Shizuka New York Day Spa

There’s no excuse not to relax in this quaint spa, run by aesthetician Shizuka Bernstein. Most of the friendly staff is from Japan, including Bernstein, and she aimed to create an atmosphere reminiscent of her origins. It’s easy to see it in the decor, which includes curtains emblazoned with kanji (Japanese symbols), and wall art featuring cherry blossoms and bamboo. Soothing music fills the warm, gold-hued space, where all spagoers receive kimonos. Among the popular Japanese treatments are the famous Geisha Bird-Poop Facial (60 minutes for $180), nail-art manicures ($10–$100) and Sakura pedicures (45 minutes for $60), which soaks your feet in a cherry-blossom-aroma–infused bath before scrubbed them with a mixture of ground adzuki beans, rice bran powder and ground loofah, covering them in a mask made of Japanese green tea and massaging them with house-made yuzu cream. A highlight is the shiatsu massage (50 minutes for $105), during which a masseuse uses finger pressure and stretching to tranquilize both your mind and body. The blissful services end with a cup of herbal green tea and rice snacks, served in a lounge featuring a running-water fountain.