Onsen in Tokyo

LaQua- what is that name supposed to mean? To me, after last weekend, it means a little oasis in the middle of Tokyo. After a hard night, the next day I was determined to escape the big city and head out to an onsen ryokan (Japanese inn with a hot spring). But as I called place after place and was told all the rooms were booked, my vision of relaxing in an outdoor onsen surrounded by the mountains started to disappear. Then my friend Rosanna and I remembered LaQua.

Digging deep, deep, deep down, the developers of LaQua uncovered a natural onsen and piped it 9 flights up into a building in the middle of Tokyo. Nothing is impossible in Tokyo where they used to have an indoor ski mountain.

At LaQua, you check in, get a digital wrist band and change into pyjamas. For $30, you can spend as long as you like in the building. While there, you can enjoy the many pools, including outdoor pools, jacuzzi pools, steam rooms... the list goes on. Or pay extra for a variety of massage services, manicures, and other bits of pampering. There are also cafes and restaurants. And it's open 22 hours a day! You leave your money in the locker and whatever you want you put on the wristband.

What way to spend a Saturday evening with a friend!