Kominka Japan’s My Village Program is an all-volunteer effort to help mitigate the population decline in Japan’s rural villages. Volunteers from across Japan have effectively volunteered to introduce you to villages where they and their minka reside. Realtors and akiya bank managers can only tell you so much about a particular area. What’s the elementary […]
Month: March 2025
Sasama (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Google Maps Link The