Back to nature, back to fitness!

Feel the need to get outdoors and get away from it all? Then plan a vacation in Japan where you can fill up on nature and sharpen your body and mind.

How about an active stay in a glamping resort by Mt. Fuji that’s specially designed to maximize social distancing? Or a total workout with Japanese-style stretching and aerobics in the forests of Karuizawa. What better way to leave behind your worries?

Fuji: serenity and social distancing

If you’re looking for a stay that will bring you peace of mind in these uncertain times, head to HOSHINOYA Fuji. This luxury glamping resort offers the great outdoors with individual dining and personalized comfort – plus vast forests as your private playground. The resort boasts prime views of Mt. Fuji above picturesque Lake Kawaguchi, and it’s currently offering a special program to avoid the 3 Cs: close contact, confined spaces and crowded places.

As a guest, you’ll have your own glamping cabin centred on the picture-postcard view of Mt. Fuji. Large south-facing windows open onto a generous terrace fitted with a sofa long enough to recline on. This is not just a choice spot for admiring Japan’s most iconic mountain; it’s also the ideal place to enjoy your meals without social contact.

As the sun rises over Fuji, you’ll tuck into a carefully-prepared morning bento box. And as the sky takes on hues of evening orange and red, you’ll sip sake with a meal of locally-sourced game and vegetables.

To add to the atmosphere, the flame-lit torch on your terrace will switch on automatically at nightfall.

Forest freedom

If you prefer to venture out of your cabin, HOSHINOYA Fuji has organized everything to maximize social distancing. Relax with a Japanese whisky around a large bonfire on the Cloud Terrace.

Make your own pizza in an outdoor stone kiln. Or eat under a well-ventilated tarp surrounded by trees. The number of seats in each dining area has been reduced, and sanitary measures have never been more rigorous – meaning you can truly relax and enjoy the experience.

What’s more, you’ll be in the heart of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Mountains and forest stretch out for miles in every direction, offering the perfect setting for exercise far from the crowds.

Why not rent a bike and cycle in the foothills of Mt. Fuji? Participate in the resort’s forest stretching routine?

Or trek on horseback or by foot in the surrounding forests? Nature is on your doorstep and it’s inviting you to explore!

Karuizawa: balancing body and mind

Located in the foothills of the Japanese Alps, HOSHINOYA Karuizawa is a mountain retreat on the edge of the forest. As soon as you step into the grounds of this hot spring resort, you’ll feel an otherworldly calmness descend on you.

The vast gardens are scattered with footpaths running alongside streams and falls – with elegant private villas generously spaced out across the site. It’s a setting that puts you immediately at ease.

If you’re looking to escape the pressures of modern life, HOSHINOYA Karuizawa is the ideal destination. And now, more than ever, it’s the perfect antidote to the stresses of these uncertain times. What’s more, the resort is offering a special forest fitness program this summer to rejuvenate body and mind.

Quietness and movement

The weekend-long program makes the most of the resort’s stunning setting by using the vast Karuizawa forest as a fitness studio, and was designed by Taichi Yoda, a personal trainer certified by the American Association of Sports Medicine.

On the Saturday, you’ll take part in the Breath & Core workout at a private deck in the forest. You’ll be taught to adjust your breathing while concentrating on the natural sounds of chirping birds. And you’ll learn to stabilize the core of your body through breathing.

The following day’s session focuses on aerobics. You’ll use larch logs for full-body stretching, mimic animal movements to stimulate your muscles, and finish with some strenuous circuit training.

The final part of the program? Purifying your body and mind in the Tombo-no-yu hot spring baths, sourced by 41-42C waters and reputed to get your blood circulating. From the outdoor rock pool, you can lie back in rising steam and release every last drop of stress from your body and your mind.