If your legs and lower back are aching after a day of temples and slopes, choose the body massage. If your head feels heavy, your eyes are strained from screens and maps, or you cannot sleep properly because of jet lag, choose the dry head spa. If your face feels tight and puffy after a long-haul flight and you want something that feels like skincare as well as bodywork, choose the korugi facial with a plaster pack. That is the whole decision in three lines.

For length: a shorter course is enough when you want one clear area looked after (legs only, or head and shoulders only) and you have dinner reservations in ninety minutes. A longer course makes more sense on the day you walked the most, or when you want the body and the head treated in one visit. Course names, lengths and current prices are listed on the online booking page, so check there before you reserve — then use the guide below to decide what to actually book.

The basics before you book

Salon	THE BODY KYOTO
Address	4F, 121 Tominaga-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto 605-0078
Area	Short walk from Shijo-Kawaramachi and the Gion-Shijo area
Hours	10:30 – 22:00 (last reservation 21:00)
Closed	Irregular holidays
Phone	075-276-0409
Booking	Online reservation page, phone, or Instagram message

Two things visitors often ask. First, English: our staff are not all fluent English speakers, but simple English and a translation app work perfectly well, and you are welcome to send your questions in advance through Instagram or the contact form so nothing is lost at the door. Second, tipping: it is not expected anywhere in Japan, including here. The price you book is the price you pay.

How to choose your Kyoto massage course after a day of sightseeing

Body massage — for legs, hips and shoulders

This is the core menu: Japanese-style shiatsu and pressure-point work, applied in time with your breathing rather than with brute force. It suits the specific kind of tiredness Kyoto produces — the stone steps of Fushimi Inari, the slope up to Kiyomizu-dera, gravel shrine paths, and the calves and arches that pay for walking all of it in sandals or rented geta.

When you book, tell the therapist the two places that bother you most. “Calves and lower back” or “right shoulder from my camera bag” is more useful than “everywhere, please.” Sensations and how long any lightness lasts differ from person to person.

Dry head spa — for heavy heads and jet-lagged nights

A dry head spa is a fully clothed treatment focused on the head, neck and shoulders, performed with the hands only — no water, no shampoo, no oil in the hair, so you can walk straight out to dinner afterwards.

It is the course visitors pick when the problem is not the legs but the head: eye strain from navigating in a new city, a tight jaw, the foggy feeling of an afternoon that should have been the middle of the night back home. We do not claim it fixes jet lag. What we can say is that it is a quiet, dim, screen-free hour at a point in the day when most travellers would otherwise be scrolling in a hotel room.

Korugi facial with plaster pack — for flight-tired faces

A facial technique using firm but careful pressure along the facial muscles and lymph lines, finished with a warm plaster pack that sets over the skin and adds moisture. People choose it on the morning of a special dinner, a photo shoot in kimono, or the day after arriving. Treat it as a care-and-comfort menu rather than a promise of a particular look; results and how they feel vary by individual.

60 or 90 minutes? Decide by how far you actually walked

Most travellers underestimate their day in Kyoto. Use your phone’s step count from the previous day as the deciding number.

• Under about 8,000 steps / mostly flat: a shorter course on one target area is usually enough.
• 10,000–15,000 steps with hills (Higashiyama walk, Arashiyama, Nijo-jo in one day): a longer course, or a shorter body course with head and shoulders added.
• Over 15,000 steps or a full Fushimi Inari loop (roughly 4 km of continuous steps up and back): go long, and book it for the evening of that day rather than the next morning.
• Arrival day with 10+ hours of flying: head-focused rather than long full-body — you want calm, not a deep sleep at 16:00.

Where to put it in your Kyoto itinerary

This is the part no booking site explains, and it matters more than the menu choice.

Time slot	Best for
10:30–12:00	Jet-lagged early risers; facial care before an evening event
14:00–16:00	The gap between checkout and check-in, or a rainy afternoon
17:00–19:00	The classic slot: after sightseeing, before dinner in Pontocho or Gion
19:00–21:00 (last reservation 21:00)	After dinner, to close the day quietly before an early shinkansen

One piece of advice for arrival day: if you land in the afternoon and are fighting the urge to nap, a late-afternoon or early-evening appointment keeps you upright and occupied through the hours when a long nap would wreck your night. Standard jet-lag guidance — daylight in the morning, no heavy sleeping before evening — still applies; a treatment is simply a pleasant way to fill the difficult hours.

What actually happens when you arrive

1. Come up to the 4th floor and remove your shoes where indicated — standard practice in Japan. Clean socks are appreciated.
2. You will fill in a short form: areas of concern, pressure preference, anything we should avoid. Point at the body chart if words are easier skipped.
3. For body and head menus you stay clothed, or change into provided wear depending on the course.
4. Say something if the pressure is too strong. “Softer, please” is enough — stronger is not better.
5. Payment at the end. No tipping.

Please tell us in advance if you are pregnant, recovering from an injury or surgery, feeling unwell, or under a doctor’s care. Our services are relaxation care, not medical treatment, and some conditions mean we will recommend seeing a medical professional first.

Booking from overseas

Reserve through the web booking page whenever possible — evenings and weekends fill first, and walk-ins depend entirely on that day’s schedule. If you are unsure which course fits your plans, message us on Instagram with your date, rough arrival time and what is bothering you most, and we will suggest an option. Closing days are irregular, so always check the calendar on the booking page for your travel dates.

FAQ

Do I need to book in advance, or can I walk in?

Booking in advance is strongly recommended, especially for evening and weekend slots. Hours are 10:30–22:00 with the last reservation at 21:00, and closing days are irregular. Walk-ins are only possible when that day's schedule happens to be open, so reserve online, by phone, or via Instagram before you come.

Is it OK to have a massage on the day I land in Kyoto?

Many travellers do. A late-afternoon or early-evening appointment can help you stay awake through the hours when a long nap would disrupt your first night. Choose a head-focused or shorter course rather than a long full-body session on arrival day, and tell us if you are feeling unwell after the flight.

What should I wear, and is tipping expected?

Come in comfortable clothes; you will take your shoes off at the entrance, and for body and head menus you either stay clothed or change into wear provided. Clean socks are appreciated. Tipping is not expected anywhere in Japan, including here — you simply pay the listed price for the course you booked.