Why are more people choosing to travel for their well-being instead of just sightseeing? Wellness travel is on the rise. Defined by the Global Wellness Institute, it focuses on improving physical and mental health through travel. For many, a healing retreat in Japan offers exactly that—rest, balance, and renewal rooted in centuries-old tradition.
Global spending on wellness travel reached $830 billion in 2023, with trips rebounding quickly post-pandemic. Health, peace, and deeper meaning now drive where people go and why.
Amid this wave, Japan stands out for its unique offerings. From hot springs and temple stays to forest immersion, each reflects the essence of wellness tourism in Japan.
These experiences position the country as a leading destination for healing. Each one plays a key role in shaping the future of wellness travel.
Wellness Tourism Boom: Healing Retreat in Japan
Japan’s wellness tourism sector is no longer a niche—it’s a rising economic force aligned with global trends. As travelers around the world seek healing, rest, and deeper meaning from their journeys, wellness tourism in Japan has stepped into the spotlight with strong data and intentional government backing. Here’s what’s driving the momentum.
Global Demand Meets Local Growth
Global wellness tourism reached $650.7 billion in 2022, according to the Global Wellness Institute. Japan ranked among the top five wellness economies, valued at $241 billion. Domestically, Japan’s wellness travel market hit $26.3 billion in 2022. It’s projected to grow to $74.5 billion by 2030, with a 13.9% CAGR. These figures solidify its place as a major player in wellness-focused travel.
Spa Demand Backed by Stats
The Japanese spa statistics reveal steady growth: the sauna and spa sector alone was valued at $1.48 billion in 2023, projected to reach $8.5 billion by 2030. Interest in onsen, saunas, and traditional thermal therapy continues to draw both local and international visitors.
Government Response and Campaigns
Post-COVID shifts toward digital detox and healing travel have pushed JNTO and local tourism boards to launch wellness-centered campaigns. Japan supports eco-retreats, spa towns, and forest therapy paths to stay competitive in the growing wellness market.
Hot Springs (Onsen) & Traditional Healing
Few wellness experiences are as iconic—or as deeply rooted in tradition—as Japan’s onsen culture. Across the country, travelers discover ancient bathing rituals that combine mineral therapy, mindfulness, and scenic immersion. This unique blend continues to anchor onsen tourism in Japan as a leading wellness draw for both locals and international visitors.
By the Numbers: Japan’s Onsen Landscape
Japan boasts over 27,000 hot spring sources and around 3,000 onsen facilities spread across its islands. In 2020 alone, more than 137 million overnight stays were recorded at onsen destinations, with a natural flow rate of 2.6 million liters per minute—a testament to the scale and popularity of the experience.
Healing Retreat in Japan: The Power of Minerals
Each onsen is unique in its mineral profile. Sulfur springs are often linked to skin and respiratory health, while iron-rich waters may aid circulation and anemia. Bicarbonate springs are thought to soften skin and improve blood flow, and radon springs are known for their soothing, pain-relieving properties. These therapeutic waters are the heart of Japanese spa statistics and why so many seek them out annually.
Heritage Meets Modern Wellness
Beyond health benefits, onsen is a cultural ritual. From Edo-era “toji” pilgrimages to today’s luxury ryokan offerings, bathing is about restoration and reflection. Historic spots like Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan and Sakan Ryokan seamlessly blend heritage with spa comforts, anchoring onsen tourism in Japan as both an ancient tradition and a modern wellness escape.
Temple Stays and Spiritual Wellness
For travelers craving stillness and a spiritual reset, spiritual retreats in Japan offer an immersive way to reconnect. Rooted in ancient Buddhist customs, temple lodging—or shukubo—has evolved into a meaningful escape that blends cultural depth with holistic wellness. These sacred spaces now cater to seekers of both tradition and tranquility, forming the foundation of many a healing retreat in Japan.
What Is a Shukubo?
A shukubo is a traditional guesthouse located within a temple complex, originally intended for monks and pilgrims. Today, there are hundreds of shukubo across Japan, with Mount Koya (Koyasan) hosting around 50 active temple lodgings, making it the country’s most popular site for temple stays.
