Imagine if the bus you were waiting for pulled up at the bus stop and inside, instead of the usual seats, you found an operating sauna! In Himeji, Japan, it could happen.
The city has seen a pandemic-driven drop-off in the use of public transit and in visitors, leaving the bus operator with some unused vehicles and a need both for cash and publicity. So, the ‘sabus,’ a combination of sauna and bus. They’ve been fitted with wood panels and wooden benches, and, of course, steam.
The sabus are not actually prowling the streets; instead they are operating at festivals and other events in the city. A number of other buses will be converted to other uses, including a mobile shower room, and public toilets.
Oh, and on the sabus, if you want more steam, just press the button that used to signal a stop.
