YAMAGEN Stay & Retreat

RETREAT PROGRAM

2-Night / 3-Day Stay & Retreat Program

Staying as if you live here, in the gentle space between the everyday and the extraordinary.
Would you like to create a rich moment together?

A retreat program in a 120-year-old traditional house in Kashiwabara-juku, an old post town on the Nakasendo road — for one group at a time

Purpose of the program

The heart of our stay is connection and experience.

The limited time given equally to every one of us
Though we begin as host and guest,
shall we create, together, a creative time that goes beyond that relationship?

About us and our role

At the center of our work is making places where people come together
It is a way of mending the relationships we lost in exchange for modern rationalism
As part of this, we have hosted through Airbnb, Couchsurfing and HelpX for about 15 years
Many of the people we met through them were travelers reflecting on the meaning and richness of life
We believe these thinning relationships include not only people but also nature
Through Japan's land and seasons and its traditional handwork, you may come to notice something inside you that you have not yet put into words

We also have two children
Watching them, we feel that children have a way of gently holding people together

The three days

This is just one example. We will tailor the program to your wishes

Day 1 — Ajiwau (to savor)

• Plants and flowers, the scents and sounds of the seasons
• Savor the house and its surroundings, within walking distance

Day 2 — Awai (the space in between)

• Walk a little farther from the house, and work with your hands
• Nature, community, history — feel yourself within these relationships

Day 3 — Ima-koko (here and now)

• A morning walk and making breakfast
• After breakfast, in easy conversation, we put into words what we look back on and what lies ahead

Seasonal experiences

We will suggest experiences that suit the season of your stay

• Spring: gathering spring wild plants, rice planting (June), firefly watching (June)
• Summer: playing in the river (July–August)
• Autumn: rice harvest (October), pruning the garden trees
• Winter: pounding mochi (December–January), making shimenawa straw ropes (December), making miso (February–March)

※ Snow limits travel.

Meals

Meals are not served, but we eat together by cooking together
Depending on the season, starting from picking wild plants
Simple seasonings that bring out the ingredients — deep flavors, together

Picking herbs in the garden for tea
Turning wild plants gathered on a walk into tempura for dinner
Shaving aged katsuobushi for the miso soup — the sound, and then the taste
One extra step, and the world seems to come into color

Then let us enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime meal together

What's included / not included

• Included: 2 nights' stay, experiences, ingredients, pick-up and drop-off at the nearest station
• Not included: travel costs, insurance, served meals

Price (tax included, JPY)

• 1 person, 2 nights: ¥100,000
• 2 people, 2 nights: ¥150,000
• Children (10 and over): +¥30,000 each
• Children (under 10): +¥15,000 each
• 3 or more guests: please ask
• We host one group at a time
• Payment: credit card / JPYC (a Japanese yen stablecoin), paid in full in advance

How to book

1. Please email us your preferred dates and the number of guests. If you use a wheelchair, are sensitive to chemicals, travel with an assistance dog or bring a pet, please let us know so we can prepare
2. Once the dates and program are arranged, we will send youpayment instructions.
3. After you receive the payment instructions, within 72 hours ,please pay the full amount(credit card / JPYC).Your booking is confirmedonce we receive payment
4. On the day, we will pick you up at the station

※ All deadlines are in Japan Standard Time (JST / UTC+9) . The payment deadline will be stated in JST in our email.

Cancellation and refunds

• Up to 23:59, 14 days before arrival: full refund
• From 13 days before until 23:59 the day before: 50% refund
• From 00:00 on the day of arrival: no refund (including no-shows)

※ Cancellation fees also apply to changes of dates or other booking details

※ The same cancellation policy applies in case of snow

※ If you cannot come because of a disaster such as an earthquake, typhoon or heavy snow, we will refund you in full (based on official announcements such as Japan Meteorological Agency warnings or transport suspensions)

※ A refund fee (JPYC: ¥1,000 / credit card: ¥8,000) is deducted from refunds. No fee is deducted for cancellations due to disasters

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