ONSEN Sauna

What better way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon than immersing yourself in the best wellness lounge our city has to offer? Onsen has been offering premier well-being and recovery treatments to the Adelaide public since November 2025. Opened by Josh O’Grady and Jimmy Rosback – two best friends whose experience in Japan left them desperate to emulate the holistic benefits of Onsens found everywhere in the Land of the Rising Sun.

My partner and I were invited to try out a slice of Onsen’s comprehensive treatment list: the 70°C private infrared sauna, and the magnesium-enriched contrast therapy baths (one sitting at a comfortable 40°C, the other at a positively balmy 7°C). Each session lasts 25 minutes and offers a host of benefits for body and mind alike.

I will admit, the contrast therapy is tough. Josh explained to us that your best ROI is to take 2.5-minute turns in each bath; but if, like me, you’re not insulated like a baby seal, prepare to feel like you’re a victim of the Titanic for half of your session. Having said that, going with a friend means you can watch them squirm in the comfort of your 40°C cocoon for the other half your session (and going with a boyfriend means you can complain your way into spending 20 minutes in that same cocoon while they freeze to death two metres away).

The infrared sauna is one of two sauna experiences on offer. The alternative is a four-person traditional barrel sauna - affectionately nicknamed the ‘confession box’ - which gets even hotter than the 70°C infrared (and offers slightly different benefits). It’s not just a fancy sweat-box either - infrared light has been proven to penetrate through our skin and offer improved cardiovascular function, muscle recovery, and hair and skin rejuvenation. Plus, until Apple builds a heat-proof iPhone, you’ll be enjoying 25 minutes of uninterrupted mindfulness – you heard that right, no Outlook notifications!

You’ll walk out of Onsen feeling relaxed and strangely euphoric. Energized, but with a peaceful clarity of mind. I’m not an athlete by any stretch of the imagination, but the biggest bonus was the sleepiness (likely owing to my magnesium-enriched soak) that hit me from 7pm. I slept like I was tranquilised for almost 11 hours that night. It was the perfect reset to start my Monday. If you are an athletic person in your spare time however, or just someone who is health conscious, the advantages of Onsen are even more profound: circulation boosting, anti-inflammatory, performance supporting... the list goes on.

Onsen is a place that’s certainly never heard the ding of a Teams message. Offering both casual passes, packs and membership subscriptions (at a really reasonable price I might add), Josh and Jimmy have built one of my new favourite local businesses and a place which perfectly balances rejuvenating both the body and mind.

onsensauna.com.au