Saunas have exploded in popularity in the wake of the TV drama "Sa-do. Many people visit saunas in search of the "TOTONOU (revitalize)" that comes from the combination of sauna, water bath, and outdoor air bath, but one essential ingredient is hydration. If the beverage is Wilkinson's sparkling water, it will do more than just rehydrate you. We will explore the wonderful relationship between "Wilkinson" and sauna with Ms. Misato Shimizu, a true "Wilkinson" fan.
PROFILE
Born in Nara Prefecture. After working in gravure, she is now active as an actress in movies and TV. The woman in the "Sauna Kitai" poster is Ms. Shimizu. Her love of sauna has led her to appear on radio and TV programs, and she holds several sauna-related certifications, including sauna and spa health advisor. Her husband is Shigeo Takahashi of the comedy duo Savanna.
About pop-up
A limited-time collaboration commemorating the 120th anniversary of Asahi Soft Drinks' "Wilkinson" was held at two stores, Bunka Yusen in Ikejiri-Ohashi and Hotta Yu in Nishi Arai. Original goodwill and panels decorated the stores, and visitors were given free "Wilkinson's" as well as original goods for those who posted on SNS.
Campaign has ended.
Shimizu Misato = sauna, created by Toso.
Q. Now you are so well known that "Misato Shimizu = Sauna".
Shimizu: It was the summer of my freshman year of college that I realized how good sauna felt. I had always loved to eat and gained a lot of weight by the summer if I ate a lot. So I started going to a local gym to lose weight. I started going to the local gym at the same time every day and taking a bath equipped with a bath tub after my workout, and I always saw the same old ladies at the same time. Then, they were very cute, saying it was rare to see such young girls, and we started chatting with them. I wanted to talk more, so I imitated them and started taking a sauna with them. I tried it and thought it felt good to sweat and get rid of the swelling.
It was long before the sauna boom, wasn't it?
Shimizu: I was 19 years old, so maybe 13 years ago. At that time, I didn't even know where there were saunas yet. I looked them up on the Internet and found out that there were many different places, and when I went there, I found that each one was totally different from the other! Interesting! I was like, "Wow, that's interesting! I'm the type of person who gets really into it, so at the time I was gathering information on blogs.
You are on the "Sauna Kitai" posters that you see in every public bathhouse.
Shimizu: I didn't have anything in particular that I wanted to do when I was a student, and I was wondering what I was going to do when I was scouted by a scout. I decided to give it a try and started gravure first, but I had been going to saunas for a long time even then. In interviews, I am often asked, "What are your hobbies? I was asked in interviews, "What are your hobbies? I answered, "I don't have any particular hobbies, but if I had to say, I go to the sauna every day! They were amused and said they would write an article about me as a girl who goes to the sauna every day (laughs).
Toso's credit.
Shimizu: The following year, I was asked if I would like to have a talk with Mr. Tanaka Katzuki, who published the manga "Sa-Do. I remember that my sauna work gradually increased as I was asked to do a dialogue with Mr. Tanaka Katzuki, who published the manga "Sa-Do" the following year, and I was also invited to talk shows. At that time, if you searched for women writing about saunas on the Internet, there were no hits at all. I was born in a good time, I think I was lucky.
What I can do is go to the sauna.
What is it that people are looking for when they enter a sauna?
Shimizu:Because it feels good. I want to create a time in my life that makes me feel happy and great.
How often do you go there now?
Shimizu: I go every morning. I went again today before this shoot (laughs). Usually, I go twice a day, morning and night.
That's so interesting! By the way, have you ever been to the sauna here at Bunka Yusen?
Shimizu: I used to come here several times when I lived in Sangenjaya. On weekends, it was open from morning, and the sauna room was so beautiful even though the bathrooms were retro.
Do you have a favorite public bathhouse or sauna?
Shimizu: It may be that the setting of the sauna room is to my liking, but public bathhouses and saunas have one thing in common: they make me want to go back and support them. There are many new facilities being built, and some people say this is good or bad, but I think it's great. The more facilities we have, the more choices we have, the more we can enjoy, and I hope it will expand. It is a luxury to be bothered by crowds, and since I can only go to the sauna, I would be happy if someone sees me going and wants to go too.
Do you go on trips?
Shimizu: I often go to sauna with my husband (Mr. Takahashi of the comedy duo Savannah). Whenever we get a day off, we ask each other which sauna we should go to. We discuss which sauna we would like to go to when we get a day off, and we decide where we would like to go, whether it is in Tokyo or in the countryside, with sauna as our first priority. There are many wonderful things that come along with sauna. When I visit a place with the intention of going for a sauna, I find that the town itself is interesting, or I discover a delicious restaurant. I am thrilled by such unplanned encounters. That is why I would like to boldly go to areas I have never heard of.
