As wellness travel moves beyond spa culture, Japan’s Setouchi region is emerging as a must-visit destination for deeper restoration in 2026. From Zen bathing rituals and sacred mountain hikes to reading retreats and mindful eating, this tranquil region offers wellbeing rooted in culture and tradition.
The era of wellness defined by spa menus and step counts is giving way to something more intentional. Experiences that restore mental clarity, emotional balance and physical vitality through culture, heritage and nature are now leading the conversation.
Stretching across the tranquil Seto Inland Sea, the Setouchi region offers a quietly powerful response to this shift. Here, wellness isn’t simply curated for performance but lived through libraries without clocks, bathing as spiritual practice, sacred mountain pilgrimages and food cultures shaped by centuries of mindful living.
NIPPONIA Harima Fukusaki Library Maison © NIPPONIA Harima Fukusaki Library MaisonA Literary Escape for the Mind
The rise of reading retreats reflects a growing desire for slower, intellectually restorative travel. This trend aligns closely with 2026 being declared The National Year of Reading, encouraging deeper engagement with literature across all genres.
Few places embody this movement as poetically as NIPPONIA Harima Fukusaki Library Maison in Hyogo Prefecture. Housed within the restored childhood study home of pioneering folklorist Kunio Yanagita, the Edo-period property has been designated an Important Tangible Cultural Property. Spread across nine preserved buildings, the hotel houses over 4,000 books, creating an atmosphere of quiet contemplation.
Seven individually designed suites feature cypress-scented baths and deliberately omit televisions and clocks, encouraging guests to surrender to time and immerse themselves in reading. With approximately 1,000 books available for guests to enjoy at leisure, this is a sanctuary where intellectual restoration becomes a form of wellness.
Shinshoji Zen Museum and GardensAncient Hot Springs and Zen Healing
Hydrotherapy remains central to wellness travel, with natural hot springs experiencing renewed interest as travellers seek holistic alternatives to synthetic spa treatments.
At Shinshoji Zen Museum and Gardens in Fukuyama, Hiroshima, bathing becomes a spiritual act. Originally built for monks training at a Zen dojo, the bathhouse follows the traditional Shichidō garan temple layout, where every daily action is considered a form of practice.
Guests cleanse both body and mind through ritual bathing, tea tasting, Zen meals, calligraphy workshops and meditative garden walks. The museum also houses one of Japan’s largest collections of Zen paintings and calligraphies by master Hakuin, reinforcing the connection between art, discipline and inner balance.
Mount Tsurugi © Miyoshi City Tourism AssociationSacred Mountains and Purposeful Movement
Purpose-driven physical challenge is another defining wellness trend for 2026, particularly within male-focused retreats that emphasise discipline, confidence and embodied strength.
Mount Rokko, long revered as a sacred training ground for Shugendo practitioners, offers accessible yet meaningful hikes through changing seasonal landscapes. The Ishiki Road trail rewards hikers with panoramic views over Kobe City and Osaka Bay, often described as the “10 Million Dollar Night View”.
Further west, Mount Tsurugi in Tokushima Prefecture rises to 1,955 metres and is among Japan’s “100 Famous Mountains”. Pilgrims encounter sacred sites such as Otoseki Stone and Oshikimizu spring, while summit views reveal mist-filled sunrises, alpine flowers and star-strewn skies, reinforcing the mountain’s spiritual significance.
Millennium Olive Terrace – 1000 Year Old TreeOlive Culture and Mindful Eating
Nutrition-led wellness continues to shape travel decisions, with mindful eating and functional foods at the forefront.
On Shodoshima Island, olives take centre stage at MILLENNIUM OLIVE TERRACE. Overlooking the Seto Inland Sea, the space is anchored by a thousand-year-old olive tree and gardens designed for sensory engagement.
Guests explore olive culture through tastings, olive tea rituals, meditation sessions and experiences rooted in boketto, the Japanese art of mindful gazing.
Millennium Olive TerracePlanning a Wellness Journey to Setouchi
Setouchi spans western Japan around the Seto Inland Sea. Travellers from the UK can fly direct to Tokyo from London Heathrow, followed by a 3 to 5-hour Shinkansen journey to key regional stations including Shin-Kobe, Himeji, Okayama and Hiroshima.
Explore Japan’s most meaningful wellness destination and discover how Setouchi is redefining restoration through culture, ritual and mindful living. For more information visit setouchitourism.or.jp/en/
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