Are your mind and body completely worn out before you even notice in the midst of a busy everyday life?

What people in the modern age especially need is an inn tucked quietly along a mountain stream in the Kirishima hot spring region: Seiryū-sō. Here, you can experience the wisdom of tōji (therapeutic hot-spring stays), which has long been passed down in Japan, adapted to a modern lifestyle.

Enveloped by the murmuring river and rustling trees, you let yourself surrender to two kinds of hot springs — a sulfur spring and an alum spring — and taste gentle cuisine using seasonal local ingredients.

Away from digital devices, as you take deep breaths, your heart and body gradually realign—

This is not a mere hot spring trip, but time to “reboot” yourself. In this quiet inn, there is such value and comfort that those who have visited once naturally feel “I want to come back here next time.”

A “tōji” time that the modern person needs more than ever

Tōji is a healing/traditional health practice passed down in Japan, involving long-term stays in hot spring areas, where one’s body and mind are soothed by the efficacy of the springs and the quiet environment immersed in nature. In old times, during off-season for farming or for recuperation, locals and travelers would stay in hot spring regions for weeks or months at a time to carefully restore their bodies. That tradition had faded somewhat, but now it is once again gathering attention.

Behind this revival lies major changes in our living environment. Chronic fatigue from long working hours, brain overload from nonstop incoming information, and psychological tension brought by dependence on smartphones and digital devices—all these factors accumulate, and many people end up unknowingly losing the balance of their minds and bodies.

The purpose of modern tōji is not limited to physical fatigue recovery. It aims to restore disrupted life rhythms, soften mental tension, and reclaim time for deep breathing. In other words, it is “comprehensive maintenance of mind and body.” To achieve this, three elements are indispensable: a quiet environment away from noise and crowds; high-quality springs gentle to the skin and body; and time freed from everyday chores and digital constraints. When these three come together, even a short stay of just a few days can yield a reset effect — a deep, core-level realignment.

More people who understand the value of this modern tōji and wish to practice it are rising year by year, and hot spring inns are also evolving their stay styles to respond to this demand.

The form of modern tōji realized at Seiryū-sō

Situated along a mountain stream in the Kirishima hot spring region, Seiryū-sō embodies the ideal of modern tōji. Open a window, and you’ll find the forest in all its seasonal hues and the ever-flowing, pure river just outside. The sound of water and birdsong form a natural BGM kind to ears and heart—something you can never experience in the city. You’re separated from daily noise, wrapped in a sensation as if your five senses slowly awaken.

The inn has 21 rooms, kept at a modest scale, giving an atmosphere of calm comfort. With few guest rooms, foot traffic in corridors, lounges, and baths is gentle, and time flows with no sense of congestion or bustle. Such an environment is more important than anything when it comes to the quiet time of “tōji” to align mind and body.

Without being rushed by anyone, being able to spend time in a pleasing pace brings great value in modern tōji. You can taste the sensation of your heart and body naturally untying. Seiryū-sō is a special place that makes such a luxurious stay possible.

How best to spend a solo tōji

At Seiryū-sō, solo stays are genuinely welcome. Time spent at your own pace, without needing to worry about others, is the greatest luxury in aligning mind and body. In the morning, rise a little early and head to the morning bath overlooking the stream. Within the steam, listen to the murmuring river while the warmth of the hot spring permeates your body from its core. Then, with your warmed body, do a light stretch—your circulation improves, and even your heart seems to lighten.

During the day, enjoy quiet moments in the lounge or on the terrace. Open a favorite book or write in a journal or travel log. If you glance up, your eyes meet swaying trees and the sparkling river surface. This everyday scenery is itself the greatest luxury to loosen your heart.

Also recommended is the “digital detox”: intentionally not using the inn’s Wi-Fi or keeping your smartphone away from your hand. At first, you might feel restless or uneasy, but after a few hours the noise in your mind quiets, and in its place the sounds of birds and wind come through vividly. Creating distance from urban clamor and unceasing information is an important step to practicing modern tōji. Seiryū-sō is a place that offers that chance.

To an inn that helps restore balance in health and spirit

The core charm of Seiryū-sō lies in the luxury of enjoying two types of hot springs. A sulfur spring that promotes circulation and boosts metabolism, and an alum spring that tightens pores and brings translucence. Both are gentle on the skin, so even those with sensitive skin or women can bathe with peace of mind. Though each spring has distinct appeal, they share the trait of leaving the skin moist and supple after bathing—and over time you will feel an increasing smoothness.

Meals are served in kaiseki style using seasonal ingredients from Kirishima, with gentle seasoning that doesn’t burden the body. The food seeps into the body that has been warmed by the hot spring. You soak in the springs, savor comforting meals, and fall into a deep sleep in a room by the mountain stream. As you repeat this gentle cycle, daily fatigue and stress gradually untangle.

Time spent at Seiryū-sō is more than mere “healing”—it is an investment in guiding your future self toward greater health and tranquility. Surrounded by Kirishima’s forest and stream, mind and body harmonize at the same time. Wouldn’t you like to set out on such a journey?