A mother & daughter travelogue: Nourishing body and soul with a “Retreat Stay” at Shima Kanko Hotel
Since opening in 1951, the prestigious Shima Kanko Hotel has welcomed many celebrities over the years, including the Imperial Family. In 2016, it also hosted the G7 Ise-Shima Summit. Set in the grounds of Ise-Shima National Park overlooking Ago Bay, visitors are drawn to the natural splendor of the island of Kashikojima, the delicious dishes created with Mie’s high-quality ingredients, and spacious, serene rooms.
Shima Kanko Hotel is a resort made up of three unique buildings: the Classic,designed by Togo Murano, one of most famous Japanese architects; the original building called the Club, used as common space; and the Bay Suites, where our two guests stayed this time.
April 2021 was the hotel’s 70th anniversary. Although steeped in history, Shima Kanko Hotel always seeks to provide “the pleasure of modern times.” Let’s explore the charm of this resort with the Mie native and 2018 Miss Universe Japan winner, Yuumi Kato, as she enjoys the “Mother and Daughter Retreat Stay” with her mother, Yuko!
*Retreat Stays are getting attention these days as a new style of travel where people leave work and ordinary life behind to seek self-contemplation and relaxation of both mind and body in an extraordinary locale.1. Checking in at the Bay Suites
Arriving at the Bay Suites, mother and daughter disinfect their hands, take their temperature with a thermal imaging camera, and check in.
This visit took place in December, so the lobby was adorned with beautiful Christmas decorations. Above hangs a pearl chandelier made with as many as 9,000 pearls from Ago Bay.
Created with the concept of a “resort for adults,” pearls are found everywhere at the Bay Suites, not only in the lobby, but also along the walls and elevator railings, reflective of Ise-Shima as a unique pearl-producing region.
At check-in, take a moment to relax and enjoy the welcome tea service. The flavor changes season to season, so a Christmas festive tea was served this time. The tantalizing aroma of black tea blended with fruits and spices was deeply relaxing.
2. Every room is a suite at the Bay Suites
What sets the Bay Suites apart is that all 50 rooms are suites.
This time, Yuumi and her mother stayed in the Superior Suite Room with a floorspace of 100 sq. meters. including the balcony -- enough space to spread out and relax.
The living room design seamlessly combines tranquility and modernity. The high-quality fixtures enrich the time spent in this special space.
An attractive point of the design is the separation of living room, bedroom, and bathroom into private spaces allowing guests to “feel at ease as if in their own mansion.” The living room and bathroom windows offer views of Ago Bay, the symbol of Ise-Shima National Park, set amid vast natural scenery.
The beds are made by the luxury bedding maker Sealy. A deep sleep that will heal body and mind is guaranteed.
3. Refined sophistication at the Bay Suite Lounge
The two left their room and headed to the Bay Suites Lounge. At the exclusive guest-only lounge on the top floor visitors help themselves to drinks and light meals while gazing out over Ago Bay.
Besides drinks such as wine, coffee, and juice, a variety of dishes are prepared depending on the time of day, such as yogurt and fruit in the morning, sweets at tea-time, and dried fruits and cheese at bar time. You’re sure to want to visit often during your stay.
Mother and daughter take in the view of beautiful Ago Bay sprawling below. Such peaceful moments set our minds at ease.
4. Spectacular views of Ago Bay from the rooftop garden
The roof garden is next to the Bay Suites Lounge.
Adorned with flowering plants native to Ise-Shima National Park, the garden immerses you in the lush natural environment of the region in every season. Stargazing parties are also often held, led by a guide of the starry night skies.
What a luxury, during a hotel stay, to enjoy a wealth of flowers blooming beneath your gaze as stars sparkle in the sky above.
The two ladies leave the Bay Suites and head toward the Classic. Walking along paths and bridges in the garden, bird songs echo through the trees.
5. A world of music and literature in the Classic Guest Lounge
They arrive at the lounge of the Classic, reserved for the use of hotel guests. The warmth of the wood interior creates a different atmosphere from the Bay Suites.
In the guest lounge, the soundproof Listening Room has 700 CDs and 80 records to choose from with high-quality speakers made by Danish company Dali (reservation required).
The lounge Reading Room holds hundreds of publications selected by the hotel. As many famous Japanese writers have come to stay here, Shima Kanko Hotel has a deep connection to the literary world.
The guest lounge is designed for relaxing with music and books, so explore and suit your mood here when you visit the hotel.
6. The stunning sunset from the Classic rooftop observatory
At sunset head to the rooftop observatory of the Classic.
Shima Kanko Hotel was the setting for a famous Japanese novel, and the beauty of the sunset view from the rooftop observatory was vividly described by the writer.
“I’m so moved by this wonderful sunset. It’s thrilling to step into the world of the novel,” said Yuumi Kato as she watched the sun dip behind the horizon.
