Our Destinations
Japan
Health and Wellness
Japanese are very concerned about health, and are widely known for their longevity. While in Japan, be sure to visit a hot spring spa, have a massage, and healthy food. Perhaps you too will find the secret to long life.
Hot Spring Spas
There are over 3,100 hot springs in Japan, which is about 30% of the world total for the entire world. The quality of the water differs depending on the region, but hot spring spas are often very effective for treating neuralgia, arthritic pain and exhaustion.
When you visit a hot spring bath, don’t bother taking your swimsuit as it’s customary to be completely naked. First you wash and rinse your body thoroughly before entering bath so you are completely clean. It’s also important to take things slowly and let your body get used to the hot water to protect your heart from a sudden jolt of heat.
Some luxury hotels in Tokyo have their own hot spring spas and offer massages or spa treatments by expert therapists. Don’t worry if you’ve never had a spa treatment before; the spa concierge will assist you with helpful hints.
Massage
“Shiatsu” is a popular form of massage throughout the world. A shiatsupractor presses particular points on the body called tsubo, and this is said to stimulate natural healing powers to treat neuralgia or stiff shoulders. Japan is the birthplace of shiatsu, and there is a national qualification system for shiatsupractors.
This is not the only form of massage in Japan, though, and some have even been introduced from overseas, including lomi-lomi from Hawaii, British reflexology and Thai-style massage that is a mix of shiatsu and yoga.
For a massage to be to most effective, you should have a bath afterwards while your body is still moderately warm. Most hotels in Japan provide massages.
Japanese Food Culture
The average life expectancy of the Japanese is 85.5 years for women and 78.5 years (figures for 2006), making Japan the country with the longest longevity in the world. The secret is found in eating habits. A typical Japanese meal is rice, miso-soup, a few small side dishes, some pickles and a cup of green tea. The side dishes are usually fishes or vegetables, making it a well-balanced meal.
Japanese cooking has many unique dishes not found anywhere else in the world. For example, niku-jaga features meat (niku) and potatoes (jaga) in a type of stew, and kabocha-no-soboro-ni is boiled minced meat and pumpkin. Both are made with soy sauce and sugar.
Vegetarian dishes called shoujin-ryouri were first developed as meals for Buddhist monks. You can try these distinctive dishes at restaurants found near famous temples.
