On Wednesday 23 September 2026, a public holiday in Japan, UK Sauna in Ichijodaki was held at Ichijodaki Falls. It was a tent sauna event planned and run by students of Fukui Prefectural Usui High School. In the evening, the candle cups of Echizen Asakura Mantouya were set out along the path to the falls, and the lights came on.
A sauna beside the falls
Ichijodaki is the waterfall where the swordsman Sasaki Kojiro is said to have devised his secret technique, the Swallow Counter. A black tent sauna stood on the gravel just beside the plunge pool, and the sauna ran from half past nine in the morning until evening.
Warm up inside, step out, and cool off to the sound of falling water. The cold plunge was the waterfall itself. It is a way to spend a day you will find only in the mountains of Fukui.
Reception, drinks, heat — all run by students
The students of Usui High School planned it and ran it. “UK” stands for Usui Koukou, the school’s name in Japanese. They staffed the reception desk, sold amazake and tea, and worked the site. High school students as aufguss attendants was one of the pillars of the event.
Mantouya candle cups, carried up to the falls
In the afternoon the work of laying out the candle cups began. People from the neighbourhood went along the row with a kettle, filling each cup with water. When a kettle ran dry, they scooped more straight from the stream.
The students worked alongside them, setting the cups out all the way up the path to the falls.
As the light began to go, the candles were lit one by one.
Once it was dark, the path to the falls was joined up by light. The same cups used at Mantouya were lighting this valley, a little further in from Ichijodani.
Making something together
UK Sauna in Ichijodaki was hosted by the Ichijodaki Tourism Association and planned and run by UK Sauna of Usui High School. Yume Sozo Asuwakai took part as one of the supporting organisations.
Young people bring what they want to do; the people of the area bring the place and a hand. Echizen Asakura Mantouya has carried on the same way. We are glad that the same light was used, in the same valley.
Details
| Event | UK Sauna in Ichijodaki |
|---|---|
| Date | Wednesday 23 September 2026, 9:30 – 18:00 |
| Venue | Ichijodaki Falls, Jokyoji-cho, Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture |
| Host | Ichijodaki Tourism Association |
| Planning and operation | UK Sauna (Fukui Prefectural Usui High School) |
| With the support of | Fukui City Tourism Promotion Division, Rotary Club of Fukui, NPO Mori no Houkago Gakko, Jokyoji-cho Women’s Association, Yume Sozo Asuwakai, Creative ASUWA, and the Asakura Clan Ruins Preservation Association |
The announcement posted before the event is here.