Tokyo chocolate spas

Less about romance than the compulsive desire to spend money on the brown stuff, Valentine's Day will see Tokyo come to something of a sticky standstill. But it's not just about heart-shaped boxes: how about bathing in it? How about having it served on a juicy steak? How about opening your lungs and getting all karaoke with it? Time Out has a few ideas...

Chocolate beauty treatments

Touche Komazawa: Chocolate Spa

Located a short walk from Komazawa-daigaku Station, Aroma & Spa Salon is a privately owned beauty salon operated by a masseur, rather than a masseuse, with large hands and expert fingers. In addition to offering particularly relaxing massages, they also offer chocolate spa treatments priced at 14,700 yen for 100 minutes (half-body) and 18,900 yen for 140 minutes (full-body). Starting with a chocolate body scrub to remove any dead skin cells and leave you with skin that’s almost tender enough to eat, you’re then treated to a chocolate body-pack that promotes a feeling of rejuvenation while at the same time relaxing you with the sweet scent of sugary goodness. Wednesdays are ‘Spa Days’ — whereby the spa menu is discounted by 30 per cent. Conveniently, they’re open on weekdays until as late as midnight (last entry 10pm); however, appointments must be made via the telephone or through their website.

Address: 4-18-18, Komazawa, Setagaya, Tokyo
Tel: 03 3421 8200
Open: Monday-Friday, 11am-midnight (last entry 10pm); Saturday-Sunday, 10am-8pm (last entry 6pm)
Website: http://touche.jp/index.html

Esprit Salon Do Bothe: Chocolate Spa Course

Ninety minutes of Chocolate Spa treatment here will set you back 15,750 yen. The treatment starts with a footbath and a chocolate full-body scrub, followed by a shower and a detox massage. The sweet smell of chocolate is thought to release your endorphins and invigorate your senses, as well as breaking down fat and reducing cellulite.

Address: 2F Ginza-Yoshioka Bldg, 4-9-15, Ginza, Chuo, Tokyo
Tel: 03 6226 6745, or freephone 0120 266 745
Open: Monday-Friday, 1pm-10pm; Saturday, 11am-8pm; Sunday & holidays, 10am-7pm
Website: http://www.esprit-gr.com/salon/salon_ginza.php

PMK: Chocolate Spa

A beauty salon located within the Miraza Shinjuku Bldg — the same building that houses Top Shop’s flagship store — PMK’s Chocolate Spa treatment costs 15,000 yen for 90 minutes. After a full-body scrub to remove any dead skin, the treatment then moves on to include a full-body chocolate mask. The treatment encourages sweating and can, ironically enough, help you lose a full waist size (or so it's said). To finish off, the treatment also includes a massage with specialist chocolate massage oils to leave you with refreshed, baby-like soft skin. In addition to a chocolate spa, there’s also a wine spa option whereby one can indulge oneself with a polyphenol-rich red wine mask.

Address: 9F Miraza Shinjuku, 3-36-10, Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo
Tel: 03 5919 4007
Open: Monday-Friday, noon-11pm; Saturday, 10am-9pm; Sunday, 10am-8pm
Website: http://www.pmk-j.net/azabujuban/index.html

Hakone Kowakien Yunessun: Chocolate Bath

In line with Valentine’s season, Hakone Kowakien Yunessun will be opening their annual ‘Chocolate Bath’ — an exciting opportunity for both couples and families to get covered in chocolate together (bathing costumes compulsory). Rich in cocoa extract, trehalose and polyphenol, the bath is said to moisturize skin and improve circulation. Furthermore, there’s also a popular performance involving the addition of chocolate sauce to the bath that takes place three times each day (Monday-Friday, 11:30am, 2pm and 3:30pm; Saturday-Sunday: 11:30am, 2:30pm and 16:20pm), as well as a buffet style restaurant and a separately priced ‘Chocolate Fountain’.

Opening date: February 28
Address: 1297 Ninotaira, Hakone, Ashigarashimo, Kanagawa Tel: 046 082 4126
Open: Daily, 9am-5pm
Admission: Adults, 3,500 yen; children, 1,700 yen
Website: http://www.yunessun.com

Enjoying a chocolate bath in the privacy of your own home

If you’re looking to treat yourself to a chocolate treatment at home, head to the third floor of Tokyo Hands Shibuya, where you’ll find a selection of cocoa oils and chocolate bath salts. Alternatively, visit ‘Nyuyokuzaiya’ online to find a selection of chocolate treatments including ‘Koala’s March Nyuyokuzai’ (‘Koala’s March’ referring to the character from Lotte’s perennially popular chocolate-filled biscuits, and ‘nyuyokuzai’ being the Japanese word for bath-salts), ‘Sweet Chocolate Bath’, and a special product developed through a collaboration involving charismatic chef Hironobu Tsujiguchi, ‘Chocolate Sheet Mask ～ Bihada-Ichizoku × Super Patissier’.

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