The hair pulling part about travelling in Japan is their early check out time of 10am/11am. With my flight after dusk, I had plenty of time to kill. In recent years though, I discovered that the spa centres combining public bath, massages and other wellness services made for a great way to relax before my flight. This time around, I zoomed in on Tokyo Toyosu Manyo club. No, it wasn’t an Ah Beng club playing 慢摇. Instead, it was 9 storeys of spa facilities in Odaiba overlooking Tokyo Bay.
Getting to Manyo Club (Toyosu)
Located on one of the artificial islands in Tokyo Bay, Manyo Club was a 10 minute walk from the Shijō-mae Station on the Yurikamome line. From my hotel at Ginza, I hopped onto Ginza-itchome, before changing to the Yurakucho Line at Toyosu Station towards Shijō-mae Station. The Toyosu Stations of both lines weren’t connected. Therefore, I managed to park my luggage at one of the paid lockers at the station for JPY 700 (USD 5).
The walk to Manyo Club involved passing through the charming Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai shopping mall. The rooftop was designed to mimic an old Japanese street lined with exquisite two-storey wooden buildings. To me, however, it screamed ‘tourist trap’. Despite that, the place was bustling with activities. I found luggage lockers there too, but it was full – no thanks to the crowd.
Settling Into Manyo Club (Toyosu)
Manyo Club was a standalone building, so it was hard to miss it. The first 2 levels were mainly restaurants. I wouldn’t have known it better that a giant wellness centre sat above them!
To reach the reception at level 7, we had to take the lift from level 2. The reception area was huge and organised. The staff who spoke fluent English also introduced me to their Line account, from which I could obtain a further discount for my visit that day. Upon registering, I was given a wrist band containing the locker key and contactless payment chip.
Thereafter, we took off our shoes and put them in a tote bag, and proceeded to select our rental wear at the expansive shelf. We had the option to choose from yukata or samue. On top of that, there were several designs to choose from. It was rather overwhelming for someone like me who was new and not fluent in Japanese. My struggle, of course, was trying to understand the difference between a yukata and a samue.
The remaining area of level 7 was taken up by a souvenir shop, a resting area, a valuables locker, and an information counter where one could make reservations for a massage.
Following that, we proceeded to level 6, which was where the bath and lockers were. We found our lockers in the huge locker room based on the number on our wrist tags. After depositing our stuff at the locker, it was basically free play.
Manyo Club Hot Pools
Usually, the first order of the day would be to take a dip at the hot pools. There were 3 indoor pools, with one that has water jets for water massage. The 2 outdoor pools faced the panoramic city skyline across Tokyo Bay. There were also sun decks, on top of the usual chairs for resting.
The bath area also contained several sauna (dry and salt), and a corner for Korean body rubs. Despite having like 30 over washing points, the space still fills up during the peak hour of 3pm.
Post Soak Japanese Massage
After soaking in the hot bath, it would be ideal to go for a massage, since our body was warmed up and muscles loosened. The message parlours were at levels 3 and 4. One could choose from a wide selection of Japanese, Thai, Balinese and Chinese massage. They each have their own “outlets”, operating like mini stores with dedicated staff.
I chose a typical Japanese massage. As it was off-peak, I got a panoramic view from my bed. Except that I was facing down for most of my massage. To create an even more spacious feel, the massage centre adopted an open concept design, with low partition boards between the beds and slatted paneling wall separating the corridor.
My masseur delivered strong strokes, though the entire experience felt mechanical. Blame it on the Japanese culture of delivering calculated service. I enjoyed consistent service, yes, but somehow missed the “human factor”.
And to be honest, the room was pretty warm. Having soaked in the hot pools earlier on, my pores were all open and pouring out sweat. I was feeling rather hazukashi for having the young masseur plough through my sweaty back 🥹🥹
Well, I was so sweaty that I popped back to the hot bath after the massage. Following that, off to lunch I went.
Buffet Lunch at Spa Centre Manyo Club
The food hall at level 5 offered a buffet and a la carte. I was naturally attracted to the expansive buffet with options spanning Japanese and western cuisine. With my limited Japanese, I paid for the buffet and received a placard for me to “chope” my table. It also indicated when my one-hour feasting would end.
There were Japanese favourites like Mapo Tofu, Fried Rice and Curry Rice. My personal fav was the chicken balls in savoury sauce, as well as the sweet and sour fish. There was sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves, which gave the rice its light fragrant taste. The mainly western desserts were also delicious. I couldn’t really pick a favourite, but there was none that I would not go for a second round for! I gotta say the buffet was really gratifying.
Topping off the experience was the Tokyo Bay view at the dining area. There were counter seats by the window, but they were mostly taken up. By solo visitors, nonetheless. The remaining cafe dining area was rather empty. Visiting at 3pm does have its perks!
Rooftop Foot Bath With Panoramic Views
Another highlight of Manyo Toyosu was its rooftop foot bath. After taking the lift to level 9, go up the stairs to the rooftop. Upon stepping out into the open, one gets served with a 360 degree view of downtown Tokyo. The hot foot baths encircled the area, where one could just sit down and enjoy the panoramic view while taking a soak. It would be a great experience in the cold months!
There were also foot paths for folks to stroll around and enjoy the view. There were also platforms along the outer edge of the foot baths where one could take in the view unobstructed.
Making Payment
Back at the 7th floor, there were self service machines to make payments. After tapping the wrist bands, one could pay with credit cards. For those who wanted to pay with cash, they would have to do it at the counter. It was also where we would return the wrist bands and bade farewell to the wonderful spa experience!
Entrance Fee (Adult): JPY 3,850 (USD 25)
Massage: JPY 12,000 (USD 78)
Buffet: JPY 2,900 (USD 19)
Parting Words
As I was rushing to catch my flight, I couldn’t stay around any longer. There are many other facilities that I hope to try out in the future. Like the sleeping pods, reading rooms and the rock bath. I rushed back to Toyosu Station where I picked up my luggage and scooted off to Nippori. From there, onto the Narita Skyliner I went towards the airport.
Granted, I overstayed at Manyo Club (Toyosu) and almost missed my flight. However, killing time at a spa centre was definitely a great idea, especially when Japanese hotels have an early check out time of 10am or 11am! Manyo Club not only offered me a chance to soak in hot baths, I could also get a massage, stuff my face with a buffet and take in the views of Tokyo’s sweeping skyline. I would definitely return to Manyo Club (Toyosu).
If you enjoyed my trip reports, do check out my travelogues getting in touch with the nature of central Japan. Till then, stay wanderlust!
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All photos and videos were taken using Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, and edited with Google Photos.
