All Zen
All zen
One of the countries I love most — apart from New Zealand of course — is Japan, with its Zen culture of simplicity, mindfulness, tranquillity and respect for nature.
That all came together, for me, in the Six Senses Spa in Kyoto. I’d love to share my experience of this urban sanctuary with you.
I knew I was in for something special from the moment I arrived and saw, behind the minimalist reception desk, a magnificent folding screen with hundreds handcrafted raku-yaki tiles depicting Mount Kurama.
Everything was equally beautiful: light woods, dark stones, long galleries, muted sounds and soft, soft fabrics. More than a spa, it’s a calm, airy space drenched in nature and dedicated to health and wellness.
Six Senses lives up to the promise of its name, with each treatment room inspired by a different sense. The ‘Sound’ room, for example, features a ceiling of Orin chimes creating a serene atmosphere that aids deep relaxation and inner balance.
A singing bowl ritual starts and finishes your treatment, which seamlessly merges traditional Japanese culture and healing techniques with contemporary science to create a highly personalised experience. I chose Ah Un, a wonderfully relaxing aromatherapy massage. It was every bit as wonderful as I had hoped.
I loved the Alchemy Bar, too, a workshop where, after I had wandered through an immaculate garden picking seasonal herbs, expert therapists showed me how to blend them to make an azuki and oatmeal body scrub and a macha facial mask. I spent almost three hours in this lovely space. Time stood still.
Six Senses also has a well-equipped gym, day spa facilities, pools, fitness classes, workshops and, of course, a very fine restaurant. To call it a spa doesn’t do it justice. By deliberately engaging all five physical senses, Six Senses helps guests experience the sixth – the unperceived world.
This concept had a strong influence on my own thinking as I developed concepts for Sa-Ni.
Sarisa Nasinprom
The co-founder and director of Sa-Ni Spa
Article source: Verve Magazine (2025, June).
