HOSHINOYA brand offers extraordinary experiences with a unique theme for each property. HOSHINOYA Karuizawa, located in Nagano Prefecture, is the first established resort of the brand, and it will host the “Karuizawa Summer Wellness Stay” for the third time this year. This wellness program was developed under the supervision of Dr. Toshiro Inaba and is designed to restore the health and well-being of the body and mind in the heat of summer. This year, the program will consist of a "Valley Village Tour" around the garden with the gardener at different times during the day and in the evening to feel the subtle changes in the environment as time passes. By enhancing their senses, this program will allow guests to immerse themselves in their stay better. We believe that to support the changes of season, one needs not only food and exercise but also activities that awake the body, senses, and mind and lead to physical and mental balance.
HOSHINOYA Karuizawa has been offering this wellness program for several years under the supervision of Dr. Toshiro Inaba, the director of Karuizawa Hospital. He says, “When the season shifts from winter to spring to summer, the tension in the body and mind naturally relaxes and opens. However, due to the cerebral focus created in our head, these naturally occurring changes become weaker and consequently lead to mental and physical unbalance. To minimize the voice in your head, who weakens those changes, it is important to sharpen the five senses and feel with our body rather than think.” Karuizawa has long been called a "hospital without a roof" and has been regarded as a health resort in the highlands (*). Located at its heart, HOSHINOYA Karuizawa is surrounded by nature at the foot of Mt. Asama, with a pleasant breeze blowing through and a rich variety of wildflowers. By immersing themselves in this unique natural environment and balancing mind and body, we hope guests develop their ability to adapt to the changing seasons and achieve good mental and physical health.
* Karuizawa Tourism Association - Official Website
Feature 1: NEW! Increase the sensitivity of your mind by witnessing the subtle changes of nature as time passes by
In today's society, our bodies and minds fail to adapt correctly to the changes of seasons as people tend to focus on cerebral matters, leading to mental and physical disorders. In order to bring balance to body and mind, HOSHINOYA Karuizawa proposes two programs for guests to immerse themselves in its unique natural environment: the “Valley Village Walk”and the “Mandala Flower Arrangement”.
NEW! “Valley Village Tour”: a tour with the gardener to experience the changes in nature.
Instead of being perfectly arranged, HOSHINOYA Karuizawa's gardens are kept as authentic as possible to give a deeper sense of the rich expressions of nature. With the "Valley Village Tour," guests will enjoy a stroll while listening to the characteristics of wildflowers, small stories, and personal feelings about the garden from a gardener who knows the place from its opening. With this unique encounter with nature, guests can experience through the gardener’s explanations the grandeur and appeal of the natural world, and the fragility and preciousness of life.
This year, two walks at different times of the day, during the daytime and in the evening, for an enhanced experience and an increased sensitivity of the body and mind. At dusk, guests will be able to see the “Yusuge” slowly opening, as they only bloom in the evening. By feeling different fragrances and perfumes in the fresh morning or at the end of the day, these strolls will help getting a higher emotional sensibility and a deeper experience of the stay.
“Mandala Flower Arrangement”: Discover the unique aspects of wildflowers
In this activity, guests will select the petals and leaves of wildflowers collected under the guidance of a gardener and arrange them in a mandala pattern. Flower petals and leaves can be selected during the “Valley Village Tour” by picking up fallen ones, harvesting those about to wither, or pruning the ones that can be removed without harming the environment and plants. Guests can then take them back to their room and arrange them on their desk however and whenever they want. Flowers, petals and leaves change every day and their color and shades are never the same, thus each flower arrangement is truly unique. Picking up the flowers and leaves one by one and immersing themselves in the environment, guests will reconcile their body with nature and lower the voice of their “head”.
At the end of the experience, the flowers and leaves are washed into the river on the site. Letting go of what one has created gives one the mental space for new encounters.
Feature 2: Bring balance to your body in Karuizawa, a summer resort with luxurious nature
To build physical resistance to the summer heat, our resort offers two special programs: the “Morning Stretch Session” and “Bath Breathing Techniques.” Both focus on breathing exercises that are essential for supporting body motor skills. These will allow you to adjust your body state to its optimal condition while enjoying the cool breeze of Karuizawa, an ideal resort for summer.
Improving shallow breathing with the “Morning Stretch Session”
The “Morning Stretch Session” improves oxygen circulation by breathing the fresh summer morning air. When breathing in, one should lower their diaphragm by widening the rib cage and ribs, and then they should exhale completely by tightening abdominal muscles. This exercise will help improve shallow breathing while enjoying the fresh morning summer breeze of Karuizawa.
Get a better quality of sleep with “Bath Breathing Techniques”
At the Meditation Bath, a hot spring reserved for guests of HOSHINOYA Karuizawa, a special activity will be held, the “Bath Breathing Techniques.” This stretching session will help to loosen muscles throughout the body and lead to a better quality of sleep. The bathing method introduced uses buoyancy to stretch in the 90cm deep bath, with exercises such as twisting the waist and stretching from the thighs to the waist while breathing deeply. The Meditation Bath is divided into the calming” Room of Light” and “The Room of Darkness,” where sounds resonate deep inside you. Using the bath deep breathing techniques, guests can relax both spiritually and physically while slowly soaking in slightly lukewarm water in a dimly lit space.
Feature 3: Enjoy summer vegetables and seasonal mountain products to experience the true taste of natural ingredients
The main dining room, Japanese Cuisine Kasuke, uses nutrient-rich seasonal ingredients, and dishes are prepared using techniques that bring out the natural flavor of the ingredients. By knowing the original taste of the ingredients, we hope guests can achieve physical and mental balance from within their bodies.
