岩盤浴では、まず始めに熱した「ブラックシリカ」と呼ばれる大きな石の上に横たわる。日本では北海道檜山郡上ノ国町でしか採れない希少かつ貴重な石で、遠赤外線やマイナスイオンを放出する。マイナスイオンは自然に存在する酸化防止剤で、血液中の毒素を分解する効果があると言われている。遠赤外線は細胞を通して体内に入ると、血管を拡張し血液循環を向上。新陳代謝を高め、老廃物を取り除く効果があると言われている。さらに、遠赤外線とマイナスイオンの相乗効果は、お肌、ダイエット、肩こり、腰痛、低血圧にも良く、免疫機能を高め、花粉症や糖尿病、便秘、生理不順、リューマチ、関節炎にも効果があるとされる。なんと、がん予防を助ける効果もあるそうだ。

Ganbanyoku involves lying on a large heated block of black graphite silica. The silica is special because not only is it rare - in Japan, it is only found in Kaminokuni in Southern Hokkaido, it also emanates far infrared rays and negative ions. Negative ions are a type of antioxidant present in nature that are reported to react with and break down toxins in the bloodstream. Far infrared rays are absorbed by cells throughout the body and cause blood vessels to dilate, which is said to improve blood circulation, speed up the metabolism and help to eliminate wastes. Adherents of ganbanyoku laud its benefits. Indeed, the combination of negative ions and far infrared rays released in ganbanyoku is purported to benefit the skin, aid dieting, alleviate back and shoulder pains, lower blood pressure, boost the immune system and help reduce the effects of pollen allergies, diabetes, constipation, menstrual disorders, rheumatism and arthritis. It is also said to aid cancer prevention.


そんなわけで、岩盤浴を初体験することに。さっそく安くて雰囲気がよいと評判の岩盤浴サロン「イオンベール（ion veil）」（地下鉄東西線「新札幌駅」そば）へ。昨年12月にオープンし、ちょうど一周年記念を迎えた同店。オーナーは一級建築士の丸山精一さん（58歳）さんだ。２年前、建築家として岩盤浴施設の設計を何件か手がけていた丸山さん。当時、ご本人自ら糖尿病と脳梗塞を患い苦しんでいた。ところが岩盤浴に通い始めると、何と血糖値は270から115に下がり（血糖値180以上は要注意）、体調が著しく改善。これはと思い、最初は自宅に岩盤浴を導入しようとしたが、思いのほかコストがかかったためそれならばビジネスで、とイオンベールをオープンした。するとたちどころに大繁盛で、９月15日には２店目の野幌店もオープンした。

Recently I decided to try ganbanyoku out for myself. I headed out on the subway to Shin Sapporo to the ganbanyoku salon Ion Veil. This facility opened in December 2004, and is owned by Mr. Seichi Maruyama. Mr Maruyama is a firm believer in the benefits of ganbanyoku. He was introduced to the idea two years ago when, as an architect, he was responsible for designing several ganbanyoku facilities. At the time he was diabetic and had suffered from a blood clot in his brain. However, once he started visiting ganbanyoku, his blood sugar level dropped from 270 to 115 (anything over 180 is dangerous) and he noticed his health improve dramatically. He went on to open Ion Veil, his own ganbanyoku salon, and it has been so well received that he recently opened his second salon in Nopporo.


店の雰囲気は、アジアンリゾートがコンセプトで、落ち着いた木調にバリ島やベトナム、タイで購入した品の良い装飾品が並び、ゆったりとした南国気分にひたれる。料金は、バスタオルと着替えをもってくれば650円／１時間（30分延長ごとに250円が加算）と、2000円程度かかる他の岩盤浴施設に比べとってもリーズナブル。または、着替えとバスタオルは一式300円でレンタルもできる（内容：バスタオル、フェイスタオル、オリジナル浴衣）。

Ion Veil has a relaxing South-east Asian resort ambience, with dark wood paneling, soft lighting and tasteful decorations from Thailand, Bali and Vietnam. When you arrive, you pay the entrance fee (650 yen per hour and 250 yen for each additional half hour extension) and you can either bring your own cotton clothes and towels, or you can save yourself the hassle and pay an extra 300 yen for a rental towel, handtowel, and a Japanese-style cotton pyjama which is worn while you lie on the hot rock.


更衣室にて、まずはシャワーを浴びる。シャワーは、岩盤浴の後で浴びるよりも、前に浴びたほうがよいそうだ。なぜかって？ それはね、岩盤浴に入って出る汗は、運動するときに汗腺から出るベタベタ汗と違って、皮脂腺とアポクリン腺から出るサラサラの汗。これは、遠赤外線がコラーゲンの生成を活発にしてくれるために、岩盤浴で出るサラサラ汗は、そのまま肌になじませると、肌がすべすべになるからなのだ。

In the changing rooms, I took a shower. I was told that it's best to take one before, rather than after because the perspiration caused by ganbanyoku is different from the sticky perspiration you get when you exercise because it is secreted from the hair and apocrine glands as opposed to the perspiratory glands. The sweat is good for your skin and shouldn't be wiped away because the far-infrared rays accelerate the formation of collagen, and once the sweat dries, it leaves your skin feeling supple and smooth.


