosemary, lemongrass, and bay leaves.
I'm not very knowledgeable about medicinal herbs, but the fragrance has a nice accent to it, allowing you to enjoy them with all five senses, including your sense of smell.
And finally,Energy sourceLet the experience begin!
Finally infiltrated the Genkiro Reactor!
GenkiroI took off my slippers at the bottom of the stairs, went up them, and then opened the lid to get inside. When I stepped in, I exclaimed, "I can't see anything around me due to the steam!" That's how much steam was filling the space.
And then... an indescribably rich "fragrance" that made me feel the earth's energy enveloped my entire body. With 360-degree glass walls, the light and steam filtering in created an ineffably beautiful space. "This is so fantastical!!!"
I was also able to chat with other participants who were inside. It's also enjoyable to listen closely to the sounds of nature.
Standing on a chair to savor the hot parts.
If you want to take a short break, you can lie down on the floor near the cooler areas.
GenkiroThrough this, even people who have never met before naturally strike up conversations on the spot. I found it very appealing to think that these interactions are also a part of art. And then,GenkiroFor some reason, deeply passionate conversations don't stop. Perhaps the steam obscuring our faces is one reason.
GenkiroI also felt that it is a device that deeply connects people. Isn't this also one of the factors that makes you feel energized?
After each participant fully enjoyed the art in their own way and soaked up the herbal power, they moved to the cold plunge.
Gazing into the endless expanse
The cold plunge bath is made of iron, like a small Goemon bath, and the view ahead opens into an endless underground cavern. It's astonishing to think that humans dug this by hand. It's like a human nest.
I've never seen a place like this!
And as you'd expect from groundwater, the water is ice-cold.
After stepping out of the cold bath, I enjoyed the herbal tea while relaxing in the open air. In the "Genki-ro" (energy furnace), I drank the herbal tea, breathed it in, let it permeate my entire body, and sweat... circulating through my system. This might be the secret to feeling revitalized.
Following that flow, I repeated the cycle of "going inside the sauna ~ the cold bath ~ drinking herbal tea while resting outside" three times.
With each passing session, the tea circulates through my body, and my physical condition improves steadily, leading to a new sensation of "vitality bubbling up from the core of my being."
A revitalizing furnace experience that sharpens the five senses
After finishing the experience and changing clothes, I headed to the cafeteria where I was first guided. The moment I emerged from underground, the world felt incredibly bright, the sound of the wind seemed louder than usual, and my sense of taste and smell became more acute.
Somehow,GeneratorAfter entering, I felt as if all five senses were sharpened. What a wonderful experience!
It was an experience where I could charge up {% highlight %}energy{% /highlight %} within myself to work hard starting tomorrow!
In Genkiro, the "people" relaxing are also part of the art.
In conclusion
How was it?
Before going, I wondered, "What is an art sauna?" but as I experienced it, I realized that everything about the space and what happens there is art.
People come to experience a slightly unusual sauna and end up engaging with art, or art enthusiasts become interested in saunas.
Even if the entrances are different, I think it's a space full of energy where you can talk with loved ones and friends!
For those of you who have been feeling a bit down lately, or for those who want to try a different kind of sauna experience, why not come to Genkiro and immerse yourselves in a masterpiece for a breathtaking experience?
The exhibition we experienced this time was the limited-time "Genkiro" special exhibition.
Advance information will be delivered to everyone who has added a LINE account before full operation begins!
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