Liberate your senses with mindful experiences during your resort stay
Located on Taketomi Island in Okinawa Prefecture, HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island will offer a wellness program called Island Time Wellness Stay that incorporates the culture and nature of the island. Starting November 1, 2023, a revamped version of the program will launch with new elements that foster mindfulness, designed under the guidance of a medical expert to meet the needs of modern lifestyles. At Hoshino Resorts, we believe that mindfulness is about releasing your sensibilities and becoming aware of yourself and your surroundings instead of emptying your mind. The program's dedicated staff will prepare a range of activities that focus on awareness of the present moment, using the island's culture and natural environment. This three-night and four-day program will help guests achieve mindfulness throughout their stay.
Background
In the hectic and stressful environment of modern society, many people lose touch with the present moment. Continuously thinking about the past and the future can make it difficult to focus on the present, which can lead to poor concentration and judgment. This program, created under the supervision of Dr. Tsuneo Yokokura and based on his Healthy Brain Theory, offers guests a chance to escape from the pressures of modern life and immerse themselves in the natural and cultural wonders of Taketomi Island. The island’s distinctive traditional culture, verdant flora, pristine beaches, and starry sky can release the stress of modern lifestyles so that one can focus on the now.
Characteristic 1: Enjoy the island activities, spa and cuisine at your own pace
There will be a variety of activities that will foster mindfulness, drawing on the culture and nature of Taketomi Island. Guests can participate in any of the following activities at any time and as many times as they wish for an immersive experience.
Weaving
On Taketomi Island, weaving is a tradition that has been carefully passed down through generations. Using both hands and feet to adjust the tension and pressure of the thread, guests can create items such as a bookmark or a coaster.
Explore the village of Taketomi Island with a guided walk
In this walking tour, our staff will be a guide to reveal the stories about the island’s lifestyle and culture. Guests will gain more insight into the scenic and natural marvels as they wander around, and discover the hidden charms of the island that might overlooked without a guide.
Garden walk and flower arrangement
The hundreds of varieties of plants and flowers that decorate the premise can be viewed, touched and picked to guests' liking. In the guest rooms, there will be yachimun (Okinawan pottery) and Ryukyu-glass flower vases so that the plants that are picked can be arranged in your rooms.
Listen to the sound of the waves on the beach
A relaxing time at Aiyaru Beach, near the resort, to focus solely on the sound of waves. A peaceful moment on a seat on the shoreline, away from the hustle and bustle of a city.
Deep breathing and stretching
A deep breathing and stretching program taught by our staff by the pool, surrounded by nature and a wide view of the sky. This program starts by focusing on breathing to calm the mind. Next, the focus will shift to the body, through stretches, and finishes by concentrating on the state of the surrounding nature as your senses sharpen whilst continuing to take deep breaths.
Spa treatment
A spa treatment can be enjoyed every day starting from the day after you arrive. Choose the treatment that suits your physical condition to relax the mind and body.
Cuisine
In this program, guests can eat whenever they feel hungry with no fixed schedules for meals. For breakfast, a fragrant tropical fruit juice will be brought to the room. For lunch and dinner, noodles, yushi tofu, nuchigusa (*1) salt-making activities can be experienced that will stimulate the senses before eating, making the meal more enjoyable.
(*1) Nuchigusa is a general term for herbs and vegetables that were used as medicine on Taketomi Island when there were no doctors.
Characteristic 2: Enjoy the support of the “tiganai-bito” (*2) — our dedicated staff
Mindfulness requires freeing your senses and focusing on the present self and surroundings, but it can be challenging to achieve it on your own. This is why this program offers the assistance of our dedicated staff, "tiganai-bito," who will accompany guests throughout the stay. They will draw attention to the subtle changes or variations of the wind, sky, and animal sounds, or engage you in meaningful conversations that will spark thoughts, helping to sharpen your senses and enrich the stay.
(*2) Tiganai is a word in the dialect of Taketomi Island that means “to assist.” Tiganai-bito is a coined word that means a person who assists.
Characteristic 3: Use a checklist to objectively measure health and happiness
At the start and end of the stay, a checklist that was supervised by Dr. Tsuneo Yokokura will be filled out. The checklist consists of two parts: a “Brain Fatigue Test” and a “Brain Health and Happiness Test.” Each part has 15 questions that makes one aware of their daily physical and mental state. By filling out the checklist before the stay, their current situation can be accessed objectively and the end questionnaire can allow one to quantitatively understand the changes in their mind and body.
Example Stay Schedule
<Day 1>
3:00 pm Check-in and fill out a questionnaire
Garden walk and flower arrangement at your heart's content
When hungry, prepare an aperitif and enjoy the Island Terrior dinner course
Deep-breathing exercise
Sleep
<Day 2>
Breakfast when ready to start the day
Spa treatment
When hungry, prepare noodles and have lunch
Taketomi Island Guide Walk
Collect nuchigusa and make salt
When the salt is ready, have in-room dinner of seafood shabu-shabu (hot pot)
Sleep
<Day 3>
Breakfast when ready to start the day
Spa treatment
Island Terrior dinner course
Sleep
<Day 4>
Breakfast when ready to start the day
Spa treatment
Listen to the sounds of waves
12:00 pm Fill out a questionnaire and check-out
Supervisor: Dr. Tsuneo Yokokura
Director of Yokokura Clinic and Health Outpatient Salon of the Kenjinkai Medical Corporation
1947: Born in the Sanno district of Ota Ward, Tokyo
1974: Earned his medical degree from Nihon University, then joined the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Keio University School of Medicine
1990: Founded the first "Health Outpatient" clinic in Japan at the Tokyo Saiseikai Central Hospital
1997: Introduced and instructed on the “Pleasant Diet Therapy” method
1998: Launched Yokokura Clinic alongside health outpatient services
2002: Developed the "Five Senses Therapy" approach
2010: Unveiled papers on the "Healthy Brain" and the "Exhausted Brain" at the Society for Menopause and Aging Healthcare
Publications: "Brain Fatigue: The Root Cause of Metabolic Syndrome" (Tokuma Shoten), "Curing Disease by Healing the Brain" (Mikasa Shobo), "The Director’s Morning Monologue: A Source of Healing for 100,000 Patients" (Seishun Publishing)
Reference: https://www.yokokura-clinic.com
Island Time Wellness Stay at a glance
Period: All-year program starting from 1 November 2023
Price: 187,500 JPY per person (tax and service charge included, excludes stay fee)
Price includes: 3-time spa treatment, 3-time breakfast, 1-time lunch, 3-time dinner (2-time Island Terrior dinner course, 1-time in-room shabu-shabu), cultural experience, in-room drinks and snacks, questionnaire
Capacity: 1 person per day
Reservation: Required by 2 weeks in advance.
Others: Depending on your physical condition and/or weather, a part of the program may be subject to change.
About HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island
Address: Taketomi, Taketomi-cho, Yaeyama, Okinawa 907-1101
Price: Starts from 112,000 JPY per night per room (includes tax and service charge, excludes meals)
Number of Rooms: 48
Check-in: 3:00 pm / Check-out: 12:00 pm
Directions: Approximately 10 minutes by ferry from Ishigaki Port (shuttle service available from Taketomi Port)
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.
Best Rate Guaranteed
