[First in Japan] Updating 1300 Years of Hot Spring Culture: A Pharmacy Opens Within a Hot Spring Inn, Offering Stays That Harmonize Physical Condition, Sleep, and Diet

Wataya Bessou Co., Ltd. (Ureshino City, Saga Prefecture, Representative Director: Yoshimoto Kohara, hereinafter Wataya Bessou) has welcomed Iri Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Group Representative: Takashi Aoshima, hereinafter Iri Pharmaceutical) to its Onsen Incubation Center (OIC) within the facility, effective December 1, 2025, initiating the 'Yakuhaku' (Pharmacy Stay) project aimed at establishing a new style of stay featuring an in-ryokan pharmacy. In 2021, we embarked on a five-year journey to transform from 'a place to stay' to 'a ryokan to visit.' Now, Wataya Bessou aims to evolve the ryokan into 'a place to harmonize mind and body.' The value created by the intersection of a pharmacy and a ryokan goes beyond mere improvement of medical access. By combining the expertise of Iri Pharmaceutical, which handles prescription pharmacies, pharmaceuticals, health foods, and regenerative medicine, with the 1,300-year-old hot spring culture of Ureshino, we will offer a comprehensive stay experience encompassing diet, sleep, aroma, and mental care starting April 2026. Notably, this is the first time a pharmacy will be co-located within a ryokan facility in Japan*. *Self-researched.

A New Concept: A 'Pharmacy' in a Hot Spring Inn While hot spring resorts attract many tourists, medical support options for guests who fall ill during their travels have been limited. The in-ryokan pharmacy will provide health consultations by pharmacists and support for guests' well-being during their stay, serving as a hub for peace of mind and health experiences during hot spring visits. This is the first instance of a pharmacy being co-located within a ryokan facility in Japan*, pioneering a new model of health tourism from a hot spring destination. *Self-researched.

Scene of Yakuhakudo (Pharmacy Stay Hall)

Hot Spring Stays = Time for Harmonization. Japanese hot springs have been deeply ingrained in people's lives since ancient times as 'Yuji' (hot spring therapy) for recuperation from illness and health maintenance. This traditional hot spring culture is being reinterpreted to fit modern lifestyles. Using the pharmacy within the ryokan as a base, we will fuse hot springs, pharmacists, and wellness to offer new value in stays that cater to each individual's physical and mental needs. Guests can harmonize their bodies with hot springs, receive health support based on expert knowledge, and be guided towards healthy habits that connect to their daily lives. Through this, we aim to re-edit Japan's wellness culture with hot springs as the starting point, creating 'Japanese Longevity' for a sustainable and fulfilling life.

What Ureshino Onsen Makes Possible. Ureshino Onsen, with over 1,300 years of history recorded in the 'Hizen Province Fudoki' from the Nara period, has long been cherished as a place for hot spring therapy. It is also one of Japan's leading tea-producing regions, rich in food culture and natural environment, fostering a regional culture where hot springs are closely intertwined with food and daily life. Wataya Bessou combines these regional resources with the expertise of pharmacists to create a new health stay model unique to a hot spring resort. We will disseminate the next generation of hot spring culture from Ureshino Onsen.