Homestays

A refined, slow-travel immersion for discerning guests who want intimacy over itineraries. Stay in a hand-picked homestay by the bay, share chef-style regional meals, and enjoy private access to artisans, growers, and guides. This is rural Japan at its most welcoming—curated, unhurried, and deeply personal.

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Who is it for

  • Couples or small parties seeking an authentic, premium homestay (privacy, comfort, discretion)

  • Culture-first travelers who prefer hosted encounters with artists, farmers, and chefs

  • Repeat visitors to Japan looking beyond the classic circuit

  • Remote workers/creatives who value quiet time, nature, and exceptional food

Four women wearing colorful kimonos smiling at the camera at a busy outdoor temple entrance.

Your experience

  • Person practicing Japanese calligraphy, writing bold black characters on white paper with a brush.

    Hosted Cultural Encounters

    - Private calligraphy & ink sessions; ikebana or incense-making

    - Oyster, rice, or orchard experiences (seasonal), with producer tastings

    - Tea fundamentals, premium sake pairing with local dishes

    - Lantern or silk craft with a master, by arrangement

  • A sandy beach with a few people, one holding an umbrella, near the ocean under a partly cloudy sky.

    Nature & Wellbeing

    - Coastal cycling and gentle hikes (Kabuto Mountain view points)

    - Onsen etiquette and relaxation time at classic bathhouses

    - Beach walks and sunrise/sunset moments by the pier

Example 7 Day Experience

  • Meet at Kumihama Station, check in to your homestay suite. Sunset walk on the bay.

  • Private calligraphy session (AM). Tea fundamentals & sweets pairing (PM). Optional onsen.

  • Seasonal farm or oyster experience with tasting. Easy coastal cycle; café stop.

  • Incense or silk workshop with a local artisan. Slow evening at the homestay; sake tasting.

  • Choose: Kinosaki (onsen town & yukata walk) or Amanohashidate/Ine (viewpoint & fishing village). Dinner at a local favorite (curated booking).

  • Seasonal farm or oyster experience with tasting. Easy coastal cycle; café stop.

  • Breakfast on the pier (weather permitting), keepsake photos, drop-off at station.

Includes: accommodation, meals, coordination, local transfers, and small entry fees.

Price upon enquiry varies by season, suite type, and activity selection.

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Practicalities

We offer:

  • Stay: Private homestay suite (queen/king bed), dedicated lounge, Wi-Fi, japanese style baths

  • Dining: Daily breakfasts, curated home dinners (some evenings), select lunches; dietary requirements accommodated with notice

  • Transport: Pick-up/drop-off Kumihama Station; local transfers to scheduled activities/day trips

  • Hosting & Language: English-speaking coordinator on call; private sessions with local hosts

Two futons with bedding and pillows on a tatami mat floor in a traditional Japanese room, with sliding shoji doors revealing a balcony and view of water and mountains.
Sunset over Kumihama, Japan with mountains in the background, a pier extending into the water, and houses along the shoreline.

Where you’ll stay

Kumihama Bay sits where mountains meet the Sea of Japan—quiet, blue, and beautifully local. Fishing boats drift past pine-lined shores, rice fields terrace the hills, and small shrines watch over the water. It’s authentic coastal Kyoto: slow mornings, fresh seafood, and warm community life.

Our traditional tatami rooms in our two-storey guesthouse, backing onto the calm waters of Kumihama Bay.

Learn more

I’m a third-generation oyster farmer from Kumihama. Today, I live here with my family, continuing a tradition of coastal craftsmanship and heartfelt hospitality. For over 50 years, our family has operated a seaside guest house, welcoming travellers, students, and culture-seekers who want to experience Japan beyond the guidebooks. Since 2016, we’ve hosted more than 300 Airbnb families and 200 volunteers from around the world.

Your Host: Atsushi

Atsushi working on a floating fish farm, wearing a blue apron and yellow gloves, handling a large piece of seaweed or sea life, with water and a cloudy sky in the background.
Learn more