7. Unwind body and soul with a Spa experience
After the romantic evening view, it’s time for a spa treatment at “eau SPA.”This time, Yuko and Yuumi chose the Pair Relax Body course (spa 60 minutes, total time 90 minutes). The spa treatment begins by cleansing the hands with local spring water, a custom adopted from the ritual ablution performed at the entrance to shrines.
After the hand cleansing, enjoy a “pearl drink.”
The “pearl drink” is made with Japanese plum vinegar, pearl powder, and water from the clear streams of the Miya River, which flows through Ise. It is said that famed Chinese beauty Yang Guifei and Cleopatra also used pearl powder for beauty and health.
The foot bath uses the same local spring water as the hand cleansing, and the scent of cypress floats around your feet, rising from the bath containing chips of fragrant “hinoki,” the same wood used in shrines and temples. Once you are completely relaxed, the full body treatment begins.
8. Fine French Seafood Cuisine made from top-quality Mie ingredients at La Mer
After nourishing the body at the spa, it’s time for dinner at the Michelin starred French restaurant, La Mer.
Culinary connoisseurs come from far and wide to savor the skills of Shima Kanko Hotel Executive Chef Hiroe Higuchi. Chef Higuchi was in charge of the Working Dinner at the 2016 Ise-Shima Summit, creating dishes for the leaders of the G7 countries.
For Chef Higuchi, the important point is “to focus on nature and bring out its rich flavors.”Chef Higuchi travels throughout Mie Prefecture, talking with food producers in person before choosing ingredients that are then prepared with care.
This time, mother and daughter enjoyed the “Elegance" Course. As the hotel’s signature dish “Ise lobster cream soup” is served before your face, the enticing aroma of Ise lobster fills the air.
The course includes a wealth of delicious ingredients sourced from Mie including Akoya pearl oysters raised in the pearl farms of Shima, Sawara mackerel caught near the remote islands of Toba, “Jidori” chicken carefully raised in the lush nature of Kumano, and additive-free ham produced in Iga.
9. A Japanese breakfast featuring food from Shima at Hamayu
“I felt so relaxed in that lovely room, and I slept really deeply,” said Yuumi and Yuko, sitting down for a Japanese breakfast at Hamayu, with the dazzling view of Ago Bay before them.
The menu included an array of dishes made from Ise-Shima ingredients, such as simmered hijiki, chicken marinated in vegetables, and dried fish caught nearby.
10. Tea at café & wine bar Lien, with an ambience preserved since the hotel first opened
After dining, head to Lien, the café and wine bar inside the Club for a cup of tea. A unique blend of Western and Japanese aesthetics, Lien’s beautiful space with its large beams and vaulted ceiling has preserved much of its atmosphere since first opening and is an ideal place to feel the depth of the hotel’s history.
The lineup of seasonal teas consists of about 20 types of black tea from the German brand Ronnefeldt, founded in 1823. Today, the ladies enjoyed English Breakfast, considered to be the finest Ceylon tea. The refined fragrance brings peace and relaxation.
Lien is open from café time (11:30) to dinner time (21:00 * last order at 20:30), and many guests stop by after check-out. Bask in the afterglow and talk about the experiences of your hotel stay over a delicious cup of tea.
11. Activities abound at Shima Kanko Hotel: yoga, boat cruises, and more
There is a wealth of activities to choose from at Shima Kanko Hotel to create indelible memories, including crafts, like carving the traditional lucky charm“ Ise Itto bori,” stargazing parties, concerts, and boat cruises.
The Classic has a fitness gym for the exclusive use of hotel guests and offers Relaxation Yoga sessions (7:00-8:30 a.m., limited dates, advance reservations required). Even beginners will feel at ease under the kind guidance of an experienced instructor. Yoga is a refreshing way to start the day.
The Lounge Cruise Shima on Ago Bay is also highly recommended. Day cruises and sunset cruises are also available with advance reservation.
“Look!” Yuumi exclaimed excitedly as a train passed over the nearby railway bridge. Even common sights like trains become fascinating when viewed from the sea.
Departing from the hotel’s own pier, the cruise takes about an hour to circle Ago Bay, offering an intimate view of life on the sea, including islands big and small,Kashikojima Bridge, Aosa seaweed farms, and much more.
The Sunset Cruise is the ideal way to take in the dynamic dusk skies of Ago Bay, chosen as one of the “100 Best Sunsets in Japan.”
During the cruise, the lovely Kato ladies reflected on their stay at Shima Kanko Hotel.
“The beautiful room, the relaxing spa, incredibly delicious food, and so many different activities all gave me the feeling of a luxurious time far away from my daily life,” said Yuumi. Her mother, Yuko, agreed that the Retreat Stay had been deeply satisfying: “Being able to spend such a relaxing time with my daughter was a priceless experience.”