YURUTOTO
London · by appointment
Soften, then find your balance.
Japanese bodywork for softening, reconnecting and returning to yourself.
ゆるんで、ととのう。
The simple idea
You don’t always need to do more. Sometimes, you need a space where you can finally stop trying.
The Art of O-te-ate
From ゆるめる to ととのえる
Rooted in the Japanese tradition of O-te-ate （お手当て）, meaning to care through the hands, Yurutoto is a gentle practice of touch, presence, and deep relaxation.
Rather than asking the body to change, Yurutoto creates space for you to listen, soften, and reconnect.
Yurutoto grew from the long-term exploration of its founder, Chikage Mukai, into a distinctive approach to gentle care. The philosophy is not about forcing change, but about creating conditions in which people can notice their own sensations and reconnect with a sense of ease. Today, Yurutoto Lab. develops practitioners and brings this approach into homes, workplaces, education, welfare and communities.
A quiet conversation between the hands and the body.
A moment to let go.
A moment to come back to yourself.
ゆるめるYurumeru
To soften, loosen, release unnecessary effort.
ととのえるTotonoeru
To bring into balance, organise, realign.
ゆるんで、ととのう。Soften, then find your balance.
What to expect
A gentle invitation to slow down
Yurutoto is a gentle invitation to slow down, listen to your body and reconnect with the present moment. People often describe noticing:
- A greater sense of ease and relaxation throughout the body
- A more balanced and comfortable posture
- A feeling of lightness and spaciousness
- Greater awareness of their body, breathing and habitual patterns
- A sense of balance and groundedness
- A feeling of warmth and gentle flow throughout the body
- A deeper connection between how they feel physically and emotionally
- A quiet mind and a greater ability to stay present
- A sense of being more connected to themselves
The experience is different for everyone. You don’t need to achieve a particular result. Yurutoto creates the space for you to notice what your body is already telling you.
Good to know
- What to wear
- You stay fully clothed throughout. Comfortable, soft clothes you can relax in are ideal.
- Where you lie
- On a bed, warm and supported, so you can settle without holding yourself up.
- Who it is for
- Anyone from the age of three upwards. There are a few things to be aware of beforehand, and Akari will share the full guidance with you once your booking is confirmed.
Less force. More awareness.
Rather than using strong pressure, Yurutoto works through gentle touch, subtle movement and careful observation. The intention is to support the body in finding a more comfortable relationship with itself, rather than forcing it into a particular position.
After the session
Some notice immediately. Others, later.
Some people notice changes immediately. Others notice them later, as they move, rest or go about their day. You may notice yourself:
- standing a little differently.
- breathing a little more freely.
- moving with less unnecessary effort.
- noticing tension earlier.
- feeling more present.
For some people, the most valuable part isn’t what happens during the session, but what they begin to notice afterwards.
That’s why Yurutoto doesn’t have to end when you leave the room. Akari may also share simple ways to bring greater body awareness into your everyday life.
Your body’s natural ability
Your body already knows how.
Japan, early twentieth century.
Not so long ago, people carried extraordinary loads through an ordinary day — on their heads, on their backs, without training programmes or equipment. Their bodies were not stronger by accident. They were organised: balanced, aligned, working as a whole rather than forcing one part to do everything.
That ability hasn’t disappeared. It is usually just buried under the tension we collect day after day.
So before asking your body to do more, it can help to release what it is already holding.
Before & after
Nothing forced. Just ease.
These photographs show individual experiences from Yurutoto sessions. Nothing is pushed, pulled or forced. Sometimes, relaxation can be reflected in the way we naturally hold ourselves.
Before is on the left, after is on the right.
Individual results may vary.
Sessions & pricing
Choose the amount of time you’d like
60 minutes
Yurutoto Session — 60 minutes
A complete session to soften the body and let the nervous system settle. A gentle place to begin.
£150
90 minutes
Yurutoto Session — 90 minutes
More time to work slowly, with space to rest and notice what changes along the way.
£200
120 minutes
Yurutoto Session — 120 minutes
An unhurried session, with time for the body to fully let go and find its own order again.
£250
Yurutoto care packages
For those who want to make space for themselves, regularly.
A single session can be a moment to pause. A package gives you the opportunity to make that space part of your routine.
Packages are arranged by request over email, not through online booking.
5 Sessions
- 60 minutes
- £700
- 90 minutes
- £950
For those who would like to experience Yurutoto regularly and give themselves a little more space between busy days.
10 Sessions
- 60 minutes
- £1,350
- 90 minutes
- £1,800
For those who want to make regular body care part of their lifestyle.
Other session lengths or package options are available by request. Please get in touch. amukai2525@gmail.com
- Payment
- Payment is taken at the time of booking, so there is nothing to arrange on the day — you can simply arrive.
- Changes
- Free cancellation up to the day before your session, with a full refund. For same-day changes, please get in touch directly.
Yurutoto is not a medical treatment, and it is not a substitute for medical care. If something in your body worries you, please speak to your doctor.
Your practitioner
Akari Mukai
Japanese Therapist · Yurutoto Practitioner · Board Director, Yurutoto Lab.
Inspired by the power of touch that helped her through childhood health challenges, Akari was trained by her mother, who has worked in holistic care for more than 25 years.
Akari has been involved with Yurutoto Lab. since its foundation, working alongside its founder and her mother, Chikage Mukai, as a core member of the organisation.
She is a certified Yurutoto therapist and instructor, and has worked with 300+ people ranging from age 2 to their 90s, from 12 different countries. Her experience includes individual clients, corporate employees, educators, healthcare professionals, dancers, artists and creative professionals.
She has also worked in international hospitality and healthcare-related environments, including EXPO 2025 Osaka, where she developed her perspective on international guest experience and the future of human-centred care.
Combining the delicate touch of Craniosacral Therapy and the postural awareness of the Alexander Technique, her work focuses on warmth and resonance — a bridge between the heart and the body.
Today, Akari is developing Yurutoto internationally from London, with a particular focus on artists, performers and creative communities — “tuning” the body so that a performer’s physical instrument is as clear and resonant as their spirit.
“It feels like a deep meditation for the body.”
Question
What are the benefits of Yurutoto?
Yurutoto can help you slow down, become more aware of your body and reconnect with a sense of ease. People often describe feeling deeply relaxed, lighter, more balanced and more present afterwards. Some notice changes in their posture, breathing or movement, while others simply appreciate having a quiet space where they don’t have to do anything. Everyone experiences Yurutoto differently. Rather than promising a particular result, we invite you to discover what changes you notice in your own body.
The bigger idea
When we have more space within ourselves, we have more space for others.
A person who can pause, breathe and reconnect with themselves may have a little more room to smile. And one smile can reach another person. Then another.
One person feeling cared for. One person smiling. One small moment of ease.
That is how a culture of care can spread.
Yurutoto isn’t about creating a perfect body or eliminating every discomfort. It’s about remembering that you are a person who also deserves to be cared for — and perhaps taking that feeling with you into the rest of your day.
ゆるんで、ととのう。
Soften, then find your balance.
7 Manchester Square, London W1U 3PQ · by appointment.
- amukai2525@gmail.com
- Phone
- +44 7352 127450
- @yurutoto_by_akari
Are you a practitioner? There is a longer story, and an invitation, here.