Tucked down a narrow stone street in the Old City of Jaffa, Yoko Kitahara is an oasis fusing Mediterranean minimalism with a Japanese hosting style that is intimate yet understated.

Kitahara, the self-taught interior designer, therapist and owner, has created a haven in her spa and concept space blending culture rooted in subtlety with thoughtful placement of furnishings from Japan, Scandinavia and Israel.

The spacious, former Ottoman-era home is dressed in a neutral colour palette that respects the soft curves of the walls and crescent shaped archways.

From the foot bath that precedes all treatments, the natural light seeping gently into the public spaces and the rooftop lounge overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, Yoko Kitahara not only rejuvenates visitors but soothes muscles both physical and metaphysical.

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