It’s December of 2023, and there are only a few left. Over the past three years, the way I work and live has changed completely, and I have struggled to adapt to the changes. On the other hand, thanks to “work style reform,” I have become able to work more flexibly.
I usually work full-time as an office worker and also work as a writer, so I’m so busy that I don’t have time to take a breather.
As many companies transition to remote work, remote interviews and meetings have become the norm, allowing employees to complete tasks more efficiently without having to travel.
However, the more efficient you are, the more you remain seated for up to 10 hours a day, which has a negative impact on your physical and mental health.I began to understand how moving and interacting with people, which I had previously thought was a waste, was an important process for finding my balance.
However, in the end, I ended up spending my days in 2023 without moving much, opening my PC, continuing to type, connecting to Zoom, and continuing to be exposed to blue light. Meanwhile, I received an offer from the Business Insider Japan editorial department to spend two weekdays at Hoshinoya Okinawa.
I have never been to Okinawa before, except when I was in college with a friend. And it’s December now, the middle of winter. Okinawa is one of Japan’s leading resort areas, and it’s not a place where you have to work on weekdays. Furthermore, this time we decided to stay together with his wife and one-year-old daughter.
Why do monks go all the way to Okinawa in December, when they run from east to west? However, now that I have actually experienced it and am writing this article, I can declare that there has been a “Copernican turn” in this idea itself.
Okinawa has a quiet luxury that can only be experienced in winter.and”Hoshinoya Okinawa”is the ultimate place where you can experience luxury.
About 1 hour by car from Naha Airport.There was another world there
The average maximum temperature in December in Okinawa is about 20 degrees, which is higher than in Honshu.
It’s not as crowded as it is in the summer, and it’s much quieter, allowing you to focus more on Okinawa’s rich natural environment and culture.The place where you can fully enjoy such an experience is in Yomitan, in the central part of the main island of Okinawa.”Hoshinoya Okinawa”is.
When you arrive at the facility after about an hour’s drive from Naha Airport, the white walls that surround the facility catch your eye.
This huge white wall was inspired by the Okinawan castle “Gusuku,” and looks just like the protective wall of “Hoshinoya Okinawa.” When I entered the premises, I felt as though I was in a “protected space” from the outside world, and I even felt like I was inside Gusuku.
The uniforms of the staff who greeted us were modeled after the dujin (bodice) and kakang (skirt) worn during formal attire in the Ryukyu Kingdom, making us feel excited and thinking, “Ah, I’ve come to Okinawa.”
When you are guided to the reception, you are immediately drawn into the world of HOSHINOYA Okinawa. The walls are layered with plaster to create a deep blue color, and a tree with a cross section that looks like a coral reef pierces the ground and ceiling, allowing winter light to shine through. It may be a cliché, but I felt like a switch had been turned on to “forget the hustle and bustle.”
“Hoshinoya Okinawa” has guest rooms spanning approximately 1km along a natural coastline that is rare in Okinawa.All rooms are ocean front, so you can stay as if you were living with a view of the ocean.
On the other hand, the garden on the opposite side of the ocean is rich in vegetation, with more than a dozen varieties of hibiscus alone. While strolling through the garden, I arrived at the room I would be staying in.
Enjoy a stay like living at the seaside with the quiet sound of waves
The room I stayed in this time was a type of room called “Fushi,” which was over 90 square meters in size. This suite has a dining room with a dirt floor overlooking the sea, a bedroom with two king-sized beds, and a living room with a sunken kotatsu floor.
In the bedroom, there is wallpaper called “Ryukyu Bingata” depicting Okinawan customs and folk tales, which also gives a sense of indigenous culture.
Well, the room is great too.What is especially noteworthy is that the sea is right in front of you. Some people might think it’s obvious if it’s oceanfront, but I was really surprised at how close it was to the ocean.
You can hear the quiet, slightly heavy sound of waves here 24 hours a day. Natural ambient music calms the mind.
The tableware and amenities used in the room were also selected according to this concept. The tableware is a traditional craft called “Yachimun” (pottery), and the toiletries include HOSHINOYA Okinawa’s original face masks and bath salts, which are made with materials reminiscent of Okinawa’s nature, such as sugar cane and Shikuwasa.
Additionally, Hoshinoya Okinawa is plastic bottle free, meaning they generally do not sell plastic bottled beverages and do not have them in the rooms.
Instead of bottled water, water jugs are installed, and you can drink high-quality water from taps with built-in water softeners.
personally,I think all of these things reflect the desire to embody the most wonderful experience of “living with a view of the ocean.”
The room key features a motif of a traditional Ryukyu craft called a tassel ring, and the bedroom is decorated with Ryukyu bingata wallpaper.
Another point is that you can spend your time looking at the sea from various places.
“Hoshino Resorts Banta Cafe” is one of the largest seaside cafes in Japan, adjacent to “Hoshinoya Okinawa.”
Until January 31, 2024″Illumi Banta Seaside Night Lights”is being held on the beach in front of you.Lanterns made from discarded soda bottles are beautifully lit, creating a fantastical glow over the sea at night.
At the “Seaside Terrace” closest to the sea, you can sit on the Ryukyu tatami-themed floor and feel the waves and wind up close.
A spectacular infinity pool where you can swim even in winter
The highlight of HOSHINOYA Okinawa is the infinity pool that juts out into the ocean.
The temperature in December in Okinawa is similar to that of spring or autumn in the city.The pool is heated so you can enjoy it even at this time of year.
The fact that it is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year is also a great feature for adult travelers.
