Photographer: Sasha Zacks
Photographer: Sasha Zacks
Photographer: Sasha Zacks
Located in a charming and spacious Ottoman-era home in the Old City of Jaffa that is rooted in history, Yoko Kitahara is a restorative respite from the bustling Middle Eastern city, offering Japanese hospitality and massage therapy treatments in a transcendent space overlooking the Mediterranean.
The new space of 250 sqm was an unoccupied home when discovered by Yoko herself. The initial renovation took 1 1/2 years and was handled by locals, after which Yoko spent a month on an intensive design rework to transform the space. The purpose of Yoko Kithara is to heal. It's not a spa -- it's a complete, energetically healing experience that includes treatments.
The Jaffa-transplant from Tokyo's Hayama seaside region, Yoko has personally imagined and designed this magnificent space to express the Japanese contemporary life and culture embedded in the local Middle Eastern atmosphere. From the moment you enter the magical Kikar Kidumim and approach the white-clad gate of Yoko Kitahara, one immediately feels moved and captivated by the “omotenashi” philosophy of Japanese hospitality.
Upon entrance (up a flight of a 300+ year stairs), guests take off their shoes and become enchanted by the tan-clad, minimalist space with curved ceilings and Japanese furnishings. The majestic rooftop panoramic view of the Mediterranean blue allows guests to relax after their treatments.
Giving the highest attention to the smallest details, the founder, Yoko, herself brings a breadth of wellness experience and a distinct approach to what a massage treatment should be from its Aromatherapy based on Hogushi & Nagashi methodology to its Dr. Hauschka facials, acupuncture, shiatsu and “Biijin” treatments.
Design Team:
Yoko Kitahara
Photographer: Sasha Zacks
Photographer: Sasha Zacks
Photographer: Sasha Zacks
Photographer: Sasha Zacks
Photographer: Sasha Zacks
Photographer: Sasha Zacks
Photographer: Sasha Zacks
Photographer: Sasha Zacks
Photographer: Sasha Zacks
Photographer: Sasha Zacks
Photographer: Sasha Zacks
Photographer: Sasha Zacks
Photographer: Sasha Zacks
Photographer: Sasha Zacks