Escape from the hustle and bustle of the city at Ikeda Spa – a Japanese oasis offering massages that relax and may even stimulate collagen.

Step into Ikeda Spa’s charming ambience, which brings to mind a calming ryokan with its zen wood furnishings and Japanese music, then feel your day’s stress melt away. After changing into my yukata, I visited the washroom and was delighted to see that they even have Japanese-style bidets, further enhancing the Japanese experience.

I start off my Ultimate Autumn Restoration Treatment with a communal onsen bath. Touted as Singapore’s first onsen-style public bathhouse, this bath is enriched with precious natural mineral oils to boost microcirculation, flush out toxins and moisturise the skin. The water is hot and I gingerly submerge my body slowly, but once I am fully immersed, my entire body relaxes completely and I pretend to be in wintery Hokkaido as I admire the realistic drawings of snow-encrusted scenery around me. After working up a good sweat in the hot onsen for 30 minutes, I am deemed suitably relaxed and ready for my next treatment, the Nuka Hot Compress. Comprising of a blend of Japanese rice bran, black sesame and aromatic herbs rich in natural essential oils, this hot compress massage is purported to ease tensed muscles, relieve pain and soothe the body. The rice bran is said to encourage collagen regeneration, while protecting the skin from free radical damage with vitamin E and ferulic acid. It also effectively exfoliates dead skin cells for luminous skin, and improves energy flow for top-to-toe holistic healing.

The therapist begins by kneading me with her thumbs and palms. Then she slathers oil on my back and performs soothing massage strokes. She is strong and her fingers found sore muscles that I didn’t even know exist. I even cringed at some tender spots at my neck and I have a high pain threshold! I had requested for medium pressure, so if you have a low pain threshold, ask for light pressure and work your way up. The heat from the hot compress further relaxes my tense muscles and it was a struggle to keep awake. When I left the spa, I was groggy and all ready for bed. This spa treatment will be wonderful after a long work day or when you need a really good night’s sleep. Written by Pearlin Siow.

IKEDA SPA PRESTIGE

6 Eu Tong Sen Street, Clarke Quay Central 05-22 Singapore 059817
Contact: 6388 8080 ext. 2

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