Armani to launch first spa in Tokyo

TOKYO, July 11, 2007 (AFP) - Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani's group said Wednesday it will open its first spa this autumn in Japan, a nation beloved of both hot springs and high fashion.

The Armani Group is opening its giant Armani/Ginza Tower in Ginza, one of Tokyo's ritziest districts, as part of its strategy to lure customers in Japan, already the company's largest market.

The 6,000 square-meter (65,000 square-foot) complex opening on November 8 will include a spa as well as a restaurant to "offer a complete lifestyle," the group said in a statement.

Armani's first spa will take inspiration from "ancient Roman thermal baths" and include private suites and an exclusive skincare line, the company said.

"I dream of a place where the body and the being are revitalised together in a nurturing and liberating experience," Giorgio Armani wrote in a statement.

Japan is dotted by natural hot springs, making bathing a popular form of relaxation.