Fashion icon Issey Miyake has been the inspiration for a spa at the new Four Seasons hotel in Tokyo.
The luxury 190-key hotel is housed in the top six floors of the new 39-storey Otemachi Tower and crowned with a zen-like sanctuary designed by Jean-Michel Gathy at the top.
Industry consultancy GOCO helped realise the 900sq m offering which has five treatment rooms, and state-of-the-art heat and water facilities with views of Mount Fuji and the Imperial Palace Gardens. And as guests enter the spa lobby they’re greeted with a three-dimensional paper installation which seems to billow and sweep outwards, as if caught in the wind, in a nod to Miyake’s trademark flowing material creations.
The vision is to blend contemporary and classic design – elements such as ofuru, traditional Japanese bathing pools, are offered alongside a heated lounger shower experience, as well as an indoor pool, vitality pool and fitness centre.
Meanwhile, the balancing wellness menu has been inspired by Japanese rituals such shinrin-yoku, the art of forest bathing, and each treatment begins and ends with the chiming and vibrations of an orin bell. A small selection of treatments are also supplied by Swiss product house Valmont.
“The exciting and elegant Four Seasons Tokyo at Otemachi will become an icon in the dynamic and culturally rich city of Tokyo,” says GOCO founder and CEO Ingo Schweder. “The spa marries a unique combination of contemporary and traditional wellness experiences for each and every guest.”
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2020 issue 4
Editor's letter: Nurturing mental health
It’s time for spas re-evaluate their mental wellness approach to help governments and society to tackle the escalating mental health crisis says Katie Barnes
Spa people: Dr Narinthorn Surasinthon
RAKxa Jai, a cutting-edge medi-wellness spa, has opened in partnership with Bumrungrad International Hospital and Minor Hotels in Bangkok. Spa Business talks to its COO
Spa people: Isabelle Duchesneau
The executive director of Québec's Le Monastère Augustines explains why its priority of serving caretakers is more relevant today than ever
Spa people: Michael Banissy
The world's largest study on touch uncovers the role it plays in our health and wellbeing. Spa Business talks to the lead researcher
Interview: Krip Rojanastien
Chiva-Som’s CEO talks to Spa Business magazine about guiding the destination spa through COVID-19 and its first contract management project in Qatar
Ask an expert: Corridors of power
What will it take to make politicians realise the value of spas? Spa Business magazine asks those in government and others who’ve made inroads
Promotion: Artofcryo: Cold Calling
Artofcryo.com aims to offer the best whole-body cryotherapy chambers as well as a complete, reliable and effective solution for operators and results for guests
Promotion: ISPA: Lead, inform, inspire
Lead, Inform, Inspire. It’s been quite a year for ISPA, with its firm commitment to supporting members through the pandemic, as president, Lynne McNees explains
Interview: Mark Hennebry
Ensana’s chair tells Spa Business magazine about its landmark development, Buxton Crescent, one of the only genuine spa hotels in the UK
Promotion: Lemi: Creating the dream team
This year leading Italian supplier Lemi launched three new spa solutions, and ventured into the creation of signature treatments for the first time. General manager Matteo Brusaferri explains why he sees this as the way forward to help spas maximise their investment
Interview: Luisa Anderson
A Longevity Garden and inner healing room are just two of the extra special features at the new Healing Village Spa at Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay, Bali, says its regional spa director
Promotion: Biologique Recherche
Skincare specialist, Biologique Recherche, is using its knowledge of chronobiology to create new approaches to skincare which yield powerful results
Event review: Global Wellness Summit 2020
This year’s Global Wellness Summit saw two US surgeon generals, leading spa stakeholders and wellness professionals look towards the role they have to play following the global pandemic. Spa Business magazine gives its highlights
Research: Matter of minds
A new study is the first to define and put a value on the global mental wellness industry – estimating it to be worth US$121bn. But what does this mean for spas?
Sponsored briefing: Starpool: Cargo-tecture
During lockdown, Riccardo Turri, CEO of Starpool, was inspired to create a whole new category of product, based on recycled containers. The result is the new i.con spa brand, which fuses luxury, wellness, recycling and design
Software: All booked up
Spa software suppliers take a look at 'big data' to reveal the booking trends they’ve seen since spas have reopened
Promotion: Voya: supporting spa partners
Jessica Anhold, Voya’s head of global sales and marketing, talks community in a time of crisis and how the company is supporting its spa partners
Fashion icon Issey Miyake has been the inspiration for a spa at the new Four Seasons hotel in Tokyo.
The luxury 190-key hotel is housed in the top six floors of the new 39-storey Otemachi Tower and crowned with a zen-like sanctuary designed by Jean-Michel Gathy at the top.
Industry consultancy GOCO helped realise the 900sq m offering which has five treatment rooms, and state-of-the-art heat and water facilities with views of Mount Fuji and the Imperial Palace Gardens. And as guests enter the spa lobby they’re greeted with a three-dimensional paper installation which seems to billow and sweep outwards, as if caught in the wind, in a nod to Miyake’s trademark flowing material creations.
The vision is to blend contemporary and classic design – elements such as ofuru, traditional Japanese bathing pools, are offered alongside a heated lounger shower experience, as well as an indoor pool, vitality pool and fitness centre.