Spiritual Practices That Heal
Guests at temple retreats are invited to participate in Zen or Ajikan meditation, sutra copying (shakyo), and morning chanting rituals (otsutome)—rituals intended to restore clarity and emotional balance. Each stay also includes shojin ryori, a seasonal vegetarian cuisine tied to Buddhist philosophy and healing through simplicity.
Mount Koya: Japan’s Sacred Escape
At Mount Koya, the spiritual atmosphere is especially profound. Monks lead daily prayers, and guests often end their days walking beneath ancient cedar trees. The result? A deeply personal healing retreat in Japan—one that centers silence, nature, and inner realignment.
Forest Bathing in a Healing Retreat in Japan
Among Japan’s most profound contributions to global wellness is Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing Japan—a practice that invites people to slow down, unplug, and reconnect with the natural world. Developed in the 1980s, it has become a central offering in the country’s approach to wellness tourism in Japan, drawing both scientific validation and global interest.
How Forest Bathing Heals
Forest bathing is more than just a walk in the woods—it’s the act of mindfully engaging all five senses in a forest setting. Studies show it can lower cortisol, reduce blood pressure, improve attention, and boost immune response, including increased natural killer cell activity.
Certified Trails and Participation
Japan has developed 65 certified forest therapy bases as of 2022, each offering guided programs with trained facilitators. Surveys estimate that 2.5–5 million people in Japan engage in these therapeutic walks each year—an impressive endorsement of nature-based wellness.
Top Destinations for Forest Wellness
Leading locations include Nagano, with its serene beech and cedar forests; Yakushima, a UNESCO-listed ancient cedar island; and the sacred Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails. These immersive experiences solidify forest bathing Japan as a key pillar of wellness tourism in Japan, offering quiet renewal rooted in nature’s rhythm.
Digital Detox in a Healing Retreat in Japan
As screen fatigue rises and mental burnout becomes more common, a growing number of travelers are choosing a different kind of vacation—one that doesn’t involve Wi-Fi. Japan actively meets this demand by blending traditional wellness rituals with digital detox offerings designed for mindful, modern travelers. This shift has made it a rising destination in the global wellness tourism Japan movement.
Healing Retreat in Japan and the Move Toward Tech-Free Travel
The digital detox tourism market reached $52.3 billion in 2024 and is projected to hit $65 billion by 2025, growing at 24.5% CAGR through 2034. Japan has seized the opportunity by designing healing retreat programs in Japan that prioritize offline serenity and emotional reset.
What a Healing Retreat in Japan Offers
International-friendly retreats—especially in nature-rich areas like Kumano—offer tech-free experiences that combine yoga, sound healing, and eco-immersion with traditional Japanese elements. Guests often hand over their devices at check-in to fully commit to screen-free rest.
East Meets West in Healing
Programs often include Ayurvedic meals, forest bathing, onsen soaks, and meditation, combining Eastern and Western wellness approaches. These integrative offerings make wellness tourism in Japan uniquely effective in helping guests reset and return home rebalanced—something every healing retreat in Japan promises and delivers.
Future Trends and Takeaways for Healing Retreat in Japan
Millennials and Gen Z are reshaping wellness tourism in Japan, with bookings skyrocketing. Japan saw a 1,300% surge in Gen Z and Millennial travel since 2019, as these groups prioritize experiences over possessions, mental restoration, and meaningful journeys. They favor healing retreats in Japan that blend nature, mindfulness, and cultural immersion over commercial tourism.
The Japanese government is actively responding. Through public-private partnerships and targeted spending, regional wellness tourism—like eco-sanctuaries in Kumamoto and wellness infrastructure upgrades—is gaining momentum. Events like the 2025 International Wellness Tourism Expo (iWT) highlight holistic health services and sustainable well-being tourism. Policies, including medical visas and subsidy programs, further signal Japan’s ambition to lead in the global wellness economy.
Whether you’re drawn to tea ceremonies, mountain yoga, or temple stays, now is the time to explore Japan’s spiritual retreats. Healing retreats and wellness tourism in Japan offer meaningful escapes for those seeking calm and clarity. For yoga instructors, spa operators, and wellness bloggers, it’s a rich space to build mindful experiences and share powerful stories.