By the pool, you can enjoy finger foods and cocktails made with Okinawan spirits during the winter.
The pool faces the west coast, so when the sun goes down, you can watch the sunset as it sets over the horizon.From 5pm, you can enjoy champagne and awamori cocktails called the “Sunset Hot Pool Apéro.”
As I mentioned earlier, you can stay and look at the sea as if you were living there, but not only that, but you can also fully experience “looking at the sea and enjoying it to the fullest.” This can be said to be a characteristic of HOSHINOYA Okinawa.
At this point, I wanted to live my life looking at the ocean to the fullest without even opening my PC.
However, since it was December, I had to respond to emails, have meetings, and do some writing work.We are thankful that there are several locations within the facility where you can work remotely.
For example, the “Gorogoro Lounge” inside the “Hoshino Resorts Banta Cafe” is, as its name suggests, a space where you can “roll around”.
Of course there is an ocean view here too. People can spend their time in a variety of ways, with some people having tea as a group of three generations: grandmother, mother, and grandchild, and some business people having online meetings.It is equipped with Wi-Fi and power supply, so it is sufficient for small tasks.
It is said that we have moved from a work-life balance to a work-as-life era, and there are people who feel depressed because they keep working at home, and people who have places where they can relax on workdays but are unable to work. Many people don’t have the perfect space to do it.
In that sense, HOSHINOYA Okinawa may be a rare place where you can truly enjoy a work-as-life experience.
In fact, there were business people who were gathering with what appeared to be colleagues in another location to brainstorm and have meetings, so I guess some people take advantage of that.
The inside of the building is full of colorful hibiscus and trees.
Creative dinners and activities
The dinner that concludes the first day isI received the special winter course “Ryukyu Siciliana~Bellezza~” (until February 29, 2024).”Bellezza” means “beauty” in Italian, and is a nine-course meal that combines Okinawan culinary culture and ingredients under the concept of “Ryukyu Siciliana.”
Particularly impressive was the “Akamachi Moon Peach Steamed Sakuna and Fuchibar Zuppa.” It is considered to be one of the high-quality fish, and has a smooth white flesh that is very delicious. Speaking of Okinawa, it is famous for pork such as soki and rafute, but I was surprised that seafood can also be prepared in a modern way.
On the second day, I woke up at 6:00.
I may have thought it was a lie, but I woke up to the sound of ripples. What a luxurious alarm clock (even though I didn’t set it in the first place).After washing your face and drinking a glass of water, you will be carried out at a place called a “dojo.””Morning training deep breathing”participated in.
Take a deep breath in the morning with the ocean in front of you. What a luxury!By slowly and steadily performing the sequence of breathing in for 4 beats and exhaling for 8 beats, your body will slowly wake up.
The dojo is a one-story house, and when all the doors are opened, you can see the ocean.
One of the great things about HOSHINOYA Okinawa is that you can experience something unique to the area.
For example, after “morning training deep breathing”,Horseback riding experience called “Asanagi Yonna Horseback Riding”Did.
It is said that Yomitan Village once had a vast horse farm managed by the Ryukyu Kingdom. Although I have experience riding horses, this was my first time walking on a sandy beach.
This time, while riding on the big back of Goody-chan, who was in charge of walking on the sandy beach,I was able to learn a different way to enjoy the sea, such as walking slowly while looking at the sea.
By the way, even after checking in on the first day, there was a traditional Okinawan training session at the dojo.”Bukubuku tea”I experienced it. When you add sanpin tea to boiled rice water and swirl it around with a bamboo whisk, the bubbles will bubble up… When poured into a Yachimun bowl, it looks like shaved ice.It was an experience where I was able to experience Okinawan culture while drinking bubbles and tea alternately.
The gentle sweetness of the chinsuko that accompanies it goes perfectly with the bukubuku tea.
The concept of “luxury” has changed
The two days at Hoshinoya Okinawa came to an end in the blink of an eye.
Truly, this is a place where you can fully enjoy the extraordinary. I was able to refresh my mind and body by experiencing Okinawa’s beautiful sea and traditional culture.
I did some work in between, but perhaps because I was able to concentrate in a quiet space, I was able to do my remote work more efficiently than usual. Perhaps her daughter had gotten used to the tropical atmosphere, and she was in a good mood the whole time, so I felt like I was able to spend more time there with her than I would have at her home.
The biggest experience was that my own sense of luxury changed.
When we think of luxury, we think of comfortable and spacious rooms, exceptional hospitality, three-star French cuisine, and a vast and beautiful private beach. Of course, Hoshinoya Okinawa also has that element.
However, it seems that they do not dare to provide excessive hospitality to those staying here.
While utilizing the nature and culture of Yomitan, Okinawa, the design, music, and art will remain in a form that is appropriate for this location. That’s why guests can experience HOSHINOYA Okinawa in their own unique way.
Van der Rohe, a German architect active in the 20th century, left behind a famous quote: “Less is more.” “Hoshinoya Okinawa” may be said to be a place that embodies this “less is more” concept in the land of Okinawa.It is truly a place where you can enjoy quiet luxury, a place where you can enjoy quiet luxury.
For details on “Hoshinoya Okinawa”here
Source: BusinessInsider
Emma Warren is a well-known author and market analyst who writes for 24 news breaker. She is an expert in her field and her articles provide readers with insightful and informative analysis on the latest market trends and developments. With a keen understanding of the economy and a talent for explaining complex issues in an easy-to-understand manner, Emma’s writing is a must-read for anyone interested in staying up-to-date on the latest market news.