10-15 April 2026

Bamboo harvest season
6D5N YUKKURI 2 COUNTRYSIDE RETREAT
in Fujieda, Shizuoka
10 to 15 Apr 2026
(Women-only)

Hi you!

Thank you for your interest in Yukkuri Countryside Retreat: Bamboo Harvest Edition 2026.

Yukkuri is a special travel project birthed by my love for the countryside life when living with Shiori, my Japanese sister. The retreat is named by her eldest daughter, Maholo-chan.

ゆっくり (yukkuri) means “to be slow and at ease”. Maho-chan was one year old when we spent a summer together in 2023. She would often, out of the blue, speak words that sounded like “yukkuri” and we’d laugh, because this little guru knew we needed her nagging to slow down and be present.

Come yukkuri with us 🎋

This is a really special project for me, Shiori, and our growing community of Japanese friends in Shizuoka. The first Yukkuri retreat was in the spring of 2025, Sakura Edition. It started out with Shiori as my partner in crime. We also had Sumie-chan as our lovely support. As Yukkuri 1 Retreat unfolded, more women connected and now we have a network of locals who are looking forward to meeting you! (Scroll down to see them!)

For Yukkuri 2 Retreat, our itinerary this season involves late-spring activities such as harvesting your own bamboo shoot and a bamboo-weaving workshop! We will also be visiting places and attending events that are mostly only accessible to the locals living in Shizuoka. ✨ I can’t express how grateful I am to our Japanese friends for welcoming us so warmly into their community. ✨

This is not your usual yoga retreat; we’ll be living this retreat like a Japanese local, rather than attending (: Things may not go according to plans, but that’s the charm of a countryside, go-with-the-flow, slow travel.

Please feel a full-hearted yes! before signing up. This retreat is birthed and will be co-created through the pure kindness of kindred souls (that includes you, if you’re joining us!) to share a slice of simple slow days together. It will be sweet if everyone’s hearts are aligned.

My retreat intention is to create a cosy gathering of kind women who are ready to slow down ゆっくり, feel safe together, and are open to see contentment in simple, everyday ordinary things. We don’t need a lot to be happy, really 💛

To be sure that everyone feels welcome and at ease, here are a few things that you must be comfortable with, if you’re joining us:

1. This is a small retreat of six participants only. 
2. We’re living together in one house sharing communal spaces like a family.
3. There will be toddlers joining us for some activities, children of my Japanese friends who are hosting us for events and meals.
4. We are living in a traditional house that belongs to a native local of Shizuoka. We may be visiting other locals’ homes/spaces too. It’s so special to be invited to anyone’s home, so let’s clean up after ourselves well and respect these spaces. May we be agreeable on this.
5. Please be open to go with the flow. Everything is thoughtfully and thoroughly planned ahead but as with life, things don’t always go as we want. Life in the countryside is beautifully fluid, let’s drop into the flow~
6. You will receive my full itinerary only 1-2 months before the retreat. From past experience, I know that businesses here operate at their own timing guided by the changing seasons and I want to respect that—so if you must know our schedule down to a tee, this retreat may not be for you.
7. We are staying in a traditional 100 years old Japanese house, not a hotel. The owner rebuilt it by hand and it’s already fully booked till May 2026 (it’s highly loved!) He saved us a week for the bamboo harvest season retreat. The rooms are aesthetically pleasing, calm vibes with modern amenities such as daily fresh towels, hairdryer, heaters in each room and one toilet & bathroom to share. It’s a gorgeous space.
8. We will be sleeping on plush, high quality futons on tatami mat. There is no bed frame. This is your traditional Japanese sleeping arrangement with premium quality beddings.
9. There is also no clear separation of “my space, your space”. The 3 bedrooms are separated by sliding shoji, bamboo & paper walls. Think Ghibli-style homes.
10. Because of the layout of the house, for some room to access the toilet easy, it will be great to keep our bedroom doors ajar, sharing a harmonious space together like the locals do. The whole compound is ours with a spacious living room, kitchen, shared bath and toilet, our own private garden and patio.
11. We must be okay with sharing just one toilet & bathroom. Chances are we may have two~! I will update you.
12. I will be your designated driver. I will rent a car. It will be like a family trip!
    
    💗 This retreat mirrors how my life was, living with Shiori and her family during summer in 2023, weeks of winter and spring in 2024, and spring in 2025. We will be living this retreat, rather than just attending—if this makes sense and is your cup of travel tea, join us!