シャワーの後、パジャマを着て、発汗作用を促すための冷水を飲み、浴室へ。男女共用と女性専用の浴室があり、女性専用を希望してもOKだ。浴室にはブラックシリカで作られた岩盤が４床から６床あり、ソフトな照明。檜のアロマオイルの香りがゆったりと漂い、BGMにはバリ島のリラクゼーション音楽が優しく流れる。

After my shower, I put on my pyjama and headed toward the bathing room. I was reminded to drink a glass of water beforehand to facilitate perspiration. Ion Veil has a mixed bathing room and a women-only room. Since everyone wears a pyjama, there are no real modesty issues, but women who would prefer to be in a same-sex room are easily accommodated. The rooms have four to six slabs of black silica rock embedded in the floor. The lighting is soft, the air is light with beautiful aromatherapeutic smells, and relaxing music plays gently in the background.


まず、岩盤にバスタオルを敷きうつぶせで5分〜10分（砂時計あり）。岩盤の温度は43.4度、室内温度は38度に保たれているので、しばらくすると多量の汗が一気に吹き出てくる。次は籐製の枕に頭を載せ、仰向けで10分程度。他にも入浴客がいるにも関わらず、ゆったりした静けさが流れる。おしゃべりは禁止だから、唯一聴こえてくるのは落ち着いた南国のギターの調べだけ。まったりと心地よさが拡がり、暖かくて気持ちがいい。思わず、自分があったかな石の上で、デレーッとのんびり日光浴をしている大トカゲになった姿を想像してしまった。これが終わったら、寒い札幌の夜の街を歩いて帰らなければならないのだが、しばらくは忘れることにしよう。

To begin with, I lay my towel on top of the rock and then lowered myself onto my stomach and lay there for five minutes using one of the hourglass timers to keep track of the time. I was starting to sweat a lot, and no wonder, the rock was heated to 43.4 degrees celsius and the humidity in the room was 38 degrees celsius. Next, I rolled onto my back for ten minutes, using a wicker pillow to rest my head. There were some other bathers, but the room was serenely quiet. Chatting is not allowed, and the only sounds I could hear were the relaxing guitar strummings of the music. I felt very comfortable and snug, and imagined myself to be a giant sun-basking lizard lying on a magnificently warm rock. I banished all thought of walking home in the cold from my mind.


時間が来て、休憩のためロビーに出てまた水を飲む。通常、岩盤浴では、うつぶせ−仰向け−休憩−水を飲む、このサイクルを2−3回繰り返す。休憩を取るごとに、なぜかまたいっそう浴室に戻りたくなる。私はもともとサウナが嫌いで、多分岩盤浴も気に入らないだろうと思っていたので、ちょっと驚きだった。そう、岩盤浴はサウナとは違う。低温のせいかサウナより遥かにリラックスできるし、熱源が体の真下に接しているので、感覚が異なるのだ。

After the time was up, I went out into the lobby for a break and another glass of water. The typical ganbanyoku visit entails repeating two or three times the process of lying on the stomach and then back, and then having a break and a drink. Each time I took a break I found myself keen to get back to my rock. It's funny because I am not a sauna fan, and originally I feared that I wouldn't like ganbanyoku, but it felt unlike a sauna. The atmosphere is far more relaxing and because the heat comes from directly beneath your body, the sensation is different.


1時間半経って、ようやく帰る気分に。服に着替える前に、ラウンジでしばらく涼むことにした。青汁牛乳なる、不思議な（でもおいしい）飲み物を飲みながら‥‥。べたべたした汗ではないので、シャワーを浴びずとも心地よく、むしろ本当にさっぱりした感じで肌もすべすべ。体の芯からボカボカ温まったおかげで、札幌の夜の寒空もそれほど身にこたえなかった。その日の夜は、ここしばらく経験したことがないようなカンペキな爆睡状態だった。
たった一度の体験で、本当に岩盤浴にハマッてしまい、次回が待ちきれない私 ．．．。 まった行っくぞー！

After ninety minutes, I felt ready to leave. I waited in the lounge area to cool down a bit before getting changed. I didn't have a shower and I didn't feel sticky at all, on the contrary I felt quite refreshed, and yes, my skin did feel smooth! Even the journey back home in the cold Sapporo night wasn't so bad because I still could feel the warmth within my body. That night I went to bed and had one of the best sleeps I've had in ages. I can truthfully say that I am a ganbanyoku convert and I can't wait to go again!

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