Sauna-related accidents have been rising in recent years, prompting Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency to call on people to exercise caution to avoid severe injuries.

Saunas have been increasing in popularity in Japan for their health benefits and relaxation effects, driven by appearances in manga, dramas and other media. They are now commonly found in both bathing facilities and sports centers, many of which offer various types of saunas.

However, this increased usage has led to a spike in accidents. Up until the end of April, a total of 78 cases have been reported to the agency since it started compiling records in 2010, with 82 people getting injured. The number of reported accidents averaged at four per year between fiscal 2014 and 2021, but surged to 10 each in fiscal 2022 and 2023.

The agency stressed the importance of using saunas safely — bearing in mind that things such as lights, windows, accessories and locker keys could become extremely hot inside saunas — and being aware of one’s personal health conditions when using them.

Out of the 82 people who suffered injuries, more than half were injured in bathing facilities. Accidents also occurred at hotels, sports facilities, home saunas and outdoor saunas.

Burns were the most common injury, accounting for 31 cases, followed by cuts and abrasions, at 24. There were 14 cases of fractures and bruises. Together, these injuries made up 86.3% of all reported incidents, excluding two unspecified cases.

Among the injured, 28 were between the ages of 40 and 59, while 25 were between the ages of 60 and 79. Together, they accounted for over 70% of the injured.

Younger individuals mostly sustained burns and cuts, whereas those age 40 and older also experienced dizziness, consciousness disorders and circulatory problems.

The report also outlined several real-life cases to illustrate how severe the incidents can become. In one of the cases, a man in his 70s lost consciousness while sitting in a public bath's sauna, suffered severe burns while unconscious and had to have all five toes on his right foot amputated.

Another case saw a woman in her 50s with a history of myocardial infarction having a heart attack in a sports club sauna and being hospitalized for three days.

A third incident involved a woman in her 20s who suffered burns on her buttocks after continuing to do yoga poses for 10 minutes inside a sauna even though she felt it was too hot.