Yasuragi: Revive your spirit through the magic of water and nature

How do you reconnect with your inner self when distractions increase and spin faster than ever? When screen-time, to-dos, work and all life’s other matters take over, it’s important to take a break and relax to regain inner balance. Yasuragi has the answer: the Japanese-inspired bath and hotel is designed to rekindle your spirit with a myriad of baths and activities in beautiful nature that join forces to bring back your inner power.

Yasuragi is conveniently located just 20 minutes from central Stockholm, but the contrast from the busy city centre is striking: the bath and hotel is nestled into the forest with a stunning view over the Baltic Sea outlet, delicately built to perfectly blend into its tranquil surroundings.

With a building that was designed by Japanese architect Yoji Kasajima, the link to the Japanese culture has been solidly infused into the very foundation ever since its construction in the 1970s. The bath was established in 1997 and has gradually turned into a hub for visitors looking to reenergise, and companies in need of the perfect retreat for their employees.

A meticulously designed selection of pools, surrounded by the sparse aesthetics that dominate Japanese architecture, offers the best of the Japanese bathing culture where the link between water and wellbeing is vital. “Nature, our bodies and our minds are connected in ways that we all too often forget. It’s a cycle: the more we move in rhythm with nature, the better we feel in our bodies and in our minds. Honouring the human bond with the natural seasons by integrating this into the surroundings is common practice in Japan, and that’s what Yasuragi is about too,” says head of brand Kersti Olophsdotter.

Phones off, and breathe

Yasuragi is that long, relaxed exhalation after sinking down into a hot bath. It’s a means of letting go and allowing your soul to breathe – a notion that permeates every aspect of the Yasuragi business. To allow complete disconnection from distractions, there is a strict ban on phones and digital devices. Every guest receives a Yukata, a Japanese robe, and upon entering the Japanese bathhouse there’s an introduction to the Japanese bathing culture with instructions on how to wash the Japanese way.

A myriad of pools and bathing areas awaits: in the Japanese ablution room, you sit on a small wooden stool and wash yourself. In Daiyokujo, the large bath, you sink down into a 35-degree pool and let the water gently embrace your body. Outdoor hot springs, foot baths, cold springs, carbonated baths and the Dokutsoburo, the cavern bath, create a magical experience where the uninterrupted focus is on relaxation and recuperation.

The baths are in addition to several different kinds of saunas, from the Shiomushiburo, steam salt sauna, to the rest sauna – where a temperature of 40 degrees makes it the perfect spot to contemplate and repose. Combined with the dry sauna and outdoor sauna, they provide the perfect balance between hot and cold, dry and wet. Meanwhile, activities such as Zen meditation, yoga, breath classes and sound classes help to achieve an even deeper state of relaxation.

“Recuperation is vital for our wellbeing. How do we become complete? How do we reach that state of inner satisfaction without the external gratification? We believe it starts from within, and it starts when you reconnect to yourself, to the nature around you and by building sustainable relationships with the people in your life – a belief backed by many scientific studies. We provide a space to regain that headspace, a place for your soul to relax and breathe, a calm haven dedicated to pure wellbeing,” says Olophsdotter.

The Yasuragi effect

The hotel consists of 191 rooms with 422 beds, all with a glorious waterfront view, and the adjoining restaurant serves a balanced fusion of Japanese food with a Swedish twist, to stay in sync with the Swedish seasons and to keep produce as local as possible. The facilities also comprise 23 meeting rooms, making it a popular destination for businesses. Here, new ideas can be born, and meeting days will start with a tranquil bath ritual to replenish the mind before the working day begins.

Yasuragi effect, as it’s called, is about creating a calm atmosphere with healthy employees making sound decisions. “We must change how we live to lead better lives for ourselves and the planet. There’s a longing amongst people to make a change, an awareness that we can’t continue our untenable path. Yasuragi has created a space that’s part of that change. Our mission is to remain a haven for recuperation, relaxation and spiritual and bodily revival,” says Olophsdotter. Phones off, Yukata on, let the water embrace you, and… relax.

Web: www.yasuragi.se
Instagram: @yasuragisweden