Student cultural immersion programme

A supportive, real-world exchange in rural Japan—designed for high school and university students. Live with a vetted host family or student guesthouse, attend language/culture sessions, contribute to light community projects, and experience everyday Japanese life by the sea in Kumihama.

Contact us

Who’s it for

  • High school (15+) and university students seeking practical cultural immersion

  • Language learners (beginner to intermediate) who want everyday conversational practice

  • Schools, clubs, and university cohorts traveling as a group (2–20+)

  • Independent students comfortable with homestay norms and a structured schedule

We’re looking for respectful, curious students who can follow a simple schedule and house rules

  • Willing to try light chores, basic Japanese, and new foods

  • Comfortable with shared spaces and intercultural communication

What you’ll do

  • A man sitting on a dock holding freshly harvested oysters, smiling, wearing a hat, gloves, and waterproof boots, with a basket of oysters in front of him and water and mountains in the background.

    Learning & Light Chores (half days)

    - Japanese language mini-classes (functional phrases, etiquette)

    - Study hours / reflection journals / intercultural workshops

    - Light homestay chores (tidying, meal prep)

    - Community tasks (beach clean, garden/orchard help)

  • Person practicing Japanese calligraphy with black ink and a traditional brush, writing characters on rice paper.

    Activities (curated local experiences)

    - Calligraphy & ink painting, tea basics, ikebana

    - Farm & food experiences (rice/oyster season permitting), cooking with hosts

    - Cycling by the bay, shrine/temple visits, onsen etiquette session

    - Optional craft modules: incense, lantern, silk

  • A row of traditional wooden houses along a waterfront with a wooded hillside in the background, under an overcast sky.

    Day Trips

    The areas around Kumihama have a wealth of culture and beautiful landscapes, which you’ll be driven to and shown by your host.

    - Izushi (theatre, castle, temples, soba noodles)

    - Kinosaki (onsen, yukata, shopping, food, aquarium)

    - Tottori (sand dunes, sand museum, coastal walk)

    - Amanohashidate / Ine (viewpoint chairlift, boat trip, fishing village walk)

  • A sandy beach with sparse grass, a woman with an umbrella, a person standing, a dog, and distant mountains under a blue sky with clouds.

    Free Time

    You’ll have your own time to relax and enjoy the local area:

    - We’re just a 5 minute from beautiful sandy beaches

    - Cycle around the bay

    - Visit Kumihama’s temples

    - Sora ice cream & café

    - Hike Kabuto Mountain

    - Visit Inaba Honke, a traditional house in Kumihama

Example 10 Day Experience

  • Arrival & welcome walk; settle into guesthouse

  • Morning chores (oyster/cockle farm); afternoon calligraphy session

  • Half-day rice or dairy farm; afternoon local temple stroll & café

  • Day trip: Izushi (theatre/castle/temples, soba) (dinner out not included)

  • Cycling loop around the bay; evening English classes

  • Free day (beach, Kabuto Mountain, and café time)

  • Morning tasks; Incense or ikebana workshop

  • Light orchard/household chores; lantern or silk workshop

  • Day Trip: Kinosaki (onsen, yukata, shopping, food, aquarium)

  • Farewell lunch & reflection; station drop-off

Includes: accommodation, selected meals, language/culture sessions, coordination, local transfers, and small entry fees.
Add-ons: airport meet-and-greet, extra tutoring, project supervision, certified service-hours letter.

Price upon enquiry

Enquire now

Example 30 Day Experience

    • Neighborhood walks, welcome dinner, basic Japanese phrases

    • First chores rotation (oyster/cockle/rice/dairy as available)

    • One local craft workshop (e.g., incense or ikebana)

    • Cooking with locals, calligraphy/art, cycling routes

    • Day trip #1 (e.g., Izushi)

    • Join a small community project (farm/orchard/marketing/English exchange)

    • Day trips #2–#3 (choose from Kinosaki, Tottori, Amanohashidate/Ine)

    • Final workshops (silk, lanterns, sake tour & tasting)

    • Day trip #4

    • Create a “local story” to share at a farewell gathering

Includes: accommodation, daily basics + selected shared meals, 4–6 workshops, weekly coordinator check-ins, local transfers/materials.
Outputs: certificate of participation; optional reference letter; optional service-hours confirmation

Price upon enquiry

Enquire now

Practicalities

We offer:

  • Accommodation: Vetted homestay (private/shared student room) or student guesthouse for groups

  • Meals: Mix of provided meals and self-catering; dietary needs accommodated where possible

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

  • Supervision: Local coordinator on call; school chaperone ratios supported

  • Safety & Conduct: Consent forms, code of conduct, emergency contacts, insurance requirement

Two traditional Japanese futons on tatami mats, with pillows and a small bedside table with a tissue box, remote, and glasses, near sliding paper doors and a window with a view of water and mountains.
A scenic sunset over a body of water with mountains in the background, a dock 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 seafood farm or oyster farm, handling equipment and a large piece of material with ropes and oysters, with water and floating platforms in the background.
Learn more