Interview with the Tasaka couple
We spoke with the Tasaka couple, who run Totonoidokoro mui in Mabi.
Discovering Thai massage and yoga
What inspired you to start Thai massage and yoga?
Tasaka Masashi (honorifics omitted)
It began when I quit the company I was working for at age 29 and visited Thailand as a backpacker.
I had always suffered from lower back pain and took care of it myself. I started learning Thai massage intending to experience Thai culture, but before I knew it, I had become absorbed in its philosophical appeal and depth.
Tasaka Yumi (honorifics omitted)
I watched my mother do yoga from the time I was little.
After graduating from university, when I began working as a health and fitness instructor, I loved sharing the joy of moving the body and hoped to teach yoga someday.
A turning point was discovering rafting.
In the great outdoors, I experienced the feeling of “letting go of tension in my shoulders.” Later, when I began studying yoga in earnest, I realized that the comfort I had felt in nature was actually “yoga philosophy” itself.
Captivated by the joy of finding the answers, I decided I wanted to deepen my understanding throughout my life, and that brings me to where I am today.
The meaning behind “mui”
Could you tell us how you chose the name?
Tasaka Masashi
The name “mui” comes from the phrase “muishizen” (living in harmony with nature).
We discussed it many times and decided on it together before moving to Mabi.
We offer massage and yoga, but our hope is not limited to that. We want people to restore their bodies and feel energized through connecting with nature and enjoying play.
I lost a dear friend to mental illness. At the time, I often wondered if there was anything I could have done.
As I reflected on this, I became convinced that the key to easing tension in the body and mind and being able to live naturally lies not only in receiving treatment, but also in simple everyday activities—walking outside in the sunlight or having tea with someone. This conviction forms the foundation of the space called “mui.”
What mui aims to do
What are your plans for the future?
Tasaka Masashi
I’m thinking about programs that combine self-care and bushcraft.
Bushcraft is an activity somewhere between camping and survival, involving things like carving tools from wood with a knife and starting fires.
Children today have fewer opportunities to experience nature or use tools such as saws. They can use their bodies, feel nature, and make something. In between, we can talk about self-care.
Learning about physical fitness and practical life skills also helps with disaster preparedness. I’d like to create programs that are fun for parents and children and feel like play, while also teaching them something.
Tasaka Yumi
I’d like to offer seasonal wellness classes based on my knowledge and experience.
I want to share, in a way that’s easy for everyone to understand, tips I’ve learned through yoga for dealing with physical discomfort and getting through each season.
I hope people will have a range of ideas to help them live comfortably on their own, even when I’m not there.
From the Writer
What the two have in common is that they want not merely to offer relaxation, but to help people develop the ability to take care of themselves in everyday life.
It’s not about doing something special in a special place, but about noticing in daily life, “I’m tired right now, so I’ll take it a little easier.” They believe that accumulating these small moments of awareness is what makes for a healthy life.
Why not take some time to focus on your body and mind in the peaceful atmosphere of Totonoidokoro mui?
Totonoidokoro mui details
| Name | Totonoidokoro mui |
|---|---|
| Address | 1397-1 Arii, Mabi-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 090-1684-5251 |
| Parking | Available |
| Hours | 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. By appointment only |
| Closed | Irregular holidays |
| Payment methods |
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| Website | Totonoidokoro mui |
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