Kyoto Wellness & Spa — The Finest Five-Star Stays

Wellness in Kyoto leans toward contemplation rather than spa menus. Join a guided zazen meditation session at a Zen temple, try shojin ryori, the Buddhist vegetarian cuisine, and walk the Philosopher's Path along its canal. Arashiyama and the northern mountain village of Kurama offer hot-spring bathing, while many hotels pair Japanese-style treatments with cypress baths. The pace of temple gardens does much of the restorative work on its own.