Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on May 2010

Photo by Rebecca Milner

Japanese women have been flocking to Korea for spa treatments recently, encouraged as much by the favorable exchange rate as the appeal of a novel approach to wellness. The country’s spas may be famous for their body scrubs (akasuri in Japanese), but jet-setting beauty junkies are plumping for another treatment: mugwort steam saunas (yomogi mushi). No ordinary sweat bath, this involves sitting over a boiling pot of medicinal herbs while wearing a heavy apron—more like a Christmas tree skirt, really—to trap the steam and direct it within. Think of it as an inside-out sauna.

Thanks to Tokyoites being such voracious importers of concepts, you don’t actually need to go to Korea for the experience. Azabu-Juban’s Yosa Park Mana salon and its sister branch in Ebisu, Yosa Park R, offer treatments that blend the traditional mugwort with ten fragrant ingredients, including fennel, angelica and dried mandarin orange peel—all of which, incidentally, are used in Chinese medicine. Furthermore, the steam is diffused in nano-sized molecules for better body absorption.

Manager Rie Ota says that customers have reported smoother skin, better sleep, and relief from stiff shoulders. Ota herself opened the salon so she could benefit from daily treatments, which she credits with improving her “problem skin.” While the salon is technically for women only, couples can take advantage of the special pair plan (starting at ¥4,000/person for 45 minutes). Some Japanese ability is required to navigate the reception.

Yosa Park Mana: 1-3-9-701 Azabu-Juban, Minato-ku. Tel: 03-5545-5124. Open daily 9am-9pm. Nearest stn: Azabu Juban. www.hypno-mana.com

Yosa Park R: 1-10 Ebisu-Nishi, Shibuya-ku. Tel: 03-3463-4433. Open daily 9am-9pm. Nearest stn: Ebisu RM