From December 8, 2026 to March 31, 2027, BEB5 Karuizawa by Hoshino Resorts, a hotel built around the concept of "rendezvous with the chirping forest" (さえずる森とランデヴー), is hosting "BEB Foot-Only Sauna" (BEB足だけサウナ) in the courtyard of its public space, TAMARIBA. Guests can keep their clothes on and relax with friends in an outdoor winter setting while making a memory deco notebook in the sauna.
New this year is an arched roof styled after a barrel sauna, with a rounded silhouette. Because the upper body stays free, guests can also try "Sa-Man" (サまん) finished with a spice löyly and the new "Hot Apple Rooibos Tea". The new "Memory Deco Notebook Making" (思い出デコノート作り) is also offered, letting guests gather around a table in a sauna room free of stuffiness and turn their Karuizawa winter memories into something tangible.
Background
Nagano Prefecture, with its high elevation and cold climate, has long had a sauna culture. With the recent sauna boom, the prefecture ranks second in Japan for the number of sauna facilities per 100,000 residents, according to Nikkei (Nihon Keizai Shimpun).
BEB5 Karuizawa developed the foot-only sauna out of a wish to make winter in Karuizawa easier to enjoy. It warms the feet while leaving the upper body free. This year, to highlight the experience of spending time clothed with close friends, the hotel adds memory deco notebook making, a way to turn travel memories into something tangible in the sauna room, to make time outdoors in winter more memorable.
Feature 1: A New Barrel-Sauna-Style Arched Roof for the Foot-Only Sauna, for Enjoyment in Any Weather [NEW]
The foot-only sauna is a new kind of outdoor sauna experience based on the traditional health practice of "zukan-sokunetsu" (keeping the head cool and the feet warm). The feet are warmed intensively at about 80°C to promote circulation. The contrast with the cold winter air on the upper body helps guests feel balanced in body and mind while fully clothed. For the self-löyly, an original herb blend using white birch and hinoki cypress from Koumi Town, Nagano Prefecture, is used, surrounding guests in a fresh fragrance.
This year, a barrel-sauna-style arched roof has been installed over the entire foot-only sauna. The sides are open, with no walls, so guests can still feel the clear air and forest scenery of Karuizawa while staying sheltered from snow, rain, and wind.
BEB Foot-Only Sauna basics
- Sauna temperature: about 80°C (self-löyly available)
- Sauna heater: HARVIA (a global sauna and spa brand founded in Finland)
- Löyly herbs: BEB5 Karuizawa original blend
- Foot-only sauna design: Relevant Co., Ltd. (株式会社レリバント), which operates the Karuizawa sauna facility kaveri
- Sauna Ikitai: https://sauna-ikitai.com/saunas/85256
Feature 2: "Memory Deco Notebook Making" for Relaxed Conversation with Friends [NEW]
Taking advantage of an environment where guests can stay comfortably clothed, "Memory Deco Notebook Making" debuts as a way to give shape to travel memories. Guests freely decorate an original notebook using brochures collected during the trip, along with a variety of stickers and masking tape provided in a dedicated toolbox on the table. Likened to doodling on purikura (photo sticker booth) prints, getting absorbed in the activity together in an out-of-the-ordinary sauna space is a new experience that naturally gets conversation going.
Feature 3: "Sa-Man" Made with Shinshu's Specialty Oyaki and Finished with a Spice Löyly, Plus the New "Hot Apple Rooibos Tea"
As a sa-meshi (sauna meal) to enjoy during the sauna, "Spice Loyly Sa-Man" (スパイスロウリュサまん) combines oyaki, a specialty of Shinshu (Nagano), with the sauna. Spiced water steeped with star anise, cinnamon, and Sichuan pepper is poured as löyly over hot sauna stones in a skillet, and the fragrant rising steam finishes the dish to a fluffy texture. For the sa-dori (sauna drink), the new "Hot Apple Rooibos Tea" (ホットアップルルイボスティー) offers an apple flavor and is caffeine-free. The pairing of spiced sa-meshi and a warm sa-dori warms guests to the core even outdoors in winter.
- Hours: 11:00 AM–9:00 PM
- Prices: "Spice Loyly Sa-Man" ¥650, "Hot Apple Rooibos Tea" ¥600 (all tax included)
"BEB Foot-Only Sauna" Details
- Period: December 8, 2026 – March 31, 2027
- Hours: 9:00 AM–9:00 PM (last admission 8:00 PM); sessions rotate every 50 minutes
- Capacity: 3 guests per group
- Reservation: Advance reservation required through the official website until 11:59 PM the day before (same-day reservations accepted until before the start time if space is available)
- Venue: Public space "TAMARIBA"
- Prices (all tax included):
- Foot-only sauna experience: ¥300 per person (includes foot-only sauna use, herb löyly, and a rental poncho)
- Memory Deco Notebook Making: ¥750 per person (includes a full set of decoration supplies and a BEB5 Karuizawa original Traveler's Notebook refill)
- Spice Loyly Sa-Man: ¥650
- Hot Apple Rooibos Tea: ¥600
BEB5 Karuizawa by Hoshino Resorts
BEB5 Karuizawa is built around the concept of "rendezvous with the chirping forest." It stands at the entrance to the Karuizawa Hoshino Area, nestled in a national wild bird forest, with hot springs, shopping, and dining all within walking distance. BEB is a hotel brand whose concept is "more than an izakaya, less than a trip: a hotel where everyone can spend time loosely together."
TAMARIBA, the brand's signature public space, connects indoor and outdoor areas seamlessly. Surrounded by scenery and birdsong that change with the season and time of day, guests can spend time in a way that suits their mood.
- Address: Hoshino, Karuizawa-machi, Nagano Prefecture 389-0195
- Phone: 050-3134-8098 (Hoshino Resorts Reservation Center)
- Rooms: 73 rooms
- Check-in / Check-out: 3:00 PM / around 11:00 AM
- Rates: From ¥9,000 per night (per person, two guests per room, tax included, meals not included)
- Access: 15 minutes by taxi or Seibu Bus from JR Karuizawa Station
- URL: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/beb5karuizawa
- Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beb5karuizawa/ (#beb5karuizawa #beb)
