Text by Chiyoshi Nakajima (Premium Japan Editorial Department)
Our editorial column, "Around the Wonderful," is themed on "Three Tokyo Spas to Restore Beauty and Power to Your Mind and Body." We'd like to explore the origins of why people are so drawn to spas and introduce three carefully selected hotel spas in Tokyo: Nagomi Spa and Fitness at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo, Okura Spa at the Okura Tokyo, and the spa at Hoshinoya Tokyo.
Spas...their glamour came into focus in the 1990s
As the end of the year approaches and the hustle and bustle increases, I'm sure many people are feeling quite exhausted. While not quite like Utada Hikaru's "Two Hour Vacation," I'd like to suggest a hotel spa for a two-hour, or even half a day or even a full day, vacation just for yourself to soothe both body and mind.
Nowadays, not only overseas resorts but many hotels are focusing on spas. Spa... I have been fascinated by this word for decades. But when did spas become so popular in the first place?
I vividly remember the boom in women's magazines and other publications featuring overseas spas in the 1990s and 2000s. Stories like "When you arrive at an Aman resort, there's a girl scattering flowers!" or "To get to the spa at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, you have to cross the Chao Phraya River by boat!" sent my mind flying to faraway places like Bali and Bangkok. Just reading these stories was enough to soothe Japanese women back then, and apparently every spa in Bali had Japanese staff, as Japanese people flocked to the island.
Many years have passed since then, and not only luxury hotels but also town spas (or so they say) have increased in number, but when you consider the treatments, service, and luxurious atmosphere, a hotel spa is still the best.
Hotel spas have continued to evolve, highlighting their own unique characteristics. In addition to improving their physical facilities, wellness menus have also been expanded, and the hotel is constantly working to develop menus that will become its signature.
Spas are no longer just something to enjoy when you travel. Bring a little luxury into your life and wash away the stresses of everyday life with a hotel spa experience that will help you shed the fatigue that has built up in your body and mind.
This time's recommendation: "Top 3 Hotel Spas in Tokyo"
Introducing three recommended hotel spas in Tokyo, featuring newly developed menus, luxurious environments, and impressive techniques!
A wave of techniques will relieve your physical and mental stiffness
Nagomi Spa and Fitness / Grand Hyatt Tokyo
From the entrance to Nagomi Spa and Fitness at Grand Hyatt Tokyo, you're transported to another world. It's so quiet it's hard to believe you were in the bustle of Roppongi Hills just moments ago. The understated lighting is chic, emphasizing the tranquility and bringing a sense of calm to the mind. It's truly a relaxing experience.
With a direct view of the pool and jacuzzi, you first head to the bathroom. After warming your body in the bubbling bubbles of the jacuzzi, you put on a bathrobe and proceed to Nagomi's reception, where your therapist will be waiting for you.
This time we'll be introducing the "Zodiac Elemental Treatment," available until December 31st. Choose one of four original oils formulated to match the characteristics of the four elements of the 12 zodiac signs: fire, earth, wind, and water, and have your whole body massaged thoroughly. We chose "Sky Breeze," an oil for the wind element, made with eucalyptus, bergamot, lemongrass, and tea tree. Each scent wafts through the air during the massage. The scents emerge at different times, but they're all refreshing, leaving you feeling light and refreshed.
The therapist's technique is simply amazing. The blissful time continues as they massage nonstop for the duration, using the strength of your choice. The treatment lasts for the full duration, and I was overwhelmed with the feeling that my mind and body had been completely relaxed! After the treatment, I was given the hotel's original chocolate "Grande H" will be served, and you will surely find yourself sending your therapist an even more heartfelt thank you.
Nagomi Spa and Fitness / Grand Hyatt Tokyo
The "Constellation Elemental Treatment (90 minutes, 36,300 yen)" will be available until December 31st. Starting in January 2026, the "Gold Leaf Pack & Fermented Sake Lees Scrub Good Luck Treatment (120 minutes, 40,700 yen)" will be launched, a treatment that incorporates gold leaf, which is said to have high beauty effects such as promoting skin metabolism and antioxidant properties, and sake lees, which are rich in traditional Japanese fermented ingredients that nurture beautiful skin. They are developing a menu that will really capture the hearts of spa lovers. *All prices include tax and a 15% service charge is not included.
Relax so much that your mind, body, and time melt away
Okura Spa/Okura Tokyo
Who would have thought there was a place like this in the heart of Tokyo? Imagine yourself leaning back on a sofa in a bathrobe, sipping herbal tea and gazing at Tokyo Tower. This is the Okura Spa at the Okura Tokyo. It's larger than you'd imagine, with locker rooms, dressing rooms, bathrooms and even a relaxation room with a window overlooking Tokyo Tower. You might get a little lost at first glance - that's how spacious it is.