Meanwhile, the balancing wellness menu has been inspired by Japanese rituals such shinrin-yoku, the art of forest bathing, and each treatment begins and ends with the chiming and vibrations of an orin bell. A small selection of treatments are also supplied by Swiss product house Valmont.
“The exciting and elegant Four Seasons Tokyo at Otemachi will become an icon in the dynamic and culturally rich city of Tokyo,” says GOCO founder and CEO Ingo Schweder. “The spa marries a unique combination of contemporary and traditional wellness experiences for each and every guest.”
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2020 issue 4
Editor's letter: Nurturing mental health
It’s time for spas re-evaluate their mental wellness approach to help governments and society to tackle the escalating mental health crisis says Katie Barnes
Spa people: Dr Narinthorn Surasinthon
RAKxa Jai, a cutting-edge medi-wellness spa, has opened in partnership with Bumrungrad International Hospital and Minor Hotels in Bangkok. Spa Business talks to its COO
Spa people: Isabelle Duchesneau
The executive director of Québec's Le Monastère Augustines explains why its priority of serving caretakers is more relevant today than ever
Spa people: Michael Banissy
The world's largest study on touch uncovers the role it plays in our health and wellbeing. Spa Business talks to the lead researcher
Interview: Krip Rojanastien
Chiva-Som’s CEO talks to Spa Business magazine about guiding the destination spa through COVID-19 and its first contract management project in Qatar
Ask an expert: Corridors of power
What will it take to make politicians realise the value of spas? Spa Business magazine asks those in government and others who’ve made inroads
Promotion: Artofcryo: Cold Calling
Artofcryo.com aims to offer the best whole-body cryotherapy chambers as well as a complete, reliable and effective solution for operators and results for guests
Promotion: ISPA: Lead, inform, inspire
Lead, Inform, Inspire. It’s been quite a year for ISPA, with its firm commitment to supporting members through the pandemic, as president, Lynne McNees explains
Interview: Mark Hennebry
Ensana’s chair tells Spa Business magazine about its landmark development, Buxton Crescent, one of the only genuine spa hotels in the UK
Promotion: Lemi: Creating the dream team
This year leading Italian supplier Lemi launched three new spa solutions, and ventured into the creation of signature treatments for the first time. General manager Matteo Brusaferri explains why he sees this as the way forward to help spas maximise their investment
Interview: Luisa Anderson
A Longevity Garden and inner healing room are just two of the extra special features at the new Healing Village Spa at Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay, Bali, says its regional spa director
Promotion: Biologique Recherche
Skincare specialist, Biologique Recherche, is using its knowledge of chronobiology to create new approaches to skincare which yield powerful results
Event review: Global Wellness Summit 2020
This year’s Global Wellness Summit saw two US surgeon generals, leading spa stakeholders and wellness professionals look towards the role they have to play following the global pandemic. Spa Business magazine gives its highlights
Research: Matter of minds
A new study is the first to define and put a value on the global mental wellness industry – estimating it to be worth US$121bn. But what does this mean for spas?
Sponsored briefing: Starpool: Cargo-tecture
During lockdown, Riccardo Turri, CEO of Starpool, was inspired to create a whole new category of product, based on recycled containers. The result is the new i.con spa brand, which fuses luxury, wellness, recycling and design
Software: All booked up
Spa software suppliers take a look at 'big data' to reveal the booking trends they’ve seen since spas have reopened
Promotion: Voya: supporting spa partners
Jessica Anhold, Voya’s head of global sales and marketing, talks community in a time of crisis and how the company is supporting its spa partners
Synergy – The Retreat Show, the global trade show for retreats, has launched a global research
initiative that will provide insights into the retreat sector from both consumer and industry
perspectives.
The Wellness Tourism Association (WTA) has published a non-regulatory global industry
framework designed to ensure the retreat market offers responsible experiences.
A new survey of UK and international spa practitioners shows that stress, burnout and
wellbeing concerns have caused one in three respondents to consider leaving the industry.
The UK's four Chief Medical Officers have published a refreshed edition of Physical activity
guidelines: UK Chief Medical Officers' report, updating the evidence that underpins the nation's
physical activity recommendations and placing greater emphasis on strength, balance, reducing
sedentary behaviour and, for the first time, supporting people taking weight loss medications.
Anna Bjurstam has left her role as Wellness Pioneer at Six Senses Hotels and Resorts and
launched a new wellness, longevity and “consciousness consultancy” called Wahayla.
Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, has opened today (10 July) in the Northwest of England
with a
1,715sq m Fairmont Spa that has been designed using a ‘Wellness without Walls’
concept.
Wellness hotels generating less than US$1 million (€932,700, £785,200) – or 10 per cent of
total revenue from wellness and leisure – recorded the strongest RevPAR and TRevPAR growth
in 2025 across categories when compared with 2024, according to the latest Wellness Real
Estate Report by RLA Global, produced in partnership with P and L benchmarking firm HotStats.
Lefay Resorts, the portfolio of two luxury wellness properties in Italy, has added emotional
dance classes and group cold plunge sessions in response to market demand for social
connection.
