Japan’s Luxury Resorts Roll Out Wellness Retreats for Solo Travellers
That long-neglected sector of solo travellers got a boost in Japan recently thanks to new programmes for singletons seeking personal enrichment.
Hoshino Resorts has launched dedicated wellness packages at three of its luxury properties in Tokyo, Taketomi Island and Okinawa, each thoughtfully designed for guests embarking on solo journeys of reflection, rest and cultural immersion.
Hoshinoya Okinawa General Manager Masato Hirose said:
“Hoshinoya has always welcomed and encouraged solo travellers. While we have offered special single-use rates at all six of our domestic Japanese properties for a long time, in recent years, we’ve noticed a growing interest in solo travel. With greater demand for these rates and facilities, we were prompted to develop these new programmes. Each trip has a unique and creative theme and we’ve designed plans with different approaches to ensure guests can fully enjoy their chosen theme.”
Tokyo: Mindfulness and Modern Kendo
In the capital, Hoshinoya Tokyo invites guests to reset their minds and bodies through the “Mindful Solo Onsen Stay”. This immersive experience blends traditional Japanese hospitality with spiritual awakening. Solo guests enjoy the serenity of indoor-outdoor onsen baths while watching live kenjutsu (swordsmanship) displays—a meditative martial art known to sharpen focus and balance.
The culinary component is equally intentional. Meals are crafted around sensory harmony, offering five expressions of taste (sweet, sour, salty, bitter and spicy), five colors (red, yellow, green, white and black), and five cooking methods (raw, boiled, grilled, steamed and fried). The experience is available as a package starting from ¥87,470 or from ¥71,740 for room-only stays.
Taketomi Island: Deep Sleep and Natural Rhythms
Farther south, Hoshinoya Taketomi Island offers a rare chance to embrace solitude in nature with its “A Peaceful Solo Stay for Deep Sleep on a Remote Island” program. The three-day, two-night retreat promotes natural sleep rhythms in an idyllic, slow-paced island environment.
Here, mornings begin with a warming tofu hot pot infused with ginger and piyashi, a local pepper famed for its sleep-inducing qualities. Guests can explore the surrounding gardens, learn about traditional Okinawan medicinal herbs (nuchigusā), and sip neebui tea, made from “sleep grass.” Gentle breathwork sessions are held at sunrise and sunset, while private in-room hammocks provide the perfect spot for restorative naps. Full packages start from ¥109,218 with room-only options beginning at ¥49,610.
Okinawa: Beauty, Wellness and Local Culture
On Okinawa’s main island, the “Beauty and Wellness All-Inclusive Solo Journey” at Hoshinoya Okinawa offers a holistic wellness escape rooted in Ryukyu philosophy, where food and medicine are viewed as one. Nutrition plays a central role, with meals tailored to enhance wellbeing using local superfoods.
Guests can also unwind with natural spa therapies, join workshops in Ryukyu dance and sanshin music, go horseback riding, explore tropical gardens or gaze at Okinawa’s famously starry skies while floating in a warm pool. The package starts from ¥199,700 with room-only rates from ¥48,400.
