It has been a memorable year for us; Ikeda Spa turns 10 this May. To commemorate our tenth anniversary, we bought you Sapporo Beer! Yes, you heard that right, your beer is on us! Invite a friend for free beer; for every successful referral, we will give you an additional two cans of beer!
What makes us Ikeda? Our signature Japanese onsen? Upscale quality spa services? All of these, but most importantly, YOU, our loyal friend who has travelled with us throughout the decade. Thank you for you. Your unwavering support and dedication are our motivation. You have a share in each and every one of our achievements and accomplishments.
The Founding Story: Ikeda Spa
We had a big plan with Ikeda Spa – our mission is to bring the Japanese ryokan culture into Singapore so that more people could experience such hospitality and come to understand the culture. If you don’t know what a ryokan is, you are seriously missing out on something big in Japan. Ryokans are Japanese-style inns throughout the country, especially in hot spring resorts. More than just a place to sleep, ryokans provide the best opportunities to experience the traditional Japanese lifestyle and hospitality. Traditional elements like tatami floors, futon beds, Japanese-style baths and local cuisine make ryokans popular with Japanese and foreign tourists.
The lack of ryokans in Singapore meant we had to do it the hard way. We travelled to numerous places in Japan to visit the different ryokans and draw inspiration for the conceptualisation of the spa. No interior designers in Singapore had designed a traditional Japanese inn. Hence, we couldn’t find anyone to do it. So we did it ourselves – from sketching on napkins, hiring draftsmen, drawing the technical diagram, to working on-site with the contractors to build the spa.
Our hard work paid off when Ikeda Spa opened on 1st May 2009 at Bukit Timah. Then, we had only a humble shophouse and little marketing funds to spend on advertising, so we relied heavily on word-of-mouth. To our surprise, a customer had written in the newspapers and on the radio to share information about us. As a result, Ikeda Spa became the talk of the town overnight. Until today, we still have no idea who this customer is. If you are reading this, we sincerely thank you for your kind gesture. Ikeda Spa would not be who we are today if it were not for you.
The birth of IREN Shizen
Fast forward to 2015, we wanted to create a new skincare brand that embodies Ikeda’s essence—delivering our customers the purest and finest products. Our journey led us to Hokkaido, Japan, where our spa founder discovered the secret behind the locals’ naturally glowing skin: regular soaks in the rejuvenating onsen waters known as “Bijin-no-yu,” or “hot spring of beauty.” It is the one and only plant-based hot spring in Japan, also known as Moor Onsen Water. It is so rare that it was designated a Hokkaido Heritage in 2004. Inspired by these skin-regenerating effects, we were determined to share this beauty secret with the world. Collaborating with top scientists in Japan and Singapore, we re-invested all our savings from Ikeda into the project to recreate this precious onsen water in our labs through advanced biotechnology. This revolutionary lab-grown ingredient, BIYUSEN™, has become the cornerstone of every IREN Shizen product, infusing each with the transformative powers of Japan’s most exclusive onsen.
In December 2017, IREN Shizen was born. Formulated in-house and made in Japan, IREN Shizen prides itself on its stringent standards in formulation and production. We remain committed to striving harder to find the best products for all our Ikeda customers. Your genuine feedback is invaluable; please continue supporting us on this journey!
Regardless of the number of years that have passed, we will stay true to the spirit of Omotenashi behind the services of Ikeda Spa. We will continue to deliver WOW to you on your every visit. We are proud of ourselves for sticking to our mission from day one of the past decade.
What motivates us to continue for the next ten years is to have you join us on this journey. As part of a Japanese tradition, we should toast this special occasion. We are waiting for you in Ikeda Spa, with free beer.
