Get away from everyday life and reflect on yourself. Five recommended hotels for retreats in Kansai.

‘Retreat’ is a hot topic these days. Do you know what it means?

In this article, we will introduce the meaning of retreat, the key points for conducting a retreat and the perfect accommodation for a retreat in the Kansai region.

What is a retreat? What are the benefits?

A ‘retreat’, which is a hot topic these days, is a ‘retreat’ from the place where you normally live, a ‘refuge’ from work, social networking and the hustle and bustle of the city, and a way to refresh yourself. In Japanese, it is also known as shenchi therapy. In Europe and the US, it is common to take a 10-day holiday to do this.

The advantage of a retreat is that you can get away from your busy daily life, refresh your body and mind, and take time to face your inner self. You can think about what you want to do with yourself in the future, and feel the flow of time in a relaxed way. Retreats have many advantages.

When you return home tired from work, you may find that there is still a lot of housework waiting for you…

You are so busy raising children and developing your career at work that you don’t have time to spend time relaxing…

Your days are so hectic that you realise that the year has flown by…

It is precisely because of this that we would like to invite you to take a ‘retreat’.

Three key points for choosing where to retreat

There are no ‘must-do’ rules for retreats, but here are some tips on where and how to spend your time to effectively reset and refresh.

location (e.g. of industry)

The main prerequisite is to get away from the environment in which you normally spend your time. On top of that, it is recommended to go to a place as rich in nature as possible, for example near a forest, the sea or mountains.

Places rich in nature with no outside lights allow you to get well dark at night and wake up in the morning with the morning sun. This can help to regulate the rhythm of life, which tends to be disrupted in everyday life.

You can also listen to the sound of waves, birdsong and the wind, and gaze up at the stars at night. Another advantage of a nature retreat is that you can use your time in such a luxurious way.

Meal

Retreats are a good opportunity to review your diet, which tends to be neglected. Why not take a fresh look at the food you normally eat without thinking about it?

Fasting has been attracting a lot of attention recently. Many people are fasting without strain, taking in the minimum amount of energy and nutrition in the form of smoothies and other foods. Many accommodation facilities that promote retreats offer fasting plans, and some people go on retreats to lose weight or to give their stomachs a rest.

A recommended ‘retreat diet’ that is easier to follow than fasting is ‘eating fresh seasonal food’. Take your time and taste fresh vegetables, fish and meat from the region.

Activities

One activity that is often combined with retreats is ‘yoga’ or ‘meditation’. These are ideal for refreshing the body and mind, which is the purpose of the retreat.

Trekking in nature is also recommended for retreats. Listening to the sounds of nature and doing moderate exercise while admiring beautiful landscapes, you find yourself facing your inner self, which is refreshingly different from exercising your body in a gym. It can also be a digital detox as you can distance yourself from digital devices.

Other activities that are recommended include a relaxing soak in a hot spring bath, trying an activity you don’t normally do, such as horse riding or cruising, or having a treatment such as an aesthetic treatment. Some onsen hotels offer retreat plans, so check with them.

Perfect for retreats! Five recommended accommodation options in the Kansai region

Let’s take a look at some of the best accommodation for retreats in the Kansai region. We have picked out accommodation that offers essential retreat experiences such as fasting, hot springs, trekking and treatments.

[Wakayama] SEN RETREAT TAKAHARA

SEN RETREAT TAKAHARA, which just opened in 2022, is an uninhabited guesthouse along the Kumano Kodo, a World Heritage Site. Built in a village with a population of only 70 people, this guesthouse allows you to lose yourself in nature without worrying about being seen.

location

Since the Heian period (794-1185), many people have walked the Kumano Kodo for ‘Kumano Pilgrimage’. In the old days, to ‘visit Kumano’ meant to go to the Land of Hades and be reborn and return to the present world. In other words, the Kumano Kodo is also a ‘place of resurrection’. There is no better place for a retreat.

The Kumano Kodo is right in front of the inn, so you can easily take a walk along it, and the only sounds you will hear are those of nature. You can feel ‘extraordinary’ just by visiting.

Meals

Stay at SEN RETREAT TAKAHARA, a renovated old private house, and you can enjoy Wakayama’s specialities to your heart’s content. It’s all-inclusive, so you can enjoy all the food and drinks on offer without having to worry about the price. Ghibier, fresh vegetables, plum wine, fruit juices… BBQ facilities are also available.

Activities

If you stay here, trekking along the Kumano Kodo is a must. The Kumano Kodo is right in front of the inn, so you can go for a short walk or try a few hours of serious trekking. A five-minute walk takes you to the ‘Highland Kumano Shrine’ and the ‘Highland Fog Village Resting Area’ where you can see the sea of clouds in the early morning. You can also enjoy a day trip to the hot springs at ‘Kiri no Sato Takahara’, a 10-minute walk away.

From Kii-Tanabe Station, the gateway to the Kumano Kodo, a 4 km walk will take you to SEN RETREAT TAKAHARA, so we recommend this route if you want to do a slightly longer trek.

[Ehime] Setouchi Retreat Aonagi

Next is Setouchi Retreat Aonagi, overlooking the Seto Inland Sea. The only seven guest rooms are all suites. The word ‘exquisite’ fits this inn perfectly.

location

The building, which sits on a small hill facing the Seto Inland Sea, was designed by renowned architect Tadao Ando. The swimming pool looms out to sea and all rooms overlook the Seto Inland Sea.

