Experience daily life and nature in Ome, Western Tokyo, Japan

Infos

• 

  Description

  Hello! Thanks so much for taking the time to read our profile.We’re happy to be hosting again!
  
  Our lives have changed quite a bit recently. In March 2026, both of us left the long-term jobs we had held for many years. We now spend much more time at home, which also means that we simply don’t need as much help with everyday housework and gardening as we once did.
  
  At the same time, we’ve noticed another big change. As the value of the Japanese yen has dropped significantly, Japan has become a much more affordable destination for many travelers. This is a wonderful thing—especially for younger people who can now enjoy Japanese food, events, and travel around the country more easily than before.
  
  At the same time, we feel that this has changed the role Workaway plays for some travelers. Staying with a host, sharing everyday life, and receiving accommodation and meals may no longer feel like quite the same opportunity it once did when traveling in Japan was much more expensive.
  
  For us, however, hosting someone for several weeks is still a meaningful commitment of our time, energy, food, utilities, and shared living space. So we would especially like to host people who genuinely appreciate that exchange—not simply as an inexpensive place to stay, but as an opportunity to share everyday life, contribute to the household, slow down, and get to know Japan a little more deeply.
  
  For these reasons, we are now more selective about whom we host. We are especially interested in people who are looking for a calm and settled stay, who have a sincere and deep interest in Japan, and, if possible, who are studying Japanese history, the Japanese language, culture, society, or something related.
  
  ---- A Few Very Important Notes Before You Apply ----
  Yes, our profile is rather long! Consider it a small preview of living with two former educators. But living together for several weeks works much better when both sides know what to expect, so please read it carefully before writing to us.
  
  Unfortunately, we may not respond to messages that clearly show that the profile has not been read.
  
  We only host solo travelers.
  
  We truly appreciate thoughtful, personal messages, and we enjoy reading them. At the same time, because we can host only one Workawayer at a time, we have to decline many kind and interesting applicants. Please don’t take it personally if we’re unable to host you.
  
  日本人の方も歓迎しています！
  
  Travel insurance is absolutely mandatory. Medical care in Japan is not free, and your insurance must include personal liability coverage. This is non-negotiable.
  
  We also expect Workawayers to be physically and mentally well enough to manage everyday life independently and to stay with us for the agreed period.
  
  Please avoid last-minute cancellations whenever possible, as they are difficult for us to handle.
  
  Our home is strictly non-smoking.
  
  ---------
  About Us:
  We are a married couple, Mitake Naoya and Emi. You can call us “Mitake-san” and “Emi-san.”
  
  We live in the far western part of Tokyo, close to the mountains and the Tama River. Technically, yes, we are still in Tokyo—but this is definitely not Shibuya! Life here is quieter, greener, and much more rural, while central Tokyo is still accessible by train.
  
  We both love traveling and have experienced Workaway ourselves in Cambodia and Uganda. Being on the traveler’s side of Workaway has definitely influenced the way we try to host people.
  
  Emi enjoys painting, classical piano, and making art, especially stained glass. Many of our Workawayers have joined the local stained-glass lessons she attends and really enjoyed them. She is also a big fan of Murakami Haruki and Korean dramas.
  
  Mitake taught comparative politics at a university in Tokyo for more than three decades and remains very interested in world affairs and social issues. He is now also a mental fitness coach and offers online programs in English.He loves tennis—both playing and watching—and is still a devoted Roger Federer fan. He also loves Queen, plays the piano a little, and practices Japanese brush painting.
  
  We also enjoy bringing people together at our home. For example, we currently hold a small documentary film screening and conversation event once a month.
  
  We lived in San Diego, USA (1999-2001), when Mitake was a visiting scholar at UCSD. Mitake also lived in Texas, USA, as a high school exchange student from 1981-82 and later lived in Belgium for a year from 1991-1992 as a visiting researcher.
  
  Over the years, we have hosted nearly 100 travelers from all over the world through various venues, including when we lived in the city center. Thanks to our Workawayers who helped with household chores and gardening, we’ve been able to focus more on our work. For that, we are deeply grateful!
  
  We believe homestay-style travel, such as Workaway, is one of the best ways to travel. It gives both hosts and travelers a wonderful opportunity for cultural exchange and learning. We love hearing travelers' stories and providing them with a chance to experience real life in Japan.
  
  Travel is an enduring theme in our lives. Our dream is to continue traveling for as long as possible throughout the rest of our lives and to keep discovering and learning about the vast world around us. Even when we are not traveling ourselves, we can still travel in a sense by enjoying conversations with people who are on their own journeys.
  
  Whether within Japan or abroad, travel makes us aware that there are worlds, ways of life, and individual lives that we know nothing about. Through cross-cultural exchange and by encountering perspectives and values different from our own, travel helps us recognize what is truly important in life and teaches us the importance of humility.
  
