Tailor-made packages including tea, mattresses and brainwaves for the perfect rest
The number of hotels that focus on so-called “sleep tourism” is growing in Japan, offering stays designed to guarantee a regenerating rest. A trend that has already established itself abroad, according to a survey by the Kyodo Agency, which also represents an opportunity for hoteliers to intercept customers who are increasingly attentive to psychophysical well-being. In the capital’s Shimbashi business district, for example, Hotel 1899 Tokyo offers the “Totono-ne” package, focused on the relaxing effects of tea. Guests are given a questionnaire for a “sleep diagnosis”, and then served a personalized blend of chamomile and Mimasaka bancha. In the room, latest generation pillows, bath salts and an evening herbal tea complete the experience. “We wanted to enhance sleep, which takes up a large part of our customers’ time,” Yuiko Ogawa, manager of the facility, explained to Kyodo. According to Kanae Usui, of JTB Tourism Research & Consulting, the phenomenon is fueled by widespread dissatisfaction with the quality of rest and by a tourist demand increasingly oriented towards healthy experiences. “These services – he observes – encourage per capita spending and offer the opportunity to move away from digital devices”. The elegant Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo, in the Bunkyo district, has also been offering a package for two years that measures brain waves during sleep, during which doctors from the internal clinic provide personalized advice. The formula also extends to seaside resorts. The Malibu Hotel, in the Riviera Zushi marina, Kanagawa Prefecture, has been offering the “Sleep Well Stay” plan since last February, limited to one group per day. Among the strong points are tailor-made linen and mattresses customized based on the posture and habits of each guest. “The silence of the sea promotes restful sleep”, assures Aki Uchimura, a member of the marina manager’s staff. In 2025, Japan recorded a historic record of 42.7 million foreign visitors, up 15.8% compared to the already exceptional 2024. A figure that confirms the extraordinary attractiveness of the country, also driven by the depreciation of the yen, and which pushes the Japanese government to aim for the goal of 60 million arrivals by 2030.
