Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Sweden’s Top Spa and Wellness Destinations
Age-old simplicity in brand-new extended Japanese baths Peace. That is the meaning of the Japanese word ‘yasuragi’, and the minimalist spa and conference venue on Hasseludden in the Stockholm archipelago, surrounded by nothing but sea and pine trees, certainly does what it says on the tin. For 20 years, city dwellers and businesses in need of the spatial and mental space to focus have been coming here to find exactly that – and now the Japanese baths are getting a complete facelift. By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Yasuragi
“The word ‘yasuragi’ is a lot like that relaxing exhale you do when you slowly sink into a hot spring. That feeling of letting go and allowing the body and all the senses to rest is magical to most people,” says Kersti Olophsdotter, marketing manager at Yasuragi. “It’s something I think most people don’t experience enough in their everyday lives.” Hasseludden started out as a centre for education and training, owned and used 66 | Issue 104 | September 2017
by the Swedish Trade Union Organisation (LO) and its member organisations. But as the demands of profitability brought a realisation that the space had to also serve a commercial purpose, a significant sum of money was invested into reshaping the venue to present a unique Japanese bath.
Simplicity and authenticity Yasuragi quickly became known as one of the best places in Sweden to really relax, with countless regulars and return-
ing guests. Taking inspiration from the Far East may be more of a rule than an exception in the world of wellness these days, but Yasuragi has been and remains a true pioneer in this regard. “What’s unique about Yasuragi is that we’re primarily a Japanese bath, not a traditional spa. It’s like visiting a real ‘onsen’ in Japan, and it’s not just the baths that are authentic – the restaurants, the hotel and the gardens are Japanese too,” Olophsdotter explains. “That’s our strength: we stick to the Japanese and refrain from mixing different expressions.” The concept at Yasuragi is based on the principal idea that all people need stillness, beauty and harmony – and Yasuragi is all about simplicity. “It should be easy to come here, easy to be here, and easy to unwind,” Olophsdotter continues.