Experience the Spa East by Jill Starley-Grainger
Featured Hotel in Ginza
Mandarin Oriental Tokyo
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In a country with more than 2,000 natural hot springs, where even the resident monkey population is known to enjoy a soak, it’s no surprise that Japan is miles ahead of the West when it comes to all things spa. From the techno-techno towers of Tokyo to the back-to-basics waters of a mountain resort, if it’s big in Japan, it must be worth a try. After my plane landed, I was certainly in need of some spa magic, so I headed straight to the sky-high Mandarin Oriental Hotel to sample its renowned treatments.
Soon I was standing in the altogether in the hotel’s 36th floor spa, flashing hello to Tokyo from the sauna, which has dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows revealing the amazing cityscape. Luckily, the mirrored glass ensured the views were one-way only. The Japanese consider it unhygienic to wear swimsuits to spa, so nudity is de rigueur – all well and good if you’re as petite and bijou as most of the locals, but Western physiques do tend to stand out from the crowd.
I’d booked in for The Skin Oxygen Miracle Lift facial, said to give face-lifting type effects without the surgery. I always thought it was no pain, no gain, but surely a simple facial would be bliss. Surely?
Oxygen beauty treatments are all the rage in Japan, said to help with everything from headaches to fatigue, and Madonna is said to be a big fan of oxygen facials. If it’s good enough for Her Madgesty... For half an hour, my face was exfoliated, masqued, moisturised and massaged, sending me into a zombie-like state. Then suddenly I was jolted out of my blissful stupor when my therapist started pinching – hard! - a vein on the side of my neck before doing the same to my face. Ouch! Apparently, by stimulating the veins to get the blood pumping, the oxygen runs through them, plumping your skin and adding a youthful glow.
Once the pinch-marks and redness had gone down, my skin did look fantastic, but I wasn’t so convinced about the face-lifting effects. Luckily, I’m not quite at the jowly stage of life yet, so maybe it would be more noticeable on someone slightly older. Or maybe it’s all just hot air.
After a few days in the high-tech, high-rise, high-speed metropolis, I was ready to seek out the traditional side of Japan. I followed in the footsteps of millions of holidaying Tokyoites and took the two-hour train to Hakone, a mountainous and volcanic region filled with natural hot springs. Walking through the doors of the Park Hyatt Hakone, I was greeted with the welcoming sight of a huge open fire surrounded by comfy sofas and reclining Japanese guests, all wearing their hotel-issued yukatas (cotton kimonos), sipping sake and admiring the wonderful views of a small garden and the mountains beyond.
I was served a cup of sencha tea on my room’s balcony, then I did a quick-change into the yukata to walk to the hotel’s Izumi spa, where I immediately took it off again to try out the indoor onsen (hot spring). Like many, the Izumi’s onsen looked similar to a small swimming pool and a Japanese garden was planted just outside the windows. The first rule of any bath in Japan, at home or an onsen, is to shower and rinse outside it before you get in.
Feeling thoroughly cleansed, I took the plunge. I’d been warned that onsen could vary between quite hot to nearly boiling, so I was relieved this was definitely at the bearable end. The waters of the onsen were crystal clear, and I must admit that I felt a little exposed, although nobody gave me a second glance. Nearby, a group of Japanese women were talking and giggling away, while another was sitting in a Buddha-esque repose.
The mineral-rich spring waters are said to be good for a range of ailments, from joint and muscle pain to skin conditions, and after 20 minutes in the onsen, the backache I had picked up on the flight did start to disappear. Nonetheless, after reflecting on life and contemplating the Japanese garden for a while, I wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself, and I was quite relieved when it was time for my fruitherapy massage.
The Japanese can spend days going from onsen to spa treatment to relaxation room to onsen and so on. At hot springs resorts, the strict rules of society are relaxed, everyone is equal and the usual hectic pace of life slows down. To get into the spirit of it, I should have taken another dip after my massage, but I couldn’t bear to wash off the sweet scent and dewy effect of the anti-aging blueberry oil. Instead, I pulled on my boots and spent the afternoon walking through the woods – where I was, at last, allowed to keep on my clothes.
Future perfect
Japanese spa innovations heading this way
Oxygen
Said to be good for headaches, jet-lag and hangovers, oxygen has been the rage in Japan since the 1990s with the advent of oxygen bars. Now you can submerge yourself, and your dog(!), in an oxygen capsule for full-body benefits. In Tokyo, take yourself and your pooch to Ownd Café. In London, take a deep breath at the Oxygen Bar.
Kampo Japan has developed its own herbal medicine, similar to Chinese traditional medicine. Hyatt Regency Kyoto offers Kampo and unique spa treatments using local ingredients, including azuki beans and cherry blossoms.
Kiatsu
This massage technique is a new advancement on Japanese shiatsu. Both focus on pressure points, but shiatsu uses fingers only, which can be uncomfortable. Kiatsu uses the whole hand - more gentle but just as effective. Mandarin Oriental Tokyo does fantastic kiatsu.