Japanese Spa. Akihiko Seki

of Kikusuiro, the oldest ryokan in Nara, provide an ideal place of rest; Yagyu-no-Sho on the Izu Peninsula is nestled in the thick of a bamboo forest in Shuzenji; Saryo Soen in northern Japan, charms with its garden tea-ceremony cottages with pastoral views; Tsuru-no-Yu in northern Japan is one of the most popular "secret" onsen in all of Japan.

      Gora Kadan 強羅花壇 Hakone, Kanagawa

      The Eden-like intimacy of bathing among the trees and forests of bamboo where pine alone bear witness. A gentle massage with the purest of aromatic plant oils. Shiatsu or Swedish-trained fingers kneading meridians, opening channels of potential energy, slipping from hot, hot waters to open-air baths—a relief, a release, a spa as the sophisticated and the over-scheduled have come to know and appreciate. Welcome to Gora Kadan.

      A member of the exemplary Relais & Chateaux group, Gora Kadan knows how to please guests with the most exacting standards. Set in onsen-rich Hakone National Park, Gora Kadan was originally a resort house for relatives of the Imperial family. In 1952 it became a public ryokan, and in 1989, its main building, a luxurious triumph of bamboo, stone, tile and native woods, was built by a series of prominent architects. Its spa, called Kako, or "Fragrance of Flowers," is housed in a traditional Japanese villa and provides facials, revitalizing cellular body treatments using Swiss herbs, and therapies using salt from the Dead Sea. The inn’s chief of guest relations greets guests by name and unobtrusively reminds visiting foreigners of ryokan rites and wrongs.

      All of the 37 rooms come with unique bathrooms en suite and mini-bars, and seven rooms have private rotenburo. There are two onsen and two rotenburo for communal use. The rooms are grand in size, serene in lighting, minimalist in design. Some rooms have low tatami beds; some are pure Japanese with futon, low tables for dining and thin seat cushions (zabuton). There is a sky-lit heated indoor swimming pool long enough for many a lap, a Jacuzzi, fitness center, sun deck, conference room, reading room and karaoke bar. The 10- or 11-course feast that is dinner can be taken in one’s room or in a private dining room. Coffee and newspaper are room-delivered along with Japanese breakfast overlooking lawns and trees of green.

      The town of Gora is approximately 60 miles southwest of Tokyo, a 40-minute Shinkansen ride to Odawara, then a 30-minute drive through the mountains to Gora. This is a very active volcanic area—and here and there steam holes spew sulfur mists. Mount Fuji is nearby. People come to play golf, go fishing or boating on Lake Ashi, hike in the hills of the less famous surrounding mountains, Mount Myojogatake, Mount Sengen and Mount Komagatake (which has a cable car service). The famous Hakone Open-Air Museum featuring the sculptures of Picasso and Henry Moore, among others, is only minutes away, as are several other museums of interest.

      Down a stone path, amidst maples red and green, here is a balance of Eastern and Western understanding of the many nuances of the concept, "spa."

      Address: 1300 Gora, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa-ken 250-0408, Japan. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone]. Website: www.gorakadan.com, E-mail: [email protected]. Rooms: 37. Access: 40 min from Tokyo to Odawara Station by Tokaido Shinkansen and 30 min drive to Gora by taxi.

      Tsubaki 海石榴 Yugawara, Kanagawa

      Camellias in December, plum blossoms in February, cherry in April, and the music of a mountain stream all year round. Tsubaki is the Japanese word for "camellia," and on the grounds of this gourmet-restaurant-turned-inn, there are as many as 1,500 lush red and pink camellia trees.

      Less than two hours south of Tokyo by train or car, Yugawara and Oku-Yugawara Onsen have been popular destinations since the eighth century. Its thermal waters and relative proximity to Tokyo made it a sensible setting for treating wounded soldiers during the Sino-Japanese War in 1894 and the Russo-Japanese War of 1904. In the 1920s, numerous inns and private besso ("villas") were built in this area. Acclaimed Japanese writers, painters and movie producers have made Yugawara their place for creative retreat. Here in this place of peace Taikan Yokoyama painted images of Mount Fuji.

      Tsubaki first opened about 25 years ago and is a cherished rest stop known for its exceptional cuisine. The emphasis here is on dining with attentiveness, savoring flavors, making a long evening of kaiseki fare with Kyoto flair. Upon arrival, guests are presented with warm towels, fragrant green tea and a little sweet, perhaps, a yokan or azuki bean jelly. Dinner and breakfast are served in guests’ rooms overlooking ponds fed by mountain -streams and forests of beech and maple and bamboo.

      The parade of delicacies called kaiseki ryori comes from the ancient "slow" food origins of the tea ceremony. Each dish is a work of mastery—to see, to smell, to taste. A clear soy broth with floating carrot and fish cake is served in a demure bowl of lacquer. Marinated raw oysters and squid are served on the half shell and in vessels of lime rind. An unusual ceramic piece presents sashimi of maguru and squid with an artistic grace note of shredded daikon.

      Some dishes are so artistically presented that it seems aggressive to destroy their delicate beauty for the indulgence of a tempting bite. The chefs of Tsubaki take such pride in presenting a joyous meal that they will even accommodate guests’ possible aversions or allergies. If the thought of some of the freshest tuna sashimi in all of Japan does not make your mouth water, grilled fish or meat can be substituted upon request. There is also a banquet room for entertaining business colleagues or clients.

      All 29 rooms are in the Sukiya style of a Japanese tea-ceremony house, latticework shoji paper doors slide open and close along a corridor. Two rooms have private rotenburo. There are also two indoor spring baths and two outdoor baths.

      With tangerine orchards and Pacific Ocean views nearby, this is a fond area for hiking. Take a walk in the woods, then, in a garden of pink, enlighten your taste buds.

      Address: Oku-Yugawara, Yugawara-cho, Ashigashashimo-gun, Kanagawa-ken 259-0314, Japan Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone]. Website: www.tsubaki.net. E-mail: [email protected]. Rooms: 29. Access: 50 min from Tokyo to Atami Station by Tokaido Shinkansen and 10 min to Tsubaki by taxi, or 2 hrs drive from Tokyo to Oku-Yugawara through Tomei Kosoku, Odawara-Atsugi Doro and Manazuru-Doro.

      Atami Sekitei あたみ石 Atami, Izu Peninsula