5-Day Japanese Onsen & Zen Wellness Retreat in Yamashiro, Ishikawa

Beniya Mukayu sits on the hill of Yakushiyama in Yamashiro Onsen, on the site where the main hall of Yakuoin Onsenji temple once stood. The ryokan's name means 'richness in emptiness' — the design is minimalist, with white-walled light-filled spaces and a black-toned library, built so that the garden and surrounding trees are part of the room. It is a quiet property: no loud groups, no evening entertainment, just the sound of water and the garden. The owner, Kazunari Nakamichi, often hosts a welcome tea ceremony himself in the library, serving matcha and chatting with guests (subject to his availability).

The hot spring is the centre of the stay. Yamashiro's spring water is alkaline and high in calcium, sodium and sulfate — it's claimed to help blood circulation, soothe fatigue and leave skin smooth. Each guest room has a private outdoor wooden bath that stays filled and can be used at any hour, and there's also a large communal bath area with indoor and outdoor pools. You can bathe as often and as long as you like.

Day two is a car trip to Eiheiji, the head temple of Soto Zen Buddhism, founded in 1244 by Dogen Zenji. It's still an active monastery with around 150 monks, and guests can sit zazen there the way the monks have practised for over 800 years. Day three goes to Kanazawa — the D.T. Suzuki Museum, designed by Yoshio Taniguchi with its water mirror garden, plus Kanazawa Castle, Kenrokuen Garden, the Higashi Chaya geisha district, Nagamachi samurai district and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. Day four is left open for a tailor-made experience (herbal ball making, chashaku carving, or flower arrangement) and a spa treatment.

Spa Entei, the ryokan's spa, is where the wellness programme really sits. Treatments use Yamashiro spring water and medicinal herbs, and begin with a consultation based on the Ho, Sha, Ryu, Cho herbal matrix to match a custom-blended herbal ball and cream to your constitution. The signature treatment applies steamed herbal balls as hot compresses after massage. There are also seasonal treatments — cherry blossom in spring, mint heat-relief in summer, osmanthus and olive oil in autumn, yuzu oil in winter — and a Japanese pressure-point massage without oils that's recommended after a day walking around Kanazawa.

The ryokan also produces its own Yakushiyama skin-care line with bio-chemist Dr. Yoon Soung Choi, using minerals from the Yamashiro spring. Guests travelling solo can book the tailor-made experiences in either the morning or afternoon so they can fit spa time around them; all experiences are guided by English-speaking staff or have English instructions. This is a stay for people who want a traditional Japanese onsen ryokan experience with genuine wellness content, not a fitness holiday — the closest thing to exercise is walking around temple grounds and Kanazawa's districts.

What's included

- Accommodation at Beniya Mukayu ryokan - Private outdoor hot spring bath in your room - Access to the large communal indoor and outdoor baths - Complimentary shuttle bus from/to Kaga Onsen Station (advance reservation required) - Driver pickup from Komatsu Airport - Welcome tea ceremony with the owner in the library (subject to availability) - Meals during your stay - Day trip to Eiheiji temple - Zazen meditation session at Eiheiji - Day trip to Kanazawa - Spa Entei signature Yakushiyama herbal body treatment - Spa Entei Japanese pressure-point massage - Yakushiyama skin-care amenities

What's not included

- International flights - Travel to/from Kaga Onsen Station or Komatsu Airport before pickup - Train or car fare for the Kanazawa day trip - Optional tailor-made experiences (herbal ball making, chashaku carving, flower arrangement) — priced separately - Additional spa treatments beyond those listed - Additional meals and drinks outside the ryokan plan - Travel insurance - Personal expenses and souvenirs