The “Early Morning Broth”: Experience the true flavors of ingredients
The first meal of the day is the "Early Morning Broth," a bowl of clear soup with corn wrapped in a thin layer of egg, and it will be served at the Tanada Lounge, which just opened this summer. Based on the concept of "using the whole ingredient," the dashi broth is made from whole vegetables, including parts usually discarded, such as vegetable peels, roots, leaves, and stems. One sip of the broth will allow guests to experience the authentic “umami” of the ingredient. Afterward, guests will be served grilled fish, roasted steamed vegetables, and rolled omelets, among others. The breakfast is themed as “Mountain Breakfast” and uses nutrient-rich seasonal ingredients. It is meant to balance body and mind by letting the guests admire the beautiful rice terraces while enjoying authentic flavors.
“Mountain Kaiseki”: Enjoy the taste of seasonal ingredients from local mountains and rivers
The main dining room in HOSHINOYA Karuizawa, Japanese Cuisine Kasuke, will serve a dining course named “Moutain Kaiseki” uses ingredients from the mountains and rivers. This kaiseki course uses cooking techniques that maximize the potential of local ingredients and express Karuizawa's seasonal atmosphere through the dishes. Through the delicate taste of each ingredient, this course aims to reflect the landscapes of the village and its garden and bring new emotions to the guests.
Schedule Example
<Day One>
13:00 Check-in, Personal consultation
13:30 “Bath Breathing Techniques” Lecture
17:00 Stroll around the grounds at dusk
17:30 Dinner at Japanese Cuisine Kasuke “Moutain Kaiseki”
21:00 Onsen Time at the Meditation Bath using“Bath Breathing Techniques”
22:00 Bedtime
<Day 2>
6:30 Wake-up
7:00 “Morning Stretch Session”
8:00 Onsen time at Hoshino Onsen Tombo-no-Yu
9:30 Breakfast at Japanese Cuisine Kasuke, "Early Morning Broth" and “Mountain Breakfast”
11:00 Garden Tour with the gardener with the“Valley Village Tour”
12:00 Becoming familiar with wildflowers through“Mandala Flower Arrangement”
17:00 Stroll through the garden with the gardener (“Valley Village Tour” Part 2)
17:30 Dinner at Japanese Cuisine Kasuke “Moutain Kaiseki”
21:00 Onsen Time at the Meditation Bath using“Bath Breathing Techniques”
22:00 Bedtime
<Day 3>
6:30 Wake-up
7:00 “Morning Stretch Session”
8:00 Onsen time at Hoshino Onsen Tombo-no-Yu
9:30 Breakfast at Japanese Cuisine Kasuke, "Early Morning Broth" and “Mountain Breakfast”
11:00 Morning Stroll in the garden
12:00 Check-out, Consultation
【Program Supervisor】Dr Toshiro Inaba
Doctor, Doctor of Medicine.
After graduating from the Department of Medicine, University of Tokyo in 2004 and serving as an Assistant Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Tokyo Hospital (2014 to 2020), in April 2020, he also served as the Medical Director of the Department of General Medicine, Karuizawa Hospital, Adjunct Associate Professor at the Institute of Social Research, Shinshu University, Visiting Researcher at the Center for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Tokyo, and Visiting Professor at Tohoku University of Arts and Technology.
In April 2022, he became the Director of Karuizawa Hospital. He specializes in heart and also works on home care and mountain medicine. He studied not only Western medicine but also traditional medicine, complementary and alternative medicine and private medicine.
*His main works include "A call to life - the heart and mind of man," "Power of words: 33 stories to improve your sensitivity and ease your anxiety" and "Mountain Medicine: Improving Weaknesses and Weaving the Strength to live.”
Details of “Karuizawa Summer Wellness Stay”
Period: June 1st, 2024 to August 31st, 2024
Price: 125,800 JPY (10% Tax, Service included) ＊Accommodation Fee Not Included
Included: 2 consultations, “Bath Breathing Techniques” Lecture (One-time only), “Morning Stretch Session” (Two Times), “Valley Village Tour” (Two Times), “Mandala Flower Arrangement” (One-time only), breakfast for two days, dinner for two days.
Capacity: 1 group per day (two people maximum)
Reservation: Through the official website, up to 2 weeks in advance.
Participants: Reserved to HOSHINOYA Karuizawa guests only.
Notes: The contents of the program are subject to change depending on the weather and on the physical condition of the guest.The contents of meals and ingredients are subject to change.
About HOSHINOYA Brand
Luxury hotel embodying the true characteristics of land, history, and culture
HOSHINOYA is an accommodation with distinct themes, conceptualized from each location's land, history, and culture. Woven into these distinct themes is our attention to detail in every aspect from the design to hospitality; contributing to the creation of a one-of-a-kind world of HOSHINOYA. Enrich the heart with the epiphanies of travel through a unique stay experience.
HOSHINOYA Official Website
About Hoshino Resorts
Hoshino Resorts was first established as a Japanese inn/ryokan in 1914 in Karuizawa in Nagano Prefecture before it began the operation of other resorts in Japan. Today, it has evolved into a highly influential hotel management company and is run by 4th-generation family member Yoshiharu Hoshino. Providing a unique experience focused on the local charms of each destination and a high level of omotenashi, Japanese-style hospitality, the company has expanded rapidly out of Karuizawa since 2001 and now operates more than 60 accommodations both in and outside Japan with one of the following categories: luxury hotel brand “HOSHINOYA,” hot spring ryokan brand “KAI,” countryside resort hotel brand “RISONARE,” city tourism hotel brand “OMO,” free-spirited hotel brand “BEB,” or other unique lodgings.
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