Ehime's Matsugahama Town and SAUNiiiK Sign Agreement for 'Disaster Evacuation Shelter Well-being Support'

SAUNiiiK LLC, a sauna culture company based in Ehime Prefecture (Matsuyama City, Ehime; Co-Representatives: Ryuji Onishi, Ryō Niimura, Shōhei Noguchi), signed the 'Agreement on Well-being Support at Evacuation Shelters during Disasters' with Matsugahama Town (Mayor: Kōsuke Tanaka) on June 25, 2026 (Thu). Under the agreement, SAUNiiiK will provide tent saunas and mobile cold plunge baths to evacuation shelters upon the town's request during disasters, supporting evacuees' mental and physical refreshment and enhancing communication within shelters. This marks SAUNiiiK's first collaboration agreement with a local government.

Ehime's Matsugahama Town × SAUNiiiK, 'Disaster Evacuation Shelter Well-being Support' Agreement Signed – June 25, 2026

A New Form of Disaster Preparedness: 'Saunas in Evacuation Shelters'

※Image is for illustrative purposes only

During large-scale disasters, when many evacuees are forced to live in shelters, prolonged stress on mental and physical health becomes a major challenge. In addition to basic needs such as food, toilets, and bathing facilities, emotional distress often begins when evacuations extend beyond one week, increasing the risk of so-called 'disaster-related deaths'.

This agreement aims to improve evacuees' mental and physical well-being (well-being) during shelter life by providing relaxation opportunities through SAUNiiiK's tent saunas. For Matsugahama Town, this is the first agreement specifically aimed at improving the quality of life (QOL) in evacuation shelters.

Saunas: Not Just for 'Resetting,' But for 'Connecting'

Photo from SAUNiiiK's sauna booth at Matsugahama Hangiri Festival ~in West Beach 2025

SAUNiiiK's tent saunas use a stove heated by firewood to generate steam, designed with a balanced focus on temperature and humidity, allowing effective warming even at around 70°C. Because temperatures do not become excessively high, the saunas are accessible to a wide range of age groups, including young children, without strain.

"Saunas not only refresh the body through sweating but also serve as tools for communication. During disasters, when people's spirits tend to sink, being able to share words from the heart can have a positive impact in evacuation shelters," says SAUNiiiK.

Mobility to Deliver 'Resetting' Anywhere

16-person tent sauna at Matsugahama Town during Hangiri Festival ~in West Beach 2025

Equipped with a mobile chiller, capable of recreating cold plunge baths at approximately 12°C outdoors, provided there is a water source

A full set for a 16-person tent sauna can be transported by large vehicle and set up in about an hour by experienced teams

Leveraging the mobility of youth communities built through regular events (many volunteers participate in transportation and setup)

From Events in Peacetime to Disaster Response: Sustainable Public-Private Collaboration

Maintaining sauna facilities permanently is a significant burden for local governments. By having SAUNiiiK operate the equipment for events during normal times and deploying it to evacuation shelters during emergencies in coordination with the town, a sustainable public-private partnership is achieved without excessive strain.

Comments

Kōsuke Tanaka, Mayor of Matsugahama Town

"Improving the quality of life (QOL) in evacuation shelters is a first for our town. The longer a disaster lasts, the more crucial mental care becomes. Tent saunas are portable and can be brought anywhere. We hope this initiative, originating from Ehime, spreads to other regions."

Ryuji Onishi, Co-Representative of SAUNiiiK (native of Matsugahama Town)

"Being originally from Matsugahama Town, I've always wanted to contribute to my hometown. I'm delighted that 'sauna' is now being recognized by local government. I hope this becomes a starting point for people to see saunas as something necessary and interesting in the future."

Ryuji Onishi, Co-Representative of SAUNiiiK (native of Matsugahama Town)

Agreement Overview

Agreement Title: Agreement on Well-being Support at Evacuation Shelters during Disasters

Signing Date: June 25, 2026 (Thu)

Parties: Matsugahama Town / SAUNiiiK LLC

Purpose: Mental and physical refreshment of evacuees and improvement of living conditions (well-being support) during shelter life

Support Provided: Provision of relaxation opportunities using tent saunas; support for mental and physical well-being; setup and dismantling of sauna equipment

Implementation Sites: Designated evacuation shelters within the town, locations designated by the disaster response headquarters, etc.

Validity Period: From signing date to March 31, 2027 (automatically renewed thereafter)

About SAUNiiiK

Operating from Matsuyama, Ehime, SAUNiiiK is a sauna culture company with the mission: 'Connecting through saunas. Challenging. Creating culture.' SAUNiiiK redefines saunas not merely as relaxation spaces, but as 'communication tools' that connect people and 'creator platforms' where challenges emerge. The company organizes tent sauna events, a Shikoku-touring project called 'Sauna Henro,' and collaborations between saunas and local communities or other industries, actively creating culture through 'playing wholeheartedly.' SAUNiiiK aims for a future where people say, 'Hey, that started with SAUNiiiK.'

[Company Overview]

Company Name: SAUNiiiK LLC

Address: 1-11-6 Ichibancho, Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture

Established: June 26, 2025

Co-Representatives: Ryuji Onishi, Shōhei Noguchi, Ryō Niimura

Business Activities: Planning and operation of sauna events, creation of sauna experience spaces, sauna × local/community and cross-industry collaborations, original product development, among others

Official Website: https://sauniiik.com

Instagram: @sauniiik