Feb 09 (news.abs-cbn.com) - When the coronavirus pandemic hit last year, Japan's booming sauna industry had a problem: packed hot rooms seemed to violate all the new rules of social distancing and ventilation.
But instead of spelling the end of the good times, the challenge has led to a burst of innovation, with the emergence of saunas for individuals and even outdoor versions in such scenic spots as riverbanks.
"It has become an opportunity for novelty to become pervasive," said Yasutaka Kato, 37, representative director of the Japan Association of Sauna and a physician.
Japan's saunas were once seen as the preserve of middle-aged men, but in recent years they have drawn in increasing numbers of younger people and women too. And despite the pandemic, the appetite to sweat one's way to health or beauty or just let the heat unknot a stiff body seems undiminished.
A Japan Sauna Institute survey for 2020 estimated that 27.61 million people visited saunas more than once, a slight uptick from the previous year. Among them, an estimated 3.42 million people visited saunas 4 or more times per month.
The sauna association's Kato predicts the purported health benefits of saunas will only add to their allure and give them a more versatile role to play in the future. But he cautioned that until the pandemic ends, users and facility operators alike should be safety conscious.
The association released guidelines in June 2020 noting that sauna rooms have structurally poor ventilation and that it is difficult to keep distance between users in multiperson hot rooms.
In particular, the guidelines point out that despite a popular belief, heat and humidity cannot be relied on to kill the coronavirus, meaning preventive measures such as adequate physical distancing, disinfecting surfaces, and asking bathers to minimize conversations are essential.
