Pink maples and slender bamboos dapple a small Japanese garden in the early autumn sunshine: I walk barefoot on smooth stones toward a black granite soaking tub filled with hot water. Private garden and bathtub connected to my spa suite located Hotel Nikko Ritz-CarltonIt is a 94-room lakeside resort located in Nikko National Park, a 2-hour drive from Tokyo. Tobu Express train. I came here to soothe my travel aches and pains before embarking on the spa’s signature Rock Restoration Ritual body treatment, using sacred spring water and salt from nearby Futarasan Shrine.
When I showered at the Nikko Ritz-Carlton, I didn’t use ordinary tap water: I soaked in a mineral-rich hot spring called “Nikko.” spawhich is valued in Japanese culture. My private pool has geothermal hot water piped in from the nearby mountains, where there is a hydrogen sulfide sulfur spring and an 8thcentury Buddhist temple. This is the only Ritz-Carlton brand spa in the world. But this is just one of Japan’s more than 27,000 hot springs, natural resources that have lured Japanese health enthusiasts seeking relaxation and healing for centuries.
visit spa Moeka Akiyama, marketing communications manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko, explains that it’s a national pastime to indulge in traditional spas across the country. Dining room. “I think the idea of healthy travel is natural for Japanese people, even if we don’t call it that,” Akiyama said. “We view these trips as time to enjoy spaspend time with family and get close to nature. “For foreign visitors, they also offer opportunities for real cultural immersion.
However, keep in mind that hot springs are not a panacea. “Legally, the water is spa It must contain at least one of 19 different minerals,” said Tsutomu Sato, a hot spring expert I met while traveling in Hokkaido a week ago spa provided by Meitetsu World Travel. Different minerals correspond to different effects, and connoisseurs like Sato seek out spring water based on its chemical signature.
Visitors can follow local guides to some of the best places in Japan and experience Japanese wellness spa-Spa. In addition to the Nikko Ritz-Carlton, here are some of the most luxurious hotels in Japan spa experience.
A new Hokkaido resort that respects local culture
Forest-surrounded hotel with 42 rooms inspired by the architecture, art and culture of the island’s indigenous Ainu people spa take Kaiporotto Opening in January 2022, it is only 45 minutes away from Hokkaido’s largest airport. Ainu culture is integrated into the resort’s wellness philosophy; guests can use the plant to make sachet amulets Ikemalong used by the Ainu as a talisman against evil.
Ainu influence is also reflected in its two spectacular sites spa: The lakeside Sankaka-no-yu bathhouse features airy wood and glass lines that echo traditional cone-shaped Ainu dwellings, while the cavernous Maru-no-yu bathhouse A circular opening in the domed ceiling allows only a beam of sunlight to shine through. Keiko Watanabe, spa and wellness manager at Hoshino Resorts, explains that the naturally hot, alkaline water that flows into the resort from a nearby swamp is known as the “spring of beauty” because of its ability to polish and condition the skin. “Because the spring water is alkaline, the removal of dead skin cells increases the skin’s metabolism,” she says.
Traditional wellness experience in a famous hot spring town
When springs bubble up the most, Japanese tourists follow: legend spa The town of Kinosaki was founded 1,300 years ago by a Buddhist monk who discovered the healing properties of Kinosaki water and settled here. Still considered sacred, these springs are rich in sodium, calcium and chloride and are said to relieve muscle pain and joint fatigue.
Many visitors soak in the town’s seven traditional public baths and wander between them. spaWearing wooden sandals and bathrobe robe. Alternatively, you can enjoy privacy and mountain views at Kinosaki’s most luxurious ryokan, Nishimuraya Shogetei, or a private hot spring at a traditional ryokan. Using the simple lines and natural materials of traditional Japanese architecture, the spa offers therapeutic experiences from hot stone massage to reflexology.
An urban retreat offering ancient remedies
you don’t always You have to leave the city to experience Japan spa Culture: Elegance Hoshinoya TokyoLess than 20 minutes from Haneda Airport and a short walk from the royal residence of the Imperial Palace. Unlike many Tokyo hotels, this one is a ryokan and quiet, masking the hustle and bustle of the nearby city. Zen gardens flank the 17-story ryokan’s cypress doors, and kimono-clad guides welcome guests with seasonal sake and Japanese sweets.
The hotel’s saltwater hot spring water comes from nearly a mile below the surface and flows through indoor baths and open-air soaking pools with views of the Tokyo sky. “Floating in a hot spring above the city, admiring the square city sky, is a one-of-a-kind experience,” says Watanabe. Each of the ryokan’s signature spa experiences (including a four-season body treatment using seasonal Japanese plants) All start with a soak in the hot springs. spautilizes mineral-rich water to promote blood flow and reduce inflammation.
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