Japanese health trends
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Outline
The average person in Japan lives longer than those anywhere else in the world – 84.9 years in 2024 (compared to 82.2 in Ireland and 79.7 in the US). The country also has some of the lowest rates of depression and anxiety. Now the rest of the world is catching on. ‘Japanese wellness’ has a massive 3.7 million views on TikTok.
Waterline
The buzziest practice is toji, which means ‘hot-water cure’. Since the sixth century, people have bathed in Japan’s hot-water springs or onsen, where samurai warriors would go to heal their wounds. One of the most visited, Shima Onsen in Gunma, central Japan, translates as ‘40,000 hot springs’ as it was believed to cure that number of illnesses. Today’s scientists wouldn’t go quite so far, but agree bathing in water that contains sulphur, sodium and iron reduces blood pressure, relieves stress and soothes aches.
Luxe line
OK, so hot springs don’t abound in Ireland, but hydro beds aim to replicate the feeling of onsen bathing. Imagine lying on a lilo, only instead of air it’s full of hot water (38C), so it feels like your body is slowly sinking into it. Once you get over the feeling the bed could pop, the sensation is bliss. See brooklandshealthcare.ie.
Tree line
There’s also takes on Japanese forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) offered around the country, with walks and mindfulness combining for a spiritual experience. See forestbathingwicklow.com or forestschool ireland.ie.
Crystalline
For an at-home option, run a boiling-hot bath and add Earl of East’s Onsen Bath Salts (right, €30, earlofeast.com). The blend of eucalyptus, peppermint and mandarin is inspired by the fragrant Japanese springs to ‘cleanse both body and mind’.
Hairline
For a more topical treatment, try one of the Japanese ‘head spas’ popping up across Ireland. Head massages focus on the scalp’s pressure points and use Japanese aromatherapeutic oils. Videos of the treatment have 272 million views on TikTok where users rave about it reducing tension held in the scalp. You’re meant to have it once a month: Maru Hair Tokyo offers its version in Dublin’s Temple Bar (from €42, maru.ie).
Lifeline
Simpler still, change your coffee order to a matcha. The tea powder has been ubiquitous in Japan for centuries among Buddhist monks for relaxation and samurai warriors for energy. The low-caffeine tea is packed with antioxidants that lower your risk of heart disease and contains L-theanine, an amino acid that increases levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine, boosting relaxation and reducing stress.
Wa i s t l i n e
Japan’s obesity rate is
3.6 per cent, the lowest in the world, thanks to practices including hara hachi bun me, which means ‘eat until you’re 80 per cent full’. A quick search for ‘Japanese diet’ on TikTok will bring you thousands of recipes for dishes packed with superfoods such as kimchi and yuzu.
Bottom line
There are plenty of Japanese wellness ideas you can do for free. Shinrin-yoku involves meditating in nature, which we can all do during a daily walk.
Then there’s kaizen, which means making continuous small but meaningful change: challenge yourself to do a minute of an activity a day – such as exercise or reading – and add a bit more whenever you feel ready. The philosophy goes that starting is the hardest part and every step after that gets a little easier.