Model Itineraries

  • History and Culture
  • Food
  • Farming and Everyday life
  • Families
  • Couples

Authentic Rural Japan Experience [Yamaura Stay- Kiyomizu & Hanato] 3 days 2 nights

Explore a rural village that looks out of an old tale while staying in a traditional century-old farmhouse

Duration 2 nights 3 days
Price From JPY 99,000/person
Period April~November
Overall level 2 (light exercise)

Highlights

  • Stay in a traditional farmhouse

    Nostalgic lodging that retains all the beauty of tradition while offering all the modern comforts.

  • Explore a rural village

    Roam the narrow alleys of a peaceful village lined with old farmhouses and decorated warehouses.

  • Eat typical local dishes

    Taste the authentic recipes of the Japanese countryside.

  • Cycle through the satoyama

    Get on a bike and discover the beauty of the farmlands in the foothills of the Yatsugatake.

  • Have a cup of tea inside a quirky tea house

    Experience a dreamlike tea ceremony for architecture fans.

  • Stay in a traditional farmhouse

    Nostalgic lodging that retains all the beauty of tradition while offering all the modern comforts.

  • Explore a rural village

    Roam the narrow alleys of a peaceful village lined with old farmhouses and decorated warehouses.

  • Eat typical local dishes

    Taste the authentic recipes of the Japanese countryside.

  • Cycle through the satoyama

    Get on a bike and discover the beauty of the farmlands in the foothills of the Yatsugatake.

  • Have a cup of tea inside a quirky tea house

    Experience a dreamlike tea ceremony for architecture fans.

Day 1
Check-in at the Yamaura Stay Counter
Go to Yamaura Stay Counter at JR Chino Station by the appointed time

Our staff will check you in and then take you to the farmhouse.
If you are traveling by train, our staff will give you a lift on our Toyota Voxy.
Some amenities such as toothbrushes, hairbrushes, skincare, etc., are not provided at the accommodation. However, we have a selection of high-quality eco-friendly products at the counter you can buy before you leave if you wish.

more info

about 20 min by car

Arrival at the farmhouse
Make yourself at home

Whether you are staying in the intimate Hanato or the spacious Kiyomizu, you will be met by a polished space that retains all the beauty of traditional architecture while offering all modern comforts. If you like architecture, you will find yourself busy checking out all the original features such as massive beams and pillars, decorative alcoves, original ceilings, etc.
*For those who wish, our staff can conduct a brief tour of the house to share some interesting facts about its architecture and history.

more info

about 1 min on foot

Our adventures
Rural Village Walking Tour
Explore Sasahara village together with a local granpa

Alex Kerr has called Sasahara a “hidden gem,” a place that miraculously withstood modernization thanks to its position up in the mountains. And this hamlet indeed looks out of an old Japanese tale. Here among antique Kura storehouses, terraced fields, and gurgling streams, you can still experience the romance of “lost Japan.”
And who better to guide you than one of the villagers. It will be like a treasure hunt, looking for cute small shrines, funny plaster-relief drawings, and beautiful natural landscapes.

more info

about 1 min on foot

Dinner Delivery
Have a delicious meal delivered to your farmhouse

Local restaurants will deliver your dinner box directly to the farmhouse. Every meal is made using locally grown and seasonal ingredients. Vegetarian and vegan options are available.

more info

Peaceful night in the countryside
Sit on the porch and enjoy the nighttime

Relax on the porch while sipping some sake or tea if you are not a drinker. The twinkling of the stars and the nocturnal orchestra of animals and insects playing in the background are sure to keep you entertained.

