The Japanese island of Okinawahas one of many longest-living populations on the planet – and its wellbeing escapes pay homage to the wholesome native life-style. Rose Dykins reviews
A 3-hour flight from Tokyo, Okinawa is Japan’s southernmost prefecture made up up 160 subtropical islands. Other than the attraction of its emerald forests, spotless sandy seashores and coral reefs, Okinawa is revered for its standing as one of many world’s five Blue Zones – locations on the planet the place folks dwell longest and healthiest.
Okinawa’s Blue Zone standing makes it a captivating place to discover a holistic strategy to wellbeing, which is included into the wellness retreats and programmes the islands provide. Travellers can immerse themselves in Okinawa’s untouched nature, its culinary tradition based mostly on wholesome recent produce, and its easy-going, lively life-style that holds the important thing to the longevity of those that dwell there.
To the north of Okinawa’s most important island is Ogimi, identified by locals because the “village of longevity”, coined the “longest-living village in Japan”. Travellers can take pleasure in homestay experiences inside the group, the place locals share their knowledge on the components they imagine are conducive to dwelling a protracted, wholesome life. Hosts introduce their visitors to Okinawan consuming habits and the each day life-style selections that contribute to an lively, much less tense existence.
As a part of the homestay programme, visitors participate in farming experiences and cooking lessons, whereas tucking into home-cooked meals and benefiting from sage recommendation from Ogimi’s residents. The one-or two-night expertise curated by Ogimi Tourism is priced from ¥10,120 per individual (£67) and consists of actions, homestay lodging, breakfast and dinner, and day journeys to Ogimi will also be organized.
Okinawa’s pure magnificence units the scene for memorable outside wellbeing experiences. For instance, located on the hill of Onna village – admired for its white-sand seashores and unspoilt coastal surroundings – is non secular well being dojo Wayn-Zen.
They’ve created a restorative Strolling Meditation and Seashore Yoga programme, which begins with an early morning gradual meditation while strolling alongside the seashore, adopted by yoga. Lessons begin from £24 per individual, and will be mixed with post-class meals cooked with regionally grown greens (with choices for vegans, too).
One other distinctive a part of Okinawa’s wellbeing providing is its pure sizzling springs. Positioned a 15-minute drive from Naha airport, the Ryuku Onsen Senagajima Hotel homes the Ryujin-ni-yu public sizzling spring, the place deep ocean water is collected from 1,000 metres beneath land. The mineral-rich water helps promote circulation and soothe muscle stress, and can be believed to have moisturising advantages.
There are a selection of sizzling spring tubs and sauna experiences to select from – together with the 1.2-metre-deep Tachiyu sizzling spring tub, with views throughout the ocean to the Kerama Islands when you soak – and a therapeutic massage and therapy menu (at further value). Entry to the lodge’s hot spring facilities begins from ¥1,360 per individual (£9).
For these eager to delve deeper into the philosophy behind Okinawa’s wholesome life-style, Halekulani Okinawa affords an unique wellbeing programme for its lodge visitors, supervised by Professor Arakawa – who specialises in finding out how Okinawa’s life-style enhances wellness and longevity. The Halekulani Okinawa Escapes programme is centred round discovering the island’s Mabui (soul), Umui (spirit) and Glow (nature).
For instance, visitors expertise Goju-ryu – a conventional Okinawan model of karate – to realize an perception into the island’s soul, and go to areas and websites of non secular important and be taught extra about its wellbeing philosophies while discovering its spirit. Two- and three-night packages can be found – together with full board and a spa therapy – ranging from ¥258,000 per individual (£1,670).
Halekulani additionally affords a Wellness Retreat programme that pairs its signature spa therapies with therapies with Reash 4 Stance Principle – a way of coaching based mostly on conditioning workout routines that permit the physique to maneuver in concord with its pure centre of gravity. The programme will be skilled as a half-day, one-day or two-day expertise ranging from ¥54,600 per individual (£354).
Okinawa’s woodlands additionally set the scene for a memorable wellness expertise. Travellers can participate in Nachura’s forest programme, the place they embark on a primary stroll to a waterfall to observe Takigyo (conventional waterfall meditation) and the traditional Vipassana meditation approach, surrounded by birdsong and the rustle of the timber. They’ll additionally expertise the pores and skin detoxing advantages of Kucha clay, discovered solely in sure spots round Okinawa. Nachura’s forest programme begins from ¥11,000 per individual (£71).
