Tanto

A long-established agricultural town nestled away in a mountain valley in northern rural Hyogo. Here you won’t find convenience stores, many vending machines, or even Wi-Fi. What you will find are warm hearted local towns people wanting to share with you a glimpse into what life all over Japan used to be like before the age of globalization. This is a destination for those wanting to experience a purer form of Japan and challenge themselves with the classic motto of travel “When in Rome”. Be prepared, only Japanese is spoken in this quaint little village.

Japan is known as one of the leading countries in the field of technology and gadgets. Yet with all of the convenience of this technology also comes the stress and feeling of not being able to get away to find time for yourself. This is why many have been retreating to the rural areas to slow down and refresh in the wide-open technology-free spaces. Here in Tanto we do not have abundant Wi-Fi connections. But we do have connections with the natural surroundings as well as with the community.

Oh, by the way, our community is mostly made up of farmers and blue-collar workers who may not be well-versed in the latest app or fancy smartphone and most certainly are not proficient in English. However, we know the land, the old ways that the city folk have all but forgotten and are more than happy to share this with you in the ultimate homestay experience. Stay in one of our minka, a traditional Japanese residence complete with an irori (sunken hearth) for cooking and bath heated by burning wood. You can’t get much more traditional than this.

Nothing has been modified or created for the sake of “showing” tourists Japan like a theme park. Everything here is natural and in its original state. Here is where real people live and work the same way that they have always done. When you come here you will be given the chance to experience this way of life. It is a great way to feel satisfaction in what you do and see the fruits of your labor, sometimes literally. Here you can have the ultimate homestay and be presented with the opportunity to get your hands dirty, but trust me, it is a lot more fun than you think. Cook dinner in and sit around the irori or sunken hearth. Chop wood to heat your bath water. Plant or harvest seasonal crops including rice when the season comes.

From spring to autumn you can see the world change colors like a kaleidoscope. Hundreds of brightly colored tulips bloom in a work of art, each year brings a new work of art. Summer, a field of sunflowers brightens your day and trip. Frolic through the rows of golden flowers. In autumn, visit Ankokuji temple to view the Dodan-Tsutsuji. Sit in the main hall of the temple and enter into a zen-like meditation as you gaze out onto the brilliant reds of this hundred-year-old bush.