Day 2
Breakfast Delivery
Start the day with a nice breakfast

Choose between Japanese-style and western-style breakfast. The meals are carefully prepared by a local restaurant to be both tasty and healthy. Menus change seasonally and include many regional specialties. Vegetarian and vegan options are available.

more info

about 10 min on foot

Yatsugatake Cycling Guide Tour OR Bike Rental
Hop on a bike and ride around the farmland

Yatsugatake Cycling guide tours are a great way to explore the foothills of the Yatsugatake. Itineraries can be personalized to fit your preferences and fitness level. You can ride through rice fields, and peaceful little villages or maybe go up to Lake Tateshina to check out the sculpture park. When the weather is good, you can enjoy a great view of the Japanese Alps and Yatsugatake Mountains.
If you prefer to ride on your own, though, Yatsugatake Cycling also offers a bike rental service.

more info

about 15 min on foot

Lunch at Tosenbo
Pottery cafe in a traditional farmhouse

A few steps away from Sasahara village, there is a lovely cafe where you can enjoy a steaming cup of coffee while browsing through pottery and woodcraft. The traditional building which houses this establishment is a spacious farmhouse with a beautiful Japanese garden, just like your accommodation. Lunch is made using plenty of locally grown vegetables, and both food and beverages are served in cups and plates made by the owner, who is a pottery craftsman himself.
*Vegetarian options available

more info

about 15 min on foot

Our adventures
Cook traditional dishes with the village grannies
Delve into the traditional gastronomy of the Yamaura together with a cute grannie

You can choose whether to have this experience inside your farmhouse or go to the grannie's house instead.
The activity begins with a short seasonal task such as picking wild veggies in spring, making dry persimmons in autumn, and more. Local food culture is attuned to the cycle of the seasons, so what you get to do changes greatly depending on the time of year. Then, after a brief introduction to the ingredients and menu of the day, it's cooking time. You will prepare 3~4 seasonal dishes. Your meal could include countryside-style rice cakes covered in savory edamame paste, colorful and refreshing agar cakes, tofu soup with hand-made miso, and much more.

more info
Day 3
Delivery Breakfast
Enjoy a meal which is pleasant both to the palate and the eye

For the second day, you can change breakfast, switch to western-style if you had Japanese-style, and vice versa. If you choose the same type, though, you will still have a totally different selection of dishes. The cook will make sure not to serve the same food two days in a row.

more info

Check-out
Get ready for your next adventure

Our staff will pick you up from the farmhouse and accompany you to Chino Station or your next destination if it's nearby.

more info

about 30 min by car

Our adventures
Fujimori Terunobu Teahouse Tour
An exclusive tour inside Fujimori Terunobu's quirky teahouses

Relish this exclusive journey into Fujimori Terunobu’s quirky tea houses. Together with a guide, you will visit Suwa Taisha, Jinchokan Moriya Historical Museum - Fujimori’s first work as an architect - and have a casual tea ceremony inside his fairytale-like tea houses.

more info

about 10 min by taxi

Soba Lunch
Try a local specialty: have some hand-made soba noodles

Soba is a traditional food in Nagano Prefecture, and Chino is no exception. Stop by this small family-run restaurant on the way back to the station and try some soba noodles.

more info

Other attractions recommended by our team!

  • Togari-ishi Museum of Jomon Archeology

    Meet the "Jomon Venus" and "Masked Goddess," two of the world's oldest statuettes. They're about 5,000 years old but as beautiful as ever.

  • Shibu no Yu Tatsunokan - Onsen

    A secret thermal bath where many a samurai are said to have healed their wounds after a battle, Tatsunokan onsen has strong curative properties. The facility is located in the woods just above Sasahara village and can be reached by bus.

  • Yokoya Gorge

    Hike along Yokoya Gorge through bubbling waterfalls and striking autumn foliage. In October, the scenery looks straight out of an impressionist painting. You take the bus to Mishaka Pond and start your hiking from there.

  • Togari-ishi Museum of Jomon Archeology

    Meet the "Jomon Venus" and "Masked Goddess," two of the world's oldest statuettes. They're about 5,000 years old but as beautiful as ever.

  • Shibu no Yu Tatsunokan - Onsen

    A secret thermal bath where many a samurai are said to have healed their wounds after a battle, Tatsunokan onsen has strong curative properties. The facility is located in the woods just above Sasahara village and can be reached by bus.

  • Yokoya Gorge

    Hike along Yokoya Gorge through bubbling waterfalls and striking autumn foliage. In October, the scenery looks straight out of an impressionist painting. You take the bus to Mishaka Pond and start your hiking from there.

To create a tailor-made travel
plan based on this itinerary.

*This service comes with no obligations.
Your reservation will not be finalized until you give us confirmation.

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