Resigned to a new way of life

In a hot spring, the moment people take off their bathing robes, they get rid of their social identities and just become a human in its purest form, like an animal, no different from a monkey, a flying eagle or a bird in morning light, Guo says, adding that the experience is inspiring.

Seeking a new vocation into which he can settle for a long time, running an onsen hotel is on his checklist.

Last year, he opened a travel agency to enable more Chinese tourists understand the beauty of onsen, which aims to pave the way for his plan to establish a top onsen hotel in Hangzhou, building a communication platform between China and Japan.

Becoming a writer was also mentioned in his "retirement" letter－"seeking inner peace in reading and finding life's purpose in writing".

"I have always wanted to become a writer, ever since junior high school," Guo says, adding he has never mentioned that to his parents.

His family is not wealthy. Once an electrician in a rural mine, Guo's father was not in good health after he fell off a pole due to an electrical shock. He passed away several years ago. The family was supported by his mother.

Now his mother lives in Shenzhen, with no need to worry about the family or her son, which is welcomed as "the happiest time in her life", according to Guo.

Without hesitation or asking for his mother's opinion, Guo quit his job in Beijing and moved to Tokyo.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, there has been no business for Guo's travel agency, but it has been a good time to adjust to a new pace of life, he says.

"I have continued writing for a Shanghai magazine about Japanese hot spring travel," Guo says.

After the pandemic has run its course, his travel agency will resume the business helping Chinese travelers better understand Japan's hot spring culture, he says.