Digital Detox Kenjutsu and Hot Spring Retreat in Tokyo

HOSHINOYA Tokyo is a ryokan-style hotel in Otemachi, in the middle of the city's business district, but the building is arranged around a central open-air courtyard and tatami corridors, so it feels closed off from the street noise. Guests sleep on traditional floors in low Japanese-style rooms, and the hotel runs on its own daily rhythm — tea served in the OCHANOMA lounge, seasonal decorations, staff in kimono. The kenjutsu programme slots into that setting rather than being bolted onto a standard city hotel.

The sword training is taught by a master of the Hokushin Itto Ryu Geki Kenkai school, which was originally based in Kanda in Edo. On the first day the focus is entirely on posture and basic movement, using imitation swords rather than live blades. You work on how to stand, how to hold the sword, and how to move from a stable base. The second day starts early with seated meditation before the physical practice, with the aim of lining up breathing, posture and attention before you pick up the sword again.

Because the booking is limited to one party of one or two people, the pace is adjusted to you. If you have done kendo or iaido before, the master will push further into technique; if you have never held a sword, you'll spend more time on the fundamentals. Everything is conducted in Japanese, so some Japanese ability or a willingness to follow physical demonstration helps.

The hotel's 17th-floor natural hot spring — unusual for central Tokyo — is available for soaking off the day's stiffness, and an evening oil treatment for the head, neck and shoulders is included. This is aimed squarely at people who spend their working lives at a desk or on a phone: the treatment loosens the shoulders and neck and is meant to help you sleep.

Dinner is the other set piece. Nippon Cuisine here means Japanese seasonal ingredients prepared with French technique, and each course is paired with a single-origin tea rather than wine, chosen to match the dish and brewed in a way that brings out its particular character. The tea pairing is inspired by 'tocha', an Edo-period game where guests guessed which tea they were drinking. It's a quiet, formal meal rather than a party.

In short, this is a two-day city break with a genuine martial arts component and a strong wellness angle — hot springs, bodywork, tea and food — for travellers who want something structured and traditional rather than a spa day or a gym session.

What's included

- Two-day Digital Detox Stay programme at HOSHINOYA Tokyo - Kenjutsu practice with a Hokushin Itto Ryu master, tailored to your level - Early morning meditation session on day two - Evening oil treatment for head, neck and shoulders - Private hot spring session - Nippon Cuisine dinner with single-origin tea pairing - Breakfast

What's not included

- Tax and 10% service charge - Travel to and from Tokyo - Flights - Airport transfers - Travel insurance - Additional meals and drinks outside the listed dinner and breakfast - Additional spa treatments - Personal expenses