Amanemu
Brooke Duder finds her zen at luxury Japanese onsen resort, Amanemu
Ise Shima National Park on Japan's Kii Peninsula is home to luxury hot spring resort, Amanemu. Nestled in a naturally blessed location on the shores of Ago Bay, known as the Bay of Pearls, boasts a serene vista backdrop of calm blue sea, bejewelled with lush green islets and delicately floating oyster rafts.
Rich in awe-inspiring nature, cultural heritage sites and healing water, Amanemu couldn't be more befitting of its name; Aman, inspired by the Sanskrit word for 'peace', and Nemu, meaning to 'share joy' in Japanese.
The resort's ethos is underpinned by 'omotenashi', the hospitable Japanese spirit of serving others with heartfelt warmth and respect. An energy that is felt from the moment you travel up Amanemu's cherry tree-lined driveway and arrive at the welcome pavilion.
Inspired design
Modern Japanese interior design is anchored in minimalism and clean lines, which the resort very much adheres to, but its delivery is warm and its execution luxurious. Elemental materials in a light colour palette offer seamless sophistication. Japanese timber addresses all floors, walls and ceilings, working to assure continuity and calm. The only disruption to the eye are the expansive windows offering tranquil views of the leafy green National Park. Every space feels grounded, calm and certain of its identity, leaving guests the mental and spiritual space to simply let go and be.
Architecturally, Amanemu’s design pays homage to heritage and location. The exterior is a proud and dutiful nod to Japanese Minka buildings, with traditional low-slung roofs and dark-stained Japanese cedar walls. The dark exterior and light interior seem to echo opposing but complementary forces, as if reflecting the harmony of Mother Nature.
The ancient art of onsen bathing
The spa at Amanemu weaves wellness with nature and tradition. Onsen, or natural hot springs, speak to the healing properties of water and the historic Japanese ritual of bathing. And the resort isn’t shy about scale; a dreamy 2000 square metre spa houses a central onsen for communal bathing, along with two spa pavilions with private indoor and outdoor onsens - the perfect antidote for mind, body and soul. Onsen can also be enjoyed from the comfort of each of Amanemu’s 24 suites and four two-bedroom villas, all hosting their own luxury plunge bath, which is fed from the same mineral-rich thermal spring that benefits the spa. Wellness, nature and tradition also converge in Amanemu’s spa treatments, which make use of locally sourced ingredients, like pearl powder and seaweed. The traditional healing offering of kampo uses plants and herbs in an ancient practice which treats the body and mind as inseparable beings. And in fact, it’s kampo which might just perfectly sum up the spa, and even the entire resort’s sentiment. That is, if body and mind are one entity and treated as such, then to be at Amanemu is to feel whole.
“Every space feels grounded, calm and certain of its identity, leaving every guest the mental and spiritual space to simply let go and be”.
Nature and culture collide
Amanemu provides Aman Journeys, a beautiful way of sharing the joy of nature and Japanese culture. The Kumano Kodo is a group of ancient pilgrimage routes which meet at the Kii Mountains. Kumano Kodo is the only pilgrimage destination besides the Camino de Santiago to be named a UNESCO World Heritage route. Amanemu have created hiking routes which invite guests to explore these trails and step in the footsteps of Kyoto’s ancient emperors who travelled the Kumano in search of purification and to give prayer to deities who, according to legend, live in the surrounding rocks and trees. Be at one with nature as you pass enchanted streams, rivers and trickling waterfalls, breathing in the scent of cedar and cypress trees. Stop and admire sacred shrines like Kumano Sanzan, Yohshino and Omine and Koyasan to further enhance your sense of wonderment. For the traveller, this is a holiday for the soul and spirit, just as much as it is for body and mind. In fact, ‘holiday’ is almost the wrong word for it. ‘Holiday’ seems to lack the substance and significance that Amanemu delivers. Amanemu will leave an indelible mark on guests for its natural beauty, traditional wellness offerings and the connection they create to local culture. But if we’re talking about what really matters, it’s that Amanemu is particularly good at taking care of people. In a world fuelled by uncertainty, that is truly a noble calling.
@amanemu_resort | amanemu.com
Interview by Brooke Duder