Kanto, a region blessed with diverse landscapes, varied climates, rich food culture, and a wide array of wellness activities, is the perfect destination for nurturing your well-being. This page explores the unique wellness experiences you can enjoy in Kanto.
The Gifts of Kanto’s Diverse Climate and Four Seasons
The Kanto region features vast plains, rugged mountains like the Chichibu and Nikko ranges, and diverse coastlines along the Pacific Ocean, from expansive sandy beaches like Kujukuri Beach to intricate rias coasts. These varied terrains create distinct climates, offering rich wellness experiences throughout the four seasons.
Coastal Wellness Experiences
Along the coast, the Pacific Ocean climate and the warm Kuroshio Current keep winters relatively mild. In early spring, the Boso and Miura Peninsulas burst with blooming flowers, making them ideal for scenic drives and cycling. Summers are vibrant with swimming and marine sports, while the crisp air from autumn to winter invites you to savor fresh seafood. These areas are easily accessible by train or car from the city, making them perfect for escaping the urban hustle, enjoying nature, and restoring your vitality.
Inland Wellness Experiences
On the other hand, the inland areas are characterized by dry “karakaze” winds in winter andhot, humid summers with frequent thunderstorms. High-altitude regions like Nikko, Nasu Kogen, and Hakone are cool even in mid-summer and have long been known as summer resorts. You can enjoy a wide range of seasonal wellness experiences, such as hiking in fresh greenery in spring, escaping the heat in the cool highlands in summer, admiring autumn foliage, or soaking in onsen while viewing the snowy landscape in winter. Being able to enjoy the seasonal nature in locations easily accessible from the city is a major appeal of the Kanto region.
Savor Wellness Through Kanto’s Local Delights
Kanto’s cuisine thrives on fresh vegetables and fruits grown in urban-proximate farms, along with abundant seafood harvested from the Pacific coast. You can enjoy a variety of culinary wellness experiences, savoring dishes made with seasonal local ingredients and enriching your soul through your meals.
Savoring Fresh Local Ingredients
The seafood delivered directly from fishing ports on the Boso and Miura Peninsulas is incredibly fresh and captivates visitors. In urban-proximate farms in areas like Chichibu in Saitama Prefecture and Joshu in Gunma Prefecture, you can enjoy dishes made with freshly picked vegetables and fruits. Michi-no-Eki (roadside stations) and direct sales shops offer seasonal produce meticulously grown by local farmers, making them popular souvenirs.
Eating these fresh ingredients not only provides your body with essential nutrients naturally but also offers a valuable wellness experience where you can feel the local climate and culture with all your senses.
Nurturing Mind and Body with Wellness Cuisine
In recent years, an increasing number of accommodations and restaurants are focusing on wellness cuisine. They offer meals that maximize the natural flavors of local seasonal ingredients, fermented foods, and yakuzen (medicinal cuisine), appealing to all five senses.
Such menus are particularly popular among wellness-oriented travelers who are highly interested in health and beauty. In resorts like Hayama and Karuizawa, you can enjoy gourmet meals with organic vegetables and fresh seafood at auberges. Dishes combining seasonal ingredients with the knowledge of yakuzen are also offered, helping to regulate mind and body balance from within.
Activities and Healing Experiences to Connect You with Nature
Mind-Body Refreshment in Nature
In mountainous areas like Okutama, Chichibu, and Nikko, you can immerse yourself in nature through forest bathing and hiking. The rustling of trees, the chirping of birds, and the murmuring of clear streams will soothe your senses, allowing you to forget the urban noise and daily stress. You can also easily enjoy forest bathing in expansive green gardens within the city, such as Koishikawa Korakuen, Kiyosumi Gardens, and Shinjuku Gyoen. These places are like urban oases, offering precious opportunities to breathe deeply in abundant nature and refresh your mind and body.
Holistic Healing in Onsen
At hot spring resorts like Hakone, Kusatsu, and Nasu, you can soak in springs with different water qualities, easing daily fatigue, balancing your mind and body, and restoring your vitality. Traditional ryokans offer unique stay plans based on the ancient practice of toji (therapeutic bathing), as well as wellness programs that combine hot springs with meals and treatments.
Calm Your Mind with Traditional Culture
You can also quiet your mind and engage in self-reflection through Zazen (Zen meditation) , shakyo (sutra copying), or tea ceremony experiences at historic temples. In Kamakura, home to numerous temples, you can participate in zazen sessions at temples like Engaku-ji and Kencho-ji. By regulating your breath and emptying your mind in a tranquil atmosphere, you’ll find release from daily distractions.
Utilizing Diverse Wellness Facilities
Various types of wellness facilities are also scattered throughout the region, allowing you to choose a wellness experience that suits your preferences. At Resort no Mori, a complex facility in Nagara Town, Chiba Prefecture, you’ll find specialized wellness experiences like herb assessments and fermented food programs, perfect for a focused, extended stay. Even in urban areas, individual saunas and quick refresh facilities are emerging, catering to the
needs of busy modern people who want to efficiently care for their mind and body in limited time.