  We have visited dozens of countries, and beginning with Mitake's experience as a high school exchange student, we have had many homestay experiences. For us, Workaway is also a small way of giving something back.
  
  We believe these ideals can best be realized by experiencing ordinary local life and interacting with local people. Workaway is ideal for this kind of travel, and people who travel through Workaway tend to appreciate this style of travel, which is why we like Workaway.
  
  --------
  
  When You Apply
  
  Because we receive many applications, please tell us a little more than just the practical skills you can offer.
  
  We’d love to hear what brings you to Japan, why you have chosen to travel through Workaway rather than only as a regular tourist, why you are interested in staying with us specifically, how you imagine spending your free time while you are here, what you really love, what excites you or absorbs you, and your dreams and aspirations.
  
  You don’t need to write an autobiography—but a personal and thoughtful message really helps us understand whether we might be a good fit for each other.
  
  And please don’t forget to mention that you have travel insurance, including personal liability coverage.
  
  Looking forward to hearing from you!

• 

  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Jardinage d'entretien

  Projets DIY créatifs

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Petits travaux d'entretien

  Aide informatique/internet

  Garde de maison et d'animaux
• 

  Centres d’intérêt

  

  Dev. personnel

  

  Dev. durable

  

  Politique/justice sociale

  

  Films et télé

  

  Événements/vie sociale

  

  Culture

  

  Blogs

  

  Écriture

  

  Arts du spectacle

  

  Soin des plantes

  

  Photographie

  

  Musique

  

  Langues

  

  Histoire

  

  Jardinage

  

  Dessin et peinture

  

  Cuisine et alimentation

  

  Bricolage / artisanat

  

  Livres

  

  Art et design

  

  Sports d'équipe

  

  Yoga / bien-être

  

  Activités en plein air

  

  Nature

  

  Randonnée

  

  Cyclisme

  

  Camping

  

  Plage
• 

  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  You can experience a completely different side of Tokyo here. While it's easy to reach the city center, this area is peaceful and surrounded by nature. Spending time in the community and exploring the surroundings may give you a new perspective on Tokyo’s cultural diversity.
  
  As we mentioned in Emi’s introduction, Workawayers can often join the stained-glass workshop she attends with local people. We also try to find other local activities you can join, depending on the season and timing. In the past, our Workawayers have taken part in things like volleyball practice at the local gym, judo lessons, a casual mahjong group, volunteer-run Japanese lessons, bouldering in the Mitake Valley, and local events and festivals. We’re always happy to help you find opportunities to connect with people in the area.
  
  We enjoy connecting with people from different backgrounds and believe we communicate well across cultures. As we both spent our careers as educators, we’re happy to answer any questions you may have about Japan, our area, or everyday life here. We also enjoy thoughtful conversations and exchanging ideas with our Workawayers when they happen naturally.

• 

  Aide

  The help we need mainly falls into the following three categories. Because we now have more time ourselves and can do many things on our own, when we host a Workawayer, we’re especially looking for someone who is genuinely good at at least one—and ideally more than one—of these three areas.
  
  House cleaning & organization
  We’re not looking for someone who is simply willing to learn—we’re looking for someone who already has a strong eye for cleanliness and organization.
  We are looking for people who truly love keeping a house clean, pay close attention to small details, and are skilled and confident in maintaining a clean, well-organized living space. Please give concrete examples.
  
  Gardening
  Some previous gardening experience is important here. We are looking for people who already feel comfortable with and are strongly interested in various gardening tasks and enjoy working with plants, vegetable beds, soil, insects, and all the less glamorous parts of gardening too!
  
  Cooking
  We are looking for people who enjoy cooking. We don’t mean that we want you to cook for us every day or at every meal, but we love to host people who are confident cooking a proper meal for other people. It is a big plus if you can cook the cuisine of your country.
  
  If none of these are your strong points, our place is probably not a good match.
  
  ----
  
  Handover to the Next Workawayer
  One of your final tasks will usually be to help the next Workawayer settle in by showing them how household and gardening tasks are done, how things are used, and where things are kept.
  For this reason, we typically arrange for two Workawayers’ stays to overlap by about three days. Please try to keep your agreed arrival and departure dates unchanged whenever possible.
  
  ----
  
  One more point: we like to travel, and during your stay we may occasionally be away for several days, or even up to about a week. In that case, we may ask you to take care of the house while we are away, so please make sure you are comfortable with that possibility before applying.
  
  ----
  
  Length of Stay & General Preferences
  
  As a general rule, we ask Workawayers to stay for around four weeks.
  
  We tend to prefer Workawayers aged 25 or older, as a certain level of independence and life experience helps make the stay smoother for everyone. That said, we are open to younger applicants who clearly demonstrate maturity, responsibility, and strong skills.
  
