A nautical-themed massage at Tokyo’s LUSH Spa!
My first time Japan, let alone Tokyo, was an experience I will never forget. Just a five hour flight away from Hong Kong, Tokyo is perfect for a weekend break and I was beyond to excited to explore such an exciting city filled with buzzing streets, Harajuku madness, delicious sushi, stunning shrines and tranquil parks (check out our Sassy Guide to Tokyo here). That being said, after walking over 20km around the city on the first day in an effort to take it all in, I was absolutely worn out. I did manage to see and do nearly everything that I wanted to, but that didn’t necessarily result in a relaxing trip. So when I was invited to stop by the Tokyo LUSH Spa on my finally day before my flight, I was beyond grateful!
The Spa
Located steps away from the Daikanyama metro exit, the LUSH Spa is seriously hard to miss (just as long as you’ve worked out how to use the subway system… otherwise you can walk there from Shibuya or take a rather expensive taxi there!). The shop is located on the ground floor and the spa is up a small staircase.
Small and sweet, this little spa is reminiscent of an English country kitchen with a long wooden dining table in the centre and cute vintage knick knacks adorning the shelves. There are three spa rooms and a bathroom and make-up vanity, and I enjoyed the homely, welcoming vibe. It’s much more intimate and far from the clinical, hotel-esque spas you often find in Hong Kong. I instantly felt comfortable and ready to zen out for a ‘Good Hour’ after I’d filled out a quick assessment form with help from the lovely spa therapists.
The Treatment
I had booked in for ‘The Good Hour‘ – a 70-minute massage that aims to remove muscular knots and tension, leaving you feeling completely relaxed and refreshed (just what I needed!). Before the treatment began, my therapist showed me each product that she would use, all of which are handmade and cruelty-free of course. The experience started before I even entered the spa room, as I was asked to drop one of LUSH’s awesome bath bombs into a jug before. The smoke, scent and fizz of the bath bomb was a fun glimpse of what was to come…
The treatment rooms are a decent size and carry through that homely feel, but my ‘Good Hour’ session really brought the room to life as the bath bomb mixture was poured into a mysterious area below the treatment table to create a truly magical effect! Imagine dry ice with a green/blue light, reminiscent of the sea. This was a super cool and enchanting way to begin my LUSH Spa sesh, and after I had stopped ‘ooh-ing’ and ‘ahh-ing’ I was left to change and get comfortable on the bed. I was asked to ring a little brass bell to let my wonderful therapist Eriko know when I was ready for the treatment to begin… a good start.
Eriko explained to me what the treatment would involve in a calm and soothing voice, and before I knew it the music had changed to the gentle sounds of the sea and my back and shoulders were being massaged. The music then changed to English sea shanties, which was a fun addition (I’m a fan as my uncle is actually in a Sea Shanty Band… check them out here!). The upbeat music, which is specially created by the LUSH team, went perfectly with the massage, especially when Eriko used a special sports-therapy inspired technique on my ‘knots’.
I have to admit, the sign for me of a great massage is if I start to fall asleep… and it happened! I felt totally relaxed, and after every knot-busting ‘pressure’ hold (which was a tiny bit sore), all the tension in my back melted away. The products left me smelling wonderful, and when the massage was over I was even left with a shimmery dusting powder to use at my disposal, which left me with luminescent skin.
And it didn’t end there – when I emerged from the spa room I was greeted by an adorable tea set to enjoy on the dining table. It carried through the ‘sea’ theme of the treatment with ‘Ship’s Biscuits’ and there was even a sneaky pipette of ‘Ship’s Rum’ to squirt into my cup of tea. The perfect ending to a truly special, curated experience!
The Verdict
I would definitely recommend stopping by the LUSH Spa in Tokyo if you’re in need of some serious R&R. The unique treatments and calm environment are ideal for unwinding after a busy day roaming around Tokyo. If you’re not heading to Tokyo anytime soon, never fear, as Hong Kong will be receiving its very own LUSH Spa later this year! Keep an eye out for it and be sure to follow us for updates… this one promises to be even bigger and better than the Tokyo Spa, so I seriously can’t wait to check it out. The launch date is 27 November and the website will be taking pre-bookings from the beginning of November... bring on plenty more ‘good hours’!
LUSH Spa, Shibuya Daikanyamacho, 20-11 Daikanyama, YM building, 03-5459-3314, Shop hours: 11am – 9.30pm, Spa hours: 10am – 9.30pm, www.lushjapan.com. See all LUSH stores in Hong Kong here, www.lush-hk.com