Couple Found Dead in Luxury Tokyo Sauna After Fire; Doors Found Broken
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
A married couple in their 30s were found unconscious and later died after a fire broke out in a private, members-only sauna in Akasaka, Minato Ward, Tokyo. The victims—Masaya Matsuda (36) and his wife Yoko (37), who ran multiple hair salons in Kanagawa and were social media influencers—had reserved the sauna for two hours; about an hour into their session a fire started and staff called the fire department. Firefighters discovered the couple near the sauna door; the husband was clutching his wife and both were naked, with minor burns and injuries consistent with attempts to escape. Investigators found the sauna door handles had detached (L-shaped wooden handles are said to be vulnerable to heat) making it effectively impossible to open from inside. Police suspect hyperthermia as a likely cause of death and continue a detailed inquiry. The upscale facility charged between ¥60,000 and ¥390,000 (about 568,000–3,700,000 KRW) per use and has temporarily closed. The report also reminds readers about sauna safety: limit sessions to 15–20 minutes, stay hydrated, avoid alcohol before using a sauna, cool down gradually (don’t pour cold water directly), and be cautious with hot-cold cycles—these can spike blood pressure and increase the risk of sudden death, especially for older or frail people. It’s advised to lie flat rather than face down while in a sauna.