  We especially welcome people who are:
  Able to work independently and take initiative
  Calm, respectful, and considerate
  Genuinely interested in Japan beyond tourism
  
  We also give priority to people studying Japanese, Japanese history, or related subjects, and to those who genuinely want to deepen their understanding of Japan through daily life.
  
  ----
  Help Schedule
  On help days:
  Typically about 4 hours in the morning
  About 1 hour in the evening
  You will never be asked to help more than 5 hours per day.
  Days off can be taken on any day of the week by mutual agreement. Of course, you may take consecutive days off. Three consecutive days off may also be possible if we arrange it in advance. You may stay elsewhere during those days off.

• 

  Langues parlées

  Anglais: Courant
  Japonais: Courant
  Français: Débutant

• 

  Hébergement

  *Location & Atmosphere
  We are located in the western part of Ome City, within the Tokyo Metropolis. It takes approximately 1.5 hours to reach our place from central Tokyo areas like Shinjuku or Shibuya. The nearest JR train station is about a 6-minute walk away.
  Our home is in a very quiet area, and you will likely spend a fair amount of time on your own during your stay.
  
  *Room Arrangements
  Your room arrangement may vary depending on the situation. We have both traditional Japanese rooms and Western-style rooms. In most cases, you will have a room to yourself, but we cannot always guarantee a private room because we also occasionally host family friends, former students, their children, and other visitors.When we have no other visitors, you can usually have a Japanese-style room to yourself. When other visitors or Workawayers are present, you may need to share space or sleep in a different room from the one initially assigned.
  
  Some of our Japanese-style rooms are separated by paper sliding doors rather than solid walls, so sound carries easily and privacy is more limited.
  
  Toilets and bathrooms are shared.
  
  Additionally, if we need to use the space or other visitors arrive, you may need to temporarily vacate your sleeping area during the daytime.
  
  This is very much a shared home rather than private accommodation, so some flexibility is important.
  
  *Meals & Cooking
  We provide basic, reasonably priced groceries for all your meals, including lunch, or a grocery budget when appropriate. This does not include ready-to-eat meals, expensive meat or fish, fancy desserts, alcohol, or other luxury items.
  For foods that can be especially expensive in Japan, such as fruit and nuts, please check with us before buying them with the household grocery budget.
  
  One important request: when we are providing the groceries, please make white rice a regular part of your everyday meals rather than filling up mainly on meat, fish, vegetables, or other side dishes. Rice is the traditional staple food in Japan and also the most economical base for everyday meals, so this helps us keep food costs reasonable while giving you a very ordinary Japanese eating experience.
  
  You are welcome to use our kitchen to prepare your own meals. You can also do grocery shopping using our bicycle.
  You are generally free to eat whenever you like, and you will usually prepare your own meals. At the same time, of course, we look forward to spending time eating and cooking together. In fact, some of our most memorable moments with Workawayers have been cooking and dining together! We especially love it when Workawayers cook something from their home country.
  
  *House Rules & Considerations
  We host only non-smokers, and our home is strictly non-smoking.
  
  Japanese homes have thin walls, and ours is no exception. Please keep noise to a minimum, especially at night. No loud music, and no dancing while we are at home! Save the dance party for when we’re out.
  
  The JR Ome Line railroad tracks run right in front of our house. The train service is infrequent, and the trains are short, so most people do not find the noise or vibration bothersome. However, if you are extremely sensitive to sound, please consult us beforehand.
  
  Do NOT enter the railroad tracks under any circumstances.

• 

  Autres infos...

  You can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities along the upper Tama River and in the surrounding mountains, such as bouldering, riverboarding, rafting, and canoeing. If you prefer something more relaxed, you can go walking, cycling, or hiking.
  
  There are also several shrines and temples to explore, including the beautiful and relatively uncrowded Mitake Shrine. Lake Okutama offers stunning nature and peaceful surroundings.
  
  If our schedule allows, we’d love to take you around and show you some of our favorite spots!
  
  On your days off, you can also make day or overnight trips to places such as Kawaguchiko for breathtaking views of Mt. Fuji, Hakone, Kamakura, or central Tokyo for a taste of city life and nightlife.

• 

  Informations complémentaires

  • 

    Accès Internet

  • 

    Accès Internet limité

  • 

    Nous avons des animaux

  • 

    Nous sommes fumeurs

  • 

    Familles bienvenues

• 

  Possibilité d’accueillir les digital nomads

  Cet hôte a indiqué qu’il aimait accueillir les digital nomads.

• 

  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Un

• 

  Mes animaux

Sécurité du site

Discutez avec des workawayers qui ont séjourné chez cet hôte

+30

Feedback (38)