Rejuvenate with outer and inner care of the body this winter by keeping warm through Japanese-style archery, spa treatments, and restorative meals.
HOSHINOYA Tokyo, a contemporary Japanese ryokan, will be offering “Tokyo Heat Remedy Stay” from 1 December 2021 to 28 February 2022. This stay program to enjoy winter in Tokyo was inspired by the teachings of lifestyles back in the Edo period. In the Edo period when there were only a few ways to keep warm, people adopted various ways of life to keep warm during the cold winter days. Instead of enduring the cold, people deliberately went outside to enjoy the cold. Guests can join an early morning session of Japanese-style archery, which was inspired by kangeiko (literally cold training) that samurai in the Edo period practiced training their mind and body. The program also includes private use of the public hot springs located on the 17th floor after the archery practice, a spa treatment that uses warm basalt stone, and restorative meals to warm the body internally and externally.
BackgroundIn the Edo period, when winter was colder than it is today, people in Edo used heating equipment that uses charcoal, kotatsu (a table with a heater underneath and covered by a quilt), and other heating equipment to keep the cold winter warm. Also, it is said that, instead of staying inside the house, people deliberately went outside to enjoy the winter cold by practicing martial arts in the morning or drinking alcohol outdoors while watching the snow. This program was developed in the hopes for people to enjoy the cold and to spend both a relaxing and active time in winter instead of staying in a room with a heating system.
Characteristics of Tokyo Heat Remedy Stay
1)Early morning Japanese-style archeryThe area of Otemachi, where HOSHINOYA Tokyo is located, is now an office district full of high-rise buildings, but during the Edo period, there were many samurai residences since it was close to Edo Castle, which is now known as the Imperial Palace. Samurai of the Edo period learned various martial arts such as archery, horsemanship, swordsmanship, spearmanship, etc. and they practiced them every day to perfect their skill. It is said that in winter, when the cold was severe, people trained from the early morning, instead of escaping from the cold, in order to strengthen their mental strength as well.
Ogasawara-ryu school of Japanese archery, horsemanship, and etiquette, which used to have a school in Kanda, Edo, is the supervisor of this archery practice and will be practiced for 2 days. On the first day, the basics of walking and sitting, the preparation for archery, and how to pull the bow in the right posture will be taught with respect to the manners of the Ogasawara way.
On the second day, an early morning session of Japanese-style archery will be practiced. Dressed in a special outfit in the crisp winter air of quiet Otemachi before dawn, archery will be practiced by drawing a bow towards a wooden target. This program includes “Hosha,” which is usually held in a shrine as a ritual for warding off evil or praying for good luck, is held at Otemachi Nakadori, just outside of the premise, where high-rise buildings line up. Whilst staying calm archery will be practiced with a focus on posture and manners taught on the previous day. By making use of the whole body, the body will be warmed up from the inside.
2)Private use of the public hot spring on the 17th floorAfter practicing archery, guests can enjoy a relaxing soak in the public hot spring privately, which is only available to those participating in this program. The public hot spring, separated by gender, is located on the 17th floor of HOSHINOYA Tokyo and the natural spring water is pumped from 1,500 meters below ground. By stretching during a soak in the hot springs, the tension of the muscles from archery practice can be loosened and relaxed. Guests can indulge in morning tranquility under the winter sunlight.
3)Spa treatment that uses warm basalt stoneAfter loosening the tension in the muscles through a soak in the hot springs, an original spa treatment using heated basalt stone will be performed. In the Edo period, when there were no heating devices, people used to warm their chest or stomach by putting warm stones wrapped in cloth into their pockets. This program incorporates this idea and places warmed basalt stone on the stomach, abdomen, back, and legs so that the heat is gradually transferred to the core of the body to warm up the entire body. By focusing on the arms, shoulders, and neck during the oil treatment, the muscles used for the archery experience can be relaxed.
4)Special breakfast using seasonal ingredientsOn the second day, after the archery practice, a special breakfast using tofu, which is in season during winter, will be served. It is said that the tofu in winter is most nutritious and rich in flavor because it uses autumn soybeans, which are harvested in autumn. In addition, the Edo period was when portable cooking stoves were developed so different types of hot pot meals were popularized. In this program, guests can enjoy our original hot pot that was inspired by popular hot pots of the Edo period.
Example Stay Schedule<Day 1>
3:00 pm Check-in
3:30 pm Japanese-style Archery Practice – Basics
6:00 pm Nippon Cuisine dinner course
<Day 2>
5:00 am Light breakfast of onigiri (flavored rice balls) and miso soup
5:30 am Archery experience at Otemachi Nakadori
7:30 am Private use of public hot springs
8:00 am Spa treatment using warm basalt stone
10:30 am Special breakfast meal
1:00 pm Check-out
Safety measures during archery experience at Otemachi Nakadori・This outdoor archery experience at Otemachi Nakadori will be held under the permission of the landlord.
・A screen and a net will be placed around the target board, and this activity will be held with full consideration not to disturb passers-by.
・In case it is difficult to secure the safety of participants and passersby, we will cancel the event.
Tokyo Heat Remedy Stay in a glancePeriod: 1 December 2021 – 28 February 2022
Price: 115,000 JPY for 1 person, 198,000JPY for 2 persons (includes tax and service charge, excludes accommodation fee)
Price includes: Japanese-style archery practice (2 times), Nippon Cuisine dinner course, light breakfast, the charter of hot spring facility, warmed basalt stone spa treatment, special breakfast meal
Capacity: 1 group per day (maximum of 2 people per group)
Available to: guests staying at HOSHINOYA Tokyo
Reservation: required 2 weeks in advance
Others: Schedule of the program is subject to change depending on the situations
About HOSHINOYA TokyoAddress: 1-9-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004
Price: Starts from 102,000 JPY per night per room (includes tax and service charge, excludes meals)
Number of Rooms: 84
Check-in: 3:00 pm / Check-out: 12:00 pm
Directions: Approximately 10 minutes by walk from Tokyo Station and 2-minute walk from Otemachi Station
Website:
https://hoshinoya.com/tokyo/en/
About HOSHINOYA BrandLuxury 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.
Hoshino Resortshttps://www.hoshinoresorts.com/en/
