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

Details

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  Description

  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 included to this 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, and 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

  Gardening

  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 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 in 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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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  Every summer from late June through early October, our mountain land grows wild and fast. We need help cutting back the overgrowth and maintaining trails and edges. This is some of the hardest, most honest work of the year—and also some of the most rewarding.
  
  We are seeking 1–2 energetic, kind, and physically strong people to join us for short-term volunteer stays (5-7days). In exchange for your help, we offer good food, meaningful days, and a quiet home in the mountains of Nara, Japan.
  
  The main task is weed cutting and land clearing. This is outdoor work—sometimes muddy, hot, or buggy—but satisfying if you enjoy using your body and working with care.
  Morning hours are for work (usually 6:00–11:00, with short water brakes), when it’s cooler
  After lunch, you are free to rest, explore, or simply enjoy the surroundings
  We cook with extra care, and we ask the volunteers help clean the kitchen after meals

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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

  You’ll stay in a private room in our traditional house, with a bed, tatami floor, and peaceful mountain air.
  We provide:
  A private room with bed or futon on tatami mat.
  All meals (self-serve breakfast; lunch and dinner cooked by us).
  Wi-Fi throughout the house and the gardens.
  Shared bathrooms and access to a nearby onsen (5-minute walk).
  The house is rustic but clean and well-cared-for. We take pride in our meals and our shared spaces.

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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 cook with extra care for volunteers. 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.
  The questions below aren’t meant to measure your achievements. They’re simply a way for us to understand how you approach work, learning, and shared living.
  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 this sounds like you, we’d be glad to hear from you. Thank you.
  
  In a shared living space, small gestures make a big difference.
  • Tell us about a habit or routine you practice that supports harmony with others.
  
  Tell us about a recent hands‑on project or practical task that mattered to you.
  • Which parts of the process felt most alive?
  • How did you sense that your contribution was meaningful—whether or not the project is ‘finished’?
  
  Describe a time you realized you needed to learn something mid‑stream.
  • What helped you move forward?
  • What did the experience teach you about yourself?
  
  Life here includes physical tasks such as hauling wood, climbing ladders, or mixing clay.
  • What kinds of embodied work have you done before?
  • How do you care for your body during sustained effort?
  
  Imagine you have three unstructured hours in our workshop or garden.
  • What would you choose to explore—and why?
  
  Share one skill you feel comfortable guiding others in, and one area where you’re eager to grow.
  • What does ‘guiding’ look like for you?
  • What draws you toward the new skill?
  
  What calls you specifically to Yoshino and to our house, rather than another countryside opportunity?

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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?

  Two

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  My animals / pets

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