The inn is so ‘luxurious’ that it was awarded the highest rating of 5 Red Pavilion in the Michelin Guide Hiroshima and Ehime 2018 Special Edition. The Setouchi Retreat Aonagi is also a wonderful place to enjoy art, as it was once an art museum. You can enjoy the works of painters, Frank Stella and others.

Meals

The rich seafood and mountain delicacies of the Setouchi region can be enjoyed at Setouchi Retreat Aonagi’s meals. The dinners are not only delicious, but also beautiful in appearance and original in creation.

You can also enjoy local alcoholic beverages, making this an inn where you can truly taste all that the Setouchi has to offer.

Activities

Activities that can be enjoyed at this inn include ‘spa’ and ‘swimming pool’.

There is a special suite for the spa, where you can also receive special treatments with yuzu, mandarin oranges and pomelos, all specialities of the Seto Inland Sea.

There are two pools to relax in: a private pool with a hot spring Jacuzzi and sauna with a garden view, and an infinity pool facing the Seto Inland Sea.

[Mie] Amanem.

Located in Ise-Shima National Park, Amanem is the first onsen resort owned by Aman. It has suites inspired by Japanese private homes and villas ideal for large groups.

location

It is built on a hill overlooking Ago Bay and offers seasonal views.

Furthermore, the location is close to Ise Jingu Shrine and the World Heritage Site Kumano Kodo, which is known as a sacred place due to the many shrines nearby.

Meals

Amanem’s appeal is its Japanese cuisine, which brings out the best of local produce. The region is a ‘Goshoku Tsu Kuni’ (Land of Food), with a history of offering foodstuffs to the Imperial Palace for generations. It is this high quality of ingredients that makes Ise so appealing.

Fresh seafood such as Matsuzaka beef and Ise lobsters, fresh mountain produce and fresh fruit… The chefs are able to bring out the true flavour of these ingredients.

You can even have a picnic lunch with a view of the sea, so you can tailor your own ‘food experience’.

Activities

Play golf at the adjacent NEMU GOLF CLUB, enjoy wine and watch the sunset on a charter boat cruise around Ago Bay, or experience a tailor-made wellness programme tailored to your individual health condition… The abundance of activities is another attraction of the inn.

The wellness programmes include stress management, detoxification, slow ageing and a wide range of other programmes according to your wishes. Simple hot spring bathing is available, but if you are visiting, you should also check out the menu of hot spring cures. The spa is equipped with an outdoor hot spring bath using natural hot spring water and a hot spring bath facility where you can take turns bathing in two hot springs of different temperatures.

[Kyoto] Garan Shimogamo

Garan Shimogamo was opened in the architectural style of a Japanese house, with the skills of craftsmen who have inherited traditional techniques. This is an inn where you can ‘do nothing for 72 hours’.

location

Garan Shimogamo is located in the Shimogamo Delta between the Kamo and Shimogamo Rivers.

Surrounded by the present natural Tadasunomori forest, the half-timbered path with its beautiful cherry blossoms and the sacred Shimogamo-jinja Shrine, yet in an unusual location just 10-15 minutes by car to downtown Kyoto.

Want to get away from everyday life, but also enjoy sightseeing! Recommended for those who want to get away from it all and still enjoy sightseeing.

Meals

One of the inn’s attractions is its ‘do nothing’ special accommodation plan. When you stay with this plan, you will receive the perfect meal for your retreat.

Enzyme juices, seasonal soups, fermented food, vegetable sushi, breakfast with a focus on wild vegetables… This is a carefully designed menu that allows you to detoxify and face your inner self, rather than eating a full meal. The content is also suitable for fasting. We are also particular about the tea, and you can have tea that is tailored to your phase, for example, to promote digestion.

Activities

You will receive a treatment menu tailored to your individual constitution, with three treatments over the course of four days and three nights. The treatments are divided into three phases: ‘purification and detoxification’, ‘nourishment and digestion’ and ‘revitalisation and rejuvenation’.

Another attraction is that you can also receive remote dietary guidance after you leave the inn. The inn is perfect for those who want to continue taking care of their body and mind.

The entire inn has a spiritual atmosphere with a sense of unity, as it is a one-bedroom inn, limited to one couple per day, and the space is completed by craftsmanship.

[Mie] TAOYA Shima

This is another hot spring resort hotel located overlooking the sea. It features hot springs where you can bathe while feeling the sound of the waves and the scent of the sea. Many retreat-oriented accommodation facilities are pricey, but this hotel is relatively reasonably priced and allows you to enjoy the hot springs and the view.

location

TAOYA Shima is located on the Shima Peninsula overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The Ise Jingu Shrine is an hour’s drive away, making it the perfect location for those of you who want to immerse yourself in a spiritual space.

Meals

TAOYA Shima is all-inclusive, so all food and drink is included in the room rate. Guests can enjoy a resort buffet that makes the most of the sea’s bounty.

The chef is Takaharu Takashina, former head of the culinary department at the Prince Hotel. You can enjoy a menu that makes the most of local ingredients, a live kitchen where you can enjoy freshly prepared food, and a fair menu that changes with the seasons.

Activities

The inn is characterised by its hot springs. A relaxing soak in the alkaline simple hot spring water drawn from the Shinmiri Onsen Longevity Hot Spring is a welcome respite. As an all-inclusive inn, you can enjoy juice, ice lollies and draft beer to your heart’s content after soaking in the hot spring water.