To help them relax and refresh, Japanese people have a time-honored tradition of bathing at public bath houses in big cities and at onsens in more secluded areas. Building on this practice, and particularly in the wake of the pandemic, private saunas have been trending around Japan. And one spa in Ginza offers an even more powerful source of wellness, that improves your health from the inside out.
While the heat at saunas comes from manmade sources, kunistyle Enzyme SPA offers an enzyme bath that uses natural bacteria that warms your body and helps to improve gut health. The spa’s many clients are a testament to how people are taking the trend of choukatsu—or maintaining gut health—seriously. And kunistyle is the first spa that is focused on using enzyme treatments in the Ginza area.
A Range of Wellness Treatments
Their most popular service, the enzyme bath, uses high-quality cypress and rice bran that are fermented along with an enzyme solution made from medicinal herbs. The enzymes and bacteria are nurtured by the staff at the spa on a daily basis, ensuring the efficacy of the treatment. Should you like to sweat, spa owner and founder Kuniko Iida suggests coming to the spa early in the day, when the ingredients are warmer. For those who prefer a cooler temperature, coming later is recommended.
60-Minutes Bacteria Active Enzyme Bath: ¥5,980 for First-Time Customers.
Iida, who has years of training and a diploma in nutrition, is a fount of knowledge when it comes to the effects of enzymes. For example, as she explains, enzymes break down proteins one by one into amino acids. The amino acids are taken into the body through the intestinal wall and then synthesized by the body into protein. These proteins help support healthier skin, nails, and hair. A lack of enzymes means that proteins cannot be broken down into amino acids, and they end up accumulating in the intestinal wall as peptides. This buildup is believed by some to be the cause of ailments such as allergies, atopy, ADHD, and even autism. Recognizing the power of enzymes when it comes to having a healthier lifestyle, Iida was inspired to open kunistyle.
The spa’s second most popular treatment, the heat mat, uses three types of stones that are heated using hot water. Unlike electric heat mats at other spas, the effect of the heated stones helps the body to detoxify from heavy metals that enter the body. This is combined with a myofascial release massage of the face and body. Clients report that the treatment leads to better blood circulation, weight loss, and the even prevention or treatment of leaky gut syndrome. For optimal benefits and better enzyme absorption, Iida recommends the heat mat for a total detox before doing the enzyme bath.
Kaatsu yoga, another innovative offering at kunistyle, was developed by Iida using her extensive experience of kaatsu training, which is based on compressing blood flow to exercising muscles, and yoga. The 30-minute weekly training sessions feature special belts worn on upper arms and upper thighs, and boosts blood circulation, increases metabolism, and stimulates growth hormones. Iida points out that the workouts are effective and time-saving, offering the same benefits as hitting the gym three times a week. As lighter weights are used in the workouts, clients can build core muscles while staying lean and not bulking up.
Iida has written her own training manual for the spa and provides a one-month orientation for staff before they can offer treatments to clients. Moreover, as she is at the spa almost daily, she provides hands-on training and supervision to ensure every client receives the highest level of service. A firm believer of beauty starting from within, she believes the health and wellness that kunistyle Enzyme SPA offers are the keys to an attractive appearance, which in turn boosts people’s confidence.
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