Originally from Seattle, Washington in the US, Tyler Lynch manages a Japanese inn, or ryokan, at a hot springs resort in Nagano Prefecture. Lynch fell in love with the ryokan as a place where you can enjoy a traditional way of life that is otherwise disappearing. He listens carefully to guests in order to determine their preferences and needs, and offers them his own personal take on Japanese hospitality. He combines with various efforts to breathe fresh life into the local community.