The Westin Tokyo

In the south of the city, The Westin Tokyo with its distinctive European interiors and modern flair is home to Le Spa Parisien. Walk into the French style boudoir of a reception and open up the menu, where you'll find a list of spa voyages named after France's great heros: Marie Antoinette (who rejuvenates you), Jeanne D'Arc (who relaxes you) and good old Napoleon Bonaparte (who interestingly will lead you into a spot of detoxification). Packages include combinations of foot ritual, baths, massages, wraps and facials. The fascia holistic body work melds dreamily slow rocking and stroking with strong deep tissue work for a hypnotic experience. Hydrotherapy pools include beds and underwater music, while products include Annick Goutal and The Organic Pharmacy. The superbly trained therapists are icing on the (French) cake.

Rooms from Y58,000++ (US$538); Body treatments 50 minutes Y18,900 (US$175); fascia holistic body work 80 minutes Y34,650 (US$350)

Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Chinzan-So

Acres of green stretch out from this resort-feel hotel, overlooked by the VIP suite, which is possibly the most relaxing place in the city. Upstairs, oversize rooms echo the space outside, while downstairs the lobby is bustling with wedding parties.

Yu, the spa has beautifully designed suites and double rooms, which include gardens with baths. The water garden is the best place to soak, where the hot spring water comes from Ito-Kowakien in Shizuoka. Treatments are beautifully executed, with therapists mindful, communicative and professional. The menu reads like a cultural guide to the country with green tea, sake, rice and wasabi ingredients side by side with red plum blossom and seaweed. Massage oils are blended into spring, summer, autumn and winter mixes.

Standard Room from Y55,000 (US$508); Massage therapy from 60 minutes Y23,000 (US$212); Sake & Rice Suite Ritual 120 minutes Y43,000 (US$398)

St. Gregory Spa, Toyosu

Drop the kids at Kidzania, the popular gym outlet, and head for the peace and quiet opposite at St. Gregory Spa in Lalaport. The reception leads you down a white curtained corridor to a relaxation area, then through the hush to the locker rooms complete with Shiseido skincare to try. In four couples and eight single treatment rooms, treatments vary from Balinese to deep tissue, and reflexology to cellulite treatments, following their Singaporean spas’ philosophies. Therapists are very knowledgeable and professional, and there is varying degrees of English spoken. Post treatment emerge into the huge shopping mall for some retail therapy.

Body massage 80 minutes Y15,750 (US$145)

Hakone

From Shinjuku, jump on the evocatively named Romance Car and you’ll be transported beyond the city centre for an hour and a half, up into the fresh beauty of Hakone. Renowned for its hot springs, the mountains are covered in every single shade of green, each looking more lush than the next, as if the trees' health is enhanced by the special minerals too. Almost every ryokan and hotel has an onsen pool, and there are several day onsen in which to test the waters. Take a cable car trip to see the steaming hillsides, spectacular views of Mount Fuji, and the Hakone shrine.

Hyatt Regency Hakone

Staying at the Hyatt is a deeply soothing experience. The heady scent of wood smoke from the Living Room’s open fire welcomes you, the spacious rooms cosset you and the wonderful silence calms you. Staff are charming – from Chef Kawae san at the Japanese restaurant who entertains as he chops, to the spa manager Miyuki san who is a font of knowledge. Don’t miss the free champagne at happy hour – yes, free champagne – in front of the fire while you chat with other guests.

The Super Potato designed izumi spa onsen is a huge bath enclosed by granite, full of minerals. Some guests soak here up to three times a day for the maximum benefits. Pre-treatment, it is especially good for softening muscles and preparing them for therapy in the spa. Here the fruit facial treatments are new, and full of antioxidants, reflecting the surroundings perfectly.

Twin room from Y43,900 (US$406); aroma stone therapy 90 minutes Y25,000 (US$231); izumi half-day cycle 4 hours from Y56,000 (US$518)