Tagiru.’s Story

How Ayurveda saved and changed my life.

In 2014, at the age of 29, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease considered incurable in Japan. In recent years MS diagnoses have been increasing at an alarming rate not only in Japan, but also in Europe and the United States. At one point, my body became so numb that I was hardly able to speak, and I spent four years in and out of the hospital, my future cloudy and unsure.

With rehabilitation and other efforts, I learned to walk again and returned to work, but I had less than 50% of my previous physical strength and my motor skills were still impaired. Moreover, the daily self-injections prescribed by my doctor at the time took a mental toll on me, and I continued to suffer from the major side effects of drugs like steroids (headaches, chills, fogginess, mental instability, etc.).

In 2017, at the age of 33 and verging on despair, a business trip took me to Sri Lanka, where I had my first and ultimately life-changing encounter with Ayurveda.

In a leap of faith, I took a month and a half off to be treated at an Ayurvedic Resort in Sri Lanka. That Resort was the Hiru Mudra Ayurveda Resort, currently the Tagiru Ayurveda Resort!

After studying my constitution and disorder, my Ayurvedic doctor helped to ensure that I followed the right well-balanced diet for me, took appropriate treatments, practiced the yoga my body needed, and pursued a life that was right for me. This was a time of returning to and reinforcing “normal” life, but the program was also tailored to my specific body, mind and soul. It was like being in a long meditation, and little by little I could see that the deepest part of me was being healed. By the end of my 35-day stay, I had largely recovered from my long-standing deep numbness and fatigue. Even my doctor in Japan was surprised by my recovery.

For the first time in my life, I felt a gentle yet life-affirming energy slowly fill my body. As my body and mind became more balanced, I uncovered dormant and forgotten dreams of pursuing meaningful challenges without fearing failure. Gazing out at the beautiful Sri Lankan sea that spread in front of me, I vowed that from then on I would live honestly, honoring those desires and feelings.

After this unexpected and very favorable development, and with a lot of help and encouragement from my family and many local Sri Lankan staff members, I took over this place where I was cured and founded Tagiru in January 2022.

The meaning of “Tagiru”

The name of the hotel, "Tagiru," means "feeling a renewed energy emerging from inside your body" in Japanese. “Tagiru” is exactly what I almost lost when I was fighting my illness – it is the feeling of “regaining the sense of life,” which I believe is the goal of Ayurveda. It is the sense of being alive that I regained through Ayurveda.

Everyone’s Ayurvedic journey is unique. Our job is to help you get the most out of your personal Ayurvedic experience at Tagiru, so that you are able to regain or refine your true sense of self. Here you will have the freedom to balance body, mind, and soul so that during your time with us you begin to perceive feelings and memories that may currently be hidden from you.

What only “Small Private Villa” can do

Each Ayurvedic journey is unique. Each guest has their own story and history. Our fundamental Ayurvedic treatments start with learning and studying the individual.

We can help you on your Ayurvedic journey. As a small, 12-room private villa we can provide Ayurvedic treatments tailored to your constitution, situation, desires, and concerns. This custom-designed program means we are able to see and know you at a deeply personal level. Our sincerest wish is that you become so comfortable talking to me and Tagiru’s staff that this place feels like home to you, now and in the future.

Once you arrive, trust in the power of Ayurveda and surrender everything to it – listen carefully to your mind and body, which are changing day by day, and to your senses, which have their own wisdom.

I am excited to see you soon!

Shuji Ito
Director of Tagiru. Ayurveda Resort