Japanese sauna by Daichi Inc makes "people feel as though they are dissolving into the forest"
Tree trunks puncture the slim timber platforms of this minimalist sauna in a Japanese woodland, designed by local architecture studio Daichi Inc.
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Named Daichi Silent River Tree Sauna, the project is nestled within a forest in Kanagawa, southwest of Tokyo, and forms part of the Daichi Silent River retreat alongside guest cabins and additional sauna spaces.
According to Daichi Inc, the idea for the project was to make the trees feel "part of the architecture itself", using them as both supports and the defining feature of the pared-back structure.
The sauna has been shortlisted in the Leisure and wellness category of Dezeen Awards 2026.
"Conventional architecture typically clears nature away, cutting down thick and strong trees and transforming them into standardised building materials," said the studio.
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