6 Places to have an unforgettable farmstay experience in Japan

Kanako Sugawara

22 Jun 2018

updated the 25 June 2018 à 10:45

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Okayama Hotel Igusa
Once a traditional Japanese hotel that has since been converted into a guesthouse, the Igusa rural experience includes experience farming Tatami grass, rural culture and life (the town of Hayashiyama has been said to be a major production district of rush grass for “tatami mats” for over 400 years). More information here.
Photo: Okayama Hotel Igusa
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Brown’s Field
Brown's Field was founded almost two decades ago in 1999 by essayist and macrobiotic cooking teacher Deco Nakajima and her husband, writer-photographer Everett Kennedy Brown. This farmstay experience in Chiba prefecture (located next to Tokyo) consists of a traditional Japanese farmhouse, the Rice Terrace café (open at weekends), a yurt, rice fields and lots of ducks, goats and cats. Guests can stay in the farm's restored barn or a ryokan called Jiji-no-Ie, translated to “Granpa’s House”. Fun fact: all means served on this farm are vegan and organic!

More information here.

Photo: Brown’s Field
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Ayabe Yoshimizu
A 90-minute train ride away from the city of Kyoto nestles the rural farming town of Ayabe, which is known for its fireflies in the summer and hot springs in the winter. Ayabe Yoshimizu is a thatched farmhouse, where you can experience traditional Japanese open-fire charcoal cooking first-hand. The hosts also speak fluent English, and will teach you the old, traditional ways of Japanese living. More information here.

Photo: Ayabe Yoshimizu
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Yorkshire Farm
Located in Hokkaido Prefecture (famous for their farming industry), Yorkshire Farm offers a unique British-Japanese farm experience, which includes shepherding, cycling, hiking, horse riding, fishing, and cooking produce harvested within the farm. Yorkshire Farm has free Wifi (though why would you want to be looking at your phone at such a scenic place?), cozy lodging, and a European-style garden, as well as comfortably air-conditioned rooms during the summer. More information here.

Photo: Yorkshire Farm
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Aomori Prefecture
Aomori Prefecture, known for its delicious apples, has its very own government-run farm stay program that promotes green tourism within the prefecture. Some of the hosts participating in this program include non-profit organizations, rural experience associations, and private families. Check out their entire listing here.

Photo: Aomori Japan Farm Stay Guide (Facebook)
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Togarinozawa Onsen
Located in a tiny rural town in Nagano Prefecture (known for its skiing resorts), Togarinozawa Onsen is a farm-slash-onsen. A typical programme at the farm includes helping to make bamboo leaf sushi for lunch, traditional chopstick making and helping out with farm chores such as attending to the rice paddies and fruit picking. In the afternoon, the hosts take guests across the scenic Lake Hokuryuko by canoe, and at night guests can enjoy the true Japanese onsen hot springs experience! More information here.

Photo: Inside Japan Tours

If you’re planning a trip to Japan, veer off the beaten path and immerse yourself in an unforgettable farmstay experience.

Planning a getaway to Japan and want to avoid all the loud touristy places? Or have you already been there multiple times and want to try something new?

Farmstay, a segment of “green tourism” currently booming within and outside of Japan, is an opportunity to walk the unbeaten path and to truly immerse yourself in the beautiful nature rural Japan has to offer. From tatami-making to open charcoal fire cooking, these programs also offer activities that even a native Japanese wouldn’t be able to experience on a day to day basis.

Scattered around different regions of Japan, here are six farmstay programs that will allow you to have the true traditional rural Japanese experience. And get this–we tried our best to find hosts and programs that were largely run by English speakers, so you won’t need to worry about the language barrier when participating in these programs!

Kanako Sugawara

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