The spa menu will be completely revamped in March 2025. The body treatments in particular have evolved to incorporate traditional Japanese ingredients such as "kou," "sake lees," and "rice bran," evoking a sense of Japan's four seasons and nature. Two types of body treatment courses, "Yawaragi," have been developed that are a must-have for Okura Spa. This time, we chose "Wasou," which refines the body with a rice bran body scrub. The treatment begins with "Monkou," a precious aloeswood used in the art of incense, which is burned and the aroma is "listened to" three times. The visit is filled with an incredibly ethereal fragrance.
The treatment begins with a foot bath incorporating sake lees, followed by a massage while warming the body with hot stones. The heat from the hot stones is gentle, yet warms the body to the core. The combined effect of the therapist's soothing massage makes it seem as if unnecessary tension is being released from the body. Afterwards, a fine rice bran scrub is performed, and after rinsing in the shower, skin is left smooth and silky. The 90-minute treatment finishes with a rice oil massage. As the name "Wasou" suggests, the treatment left the skin soft and moisturized, leaving one feeling refreshed. After the treatment, we moved to the relaxation room, where we relaxed on the sofa with herbal tea. The superiority of the time is beyond words. A spa experience that melts the mind, body, and time.
Okura Spa/Okura Tokyo
"Yawaragi" offers two types of treatments: "Wayu 90 minutes" (46,000 yen), which uses sake lees to moisturize the skin, and "Wasou 90 minutes" (46,000 yen), which uses the rice bran introduced in this article. It is a treatment that evokes the Japanese aesthetic sense. There is also a limited plan that includes a light afternoon tea and treatment. The treatment, bathroom, and relaxation room are all ideal for a spa. You can enjoy the luxury that only The Okura Tokyo can offer. *All prices include tax and service charge.
Hoshinoya Tokyo Spa
Relax and unwind at a Japanese inn in the heart of Tokyo with a spa and overnight stay
I'm so tired, I want to go to a hot spring somewhere... but I don't have the time. But that's okay. We have Hoshinoya Tokyo. The relaxation of a traditional Japanese inn and spa are located in Otemachi, which could be said to be the heart of Tokyo. Hoshinoya Tokyo is a modern building with 17 floors above ground. But this is truly a "tower Japanese inn." Once you take off your shoes at the entrance, the tatami floor is all that remains. The green scent of the rush grass and the feel of the tatami mats under your feet create the illusion of having traveled far away.
The spa at Hoshinoya Tokyo, where you can enjoy Otemachi Onsen water pumped up from 1500 meters underground, is exclusive to guests staying at the hotel. Before your treatment, soak in the hot spring and stretch your body. The light brown Otemachi Onsen water is gentle on the skin and very warming. After passing through the dimly lit bathroom and heading to the open-air bath, you'll find yourself surrounded by a square frame above your head. As you enjoy the hot spring while gazing up at the Tokyo sky, time will fly by.
The treatment room I was led to had a refreshing, warm atmosphere with its woody interior and white shoji screens. The body treatment "Four Seasons 90 minutes (28,000 yen)" uses leaf balls. Leaf balls are a unique version of the herbal balls commonly found in Asian spas, created at Hoshinoya Tokyo. The subtle mugwort scent is somehow nostalgic. After wrapping my legs and back in the steamed leaf balls to keep them warm, a full-body oil treatment lulls me into a world of sleep. After the treatment, I drink the herbal tea provided by the therapist in my room and immediately slip into bed. It feels like I'm at a hot spring somewhere far away in the mountains, and I forget that I'm in Tokyo.
Hoshinoya Tokyo Spa
The opportunity to enjoy the wonderful experience of soaking in Otemachi Onsen before your treatment is a special treat only available at Hoshinoya Tokyo. The spring waters of Otemachi Onsen are iodine-sodium-chloride strong salt springs. The light brown, slightly viscous water has a high moisturizing and heat-retaining effect, and is said to be effective in treating sensitivity to cold and relieving fatigue. Four types of body treatments and two types of body and facial treatments (from 23,000 yen) are available. It's a good idea to make a spa reservation when booking your stay. The "Deep Breathing Regimen" (157,000 yen per person, excluding accommodation) is a three-day, two-night program that will rejuvenate your mind and body, and includes body reshaping, stretching, and two spa treatments during your stay. You'll have time to reconnect with your body and mind. *All prices are exclusive of tax and service charge.
What is a "nice neighborhood"?
Our editorial blog "Around the Wonderful" delivers tips on beauty, fashion, aging, and more to help you live a wonderful and comfortable life. A beautiful person may need to have a natural appearance, but a wonderful person is all about how they are. Therefore, anyone can be a wonderful person, and we chose this title because our editorial staff wants them to be that way. We will also occasionally include information about presentations and other events.
Chisa Nakajima
Daili, aka Editor N, is the editor-in-chief of Premium Japan. He loves watching Japanese movies from the 1950s and 60s and drinking wine. He's a bit of an otaku whose hobby is collecting postwar women's magazines.
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