The Notani Stone Bath is a historic steam bath facility built around 1186 by the high priest Chogen. During his mission to source timber from the mountains of Tokuji for the reconstruction of Nara’s Todai-ji Temple, Chogen established this site as a place of healing and medical treatment for the workers engaged in the grueling labor. Utilizing a natural rock cave, the "Ishi-buro" (stone bath) functions as a steam sauna where heated stones are doused with water to create a soothing, therapeutic vapor. Today, it remains a significant cultural landmark representing the ancient wisdom of Japanese wellness.