Join us at our mountain land & home in rural Nara, Japan

Details

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  Description

  Note about Fall Applications

  We’re grateful for all the interest and support. We are currently focused on summer guests and will begin replying to fall applications in late August.
If you feel a strong connection to this place, we welcome your message — and thank you for your patience while we find time to read with care.
  
  We are potters, land stewards, and builders. We moved to this mountain village six years ago and have been slowly restoring a 300-year-old Japanese house and building our studios by hand, while caring for the surrounding forest, garden, and community. We enjoy hosting people who are kind, grounded, curious, and content in their own rhythm.
  This is not a tourist or retreat setting (studio access is not part of this work-stay)—it’s a place for people who enjoy simple living in a natural environment, and who understand what it means to give your full presence to physical tasks.
  I am from Japan (originally near Himeji), long-term tea ceremony practitioner, and instructor for Ikebana, Yoga & meditation. My husband is from the U.S. and a classically trained artist. He teaches pottery with a deep interest in Japanese aesthetics and makes things with land-based philosophy.
We both love sharing ideas, traditions, and reflections. At the same time, we like to move at a careful pace. While we enjoy cultural exchange, we also value quiet evenings and rest. If a moment arises naturally, we’re always glad to share stories, ideas, or experiences around the table.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Interests

  

  Sustainability

  

  Self development

  

  Culture

  

  Plant care

  

  Photography

  

  Languages

  

  History

  

  Gardening

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Carpentry

  

  Art & design

  

  Nature

  

  Mountain

  

  Hiking
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We live in a quiet area and are not event-based hosts. We live a handmade life — restoring our house ourselves, building our studios, and making things from scratch, mostly with Japanese tradition or aesthetics. Although we may not be available for socializing in the afternoon, if you're observant and engaged, you’ll experience a deep kind of cultural exchange through shared meals, local routines, and conversation with local volunteers. This is a window into rural Japanese life and seasonal rhythms.
  Our backyard opens into forest trails, crystal clear rivers to jump in, and beautiful waterfalls are within walking distance. A local onsen is just a five-minute walk, and there's a friendly brewery taproom two minutes from our home. We have a wonderful extended community of neighbors and friends who may stop by to join the work or say hello. If you show up with good energy and initiative, you’ll find yourself welcomed.

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  Help

  From October onward, we’re entering a new season of work.
The summer weeds slow down, but the deeper shaping begins.
  
  In the house, we’re beginning renovations and preparing for winter. This includes light carpentry, organizing tools, taking down old walls, and deep cleaning shared spaces — all essential to sustaining this place.
  
  Meantime one part of our land is preparing for a long-term reforestation project. Our goal is to create a multi-layered, living landscape — something like a mountain version of 里山 (satoyama), adapted for our forested slope and future needs. We are planing with our friend landscape architect to make the hillside grounded in native species
  This includes planting trees and shrubs, shaping soil and water flow, and preparing trails and camping areas for future guests. We may host several volunteers at our campground during this time — living in tents, eating together, and helping shape this land into its next form. For this part of project, we don't have the dates, yet. We may start scheduling this in October.
  
  We welcome 1–4 thoughtful, grounded volunteers who are drawn to either of these tracks — or willing to flow between both. You don’t need experience — just care, steadiness, and the ability to be happy working with your hands. Volunteers are also welcome to join other projects on a volunteer basis, if something calls to you, and something meaningful for you to learn. Our work is often joyful. There are always small things to be done, and many ways to participate.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Japanese: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  I previously taught Japanese language and culture at colleges and universities in the US. My husband loves doing researches with creative mind. Language and culture study is part of our life. When we have time, we can share our cultural study projects. It would be great if we have a chance learning new culture in person.
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  Accommodation

  We have two private rooms in our traditional house for guests. During the reforesting project, you may stay in the house or in a tent on the campground — depending on your interest and the availability of rooms.
  Wi-Fi is available throughout the house and gardens.
Bathrooms are shared, and there’s also access to a nearby onsen (5-minute walk).
  The house and land are rustic but well-cared-for. There is no air-conditioning, but there is fresh mountain air. If you feel comfortable living with the environment rather than relying on modern convenience, you may be a good fit for this space.
  We are now in the transition of the projects and we are thinking how we host the volunteers in the fall season. When we are ready to accept applications, we will post more about it. So please comeback to check it in late August.

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  What else ...

  This kind of help is essential to our life here. It supports not just our land, but our spirit. We share our time and place with joy, even if only in short moments.
  If you are someone who thrives in honest labor, enjoys your own company, and brings curiosity and calm with you, we are already thankful for your presence.
  
  We’ve received many kind responses, and we’re grateful. At the same time, we’re a small household — and a bit overwhelmed.
We’re looking for someone whose presence quietly supports the rhythm of this place and our life here.
We’re not looking to be impressed.
We’re looking for someone who notices what’s needed, and gently steps in — with care, curiosity, and a steady spirit.
  If you're interested, we’d love to hear your thoughts on these three questions. Please write simply and honestly — we welcome all levels of English.
  
  In a shared living space, small things often make a big difference.
What is something you often do — even something small — to help others feel comfortable or supported?
  
  Think about a time when you did physical or simple work — like cleaning, organizing, digging, or fixing something.
What made that kind of work feel good (or not so good)? What kind of tasks make you feel happy or useful?
  
  What makes you interested in this place — not just Japan, but this house, this life in the mountains?
Is there something you hope to learn, or a way you hope to contribute?

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

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