TOTONOU (reveitalize) is not the only sauna, is it?
Shimizu: I feel deeply that what I want from a sauna is not only to get sweaty. Walking along the road to the sauna is also fun, and I think life is richer when you discover a nice store or a nice town. I think saunas can help you do that.
Even in my private life, I'm all about Wilkinson.
Have you noticed any physical changes since you started sauna?
Shimizu: Swelling has gone down, and my sensitivity to cold has improved. But I want to assure you that you will never lose weight in a sauna. You will not lose weight. But I feel that waste products are released, and when I drink water, I have a feeling that it circulates in my body.
I'm sure the water tastes great after a sauna.
Shimizu: It's like water soaking into all of the organs. It is the best!
Do you have any particular beverages you like to drink when you are in the sauna?
Shimizu: This is really true, but I have been drinking "Wilkinson" for a long time because I like this strong carbonation. I think it is the most delicious. It is very fine, yet it has a nice thirst-quenching and refreshing feeling. I drink it at home and after a sauna, so we buy boxes of Wilkinson's.
Oh!
Shimizu: So, when I was offered this job, my husband was overjoyed! My husband was overjoyed. He told me to tell Wilkinson that he was so happy. Even more than me, if you ask me (laughs). I really like it that much.
It's also very refreshing.
Shimizu: Yes, that's right. I am not a beer drinker, but I feel like I can experience a similar feeling when I drink "Wilkinson's" during a toast.
When to drink water?
Shimizu: I like to drink after the entire sauna. I drink it in gulps after the last set. But I hear it is also good to drink a little at a time. It is important to stay hydrated.
Was there a time when you used fresh water instead of sparkling water?
Shimizu: I didn't like water much to begin with, but I got over it when I fell in love with saunas (laughs). It was the first time I felt water tasted good and I wanted to stay healthy, so I felt lucky to be able to drink water. But if I had to choose between water and sparkling water, I would choose sparkling water without hesitation.
It's unusual that you don't like water that much in the first place.
Shimizu: I used to like drinking only juice, but soda water is good because it is sugar-free and guilt-free. I have learned to enjoy drinking water, which is probably one of the best things about liking sauna.
By the way, do you bring soda water into the bathroom?
Shimizu: I like cold sparkling water, so I either buy it at the facility after sauna or at a convenience store after leaving. However, I was jealous of the free Wilkinson's at the reception desk in this "Bunka Yusen" campaign.
If you try to do a soda water.
I know that there are still machines to make soda at home.
Shimizu: We had a meeting about this at home, but we wanted to open the bottle and drink it right then and there. That's why we don't have a machine, but buy it by the box. I have a space at home where I can put a box of "Wilkinson's".
It's amazing, isn't it, the "love of Wilkinson"?
Shimizu: For example, if there are several soda bottles lined up and you do a soda tasting, you will be able to tell which one is "Wilkinson" (laughs).
Do you recommend drinking Wilkinson's in situations other than saunas?
Shimizu: It is also good to refresh the palate when eating a meal. Even if a restaurant does not have soda water on the menu, I ask if they have soda water. I ask if they have sparkling water.
Please tell us what you think of the campaign video in which you appeared.
Shimizu: Nowadays, various industries are collaborating with saunas. I thought that Wilkinson had finally come to the rescue. I think it is a wonderful idea to collaborate with a public bathhouse. I want people, including young people, to know about public bathhouses, and I hope this will be an opportunity for them to visit them. Wilkinson" is produced by Asahi Soft Drinks, and it is very meaningful for a large company like Asahi Soft Drinks to participate in this kind of collaboration, and in fact, it is a perfect match.
How about the goodies? If you post on SNS, you can get 4 kinds of original goods: a pouch, a MOKU towel, and a sauna locker key/coin case on a first-come, first-served basis.
Shimizu: They are all so cute already! I thought I was going to get one of them, but it's all of them! I thought. The katakana characters for "Wilkinson" on the mirror in this public bathhouse are also very bathhouse-like and lovely. I thought Asahi Soft Drinks is an amazingly flexible company.
I really enjoyed hearing about your love of saunas and Wilkinson's through our conversation. Thank you very much!
Shimizu: Thank you very much. One last piece of trivia I forgot to mention is that "Wilkinson's" is actually available in cans! If you ask for it on the Shinkansen, it comes out!
Photo_Yuya Wada
Text_Shinri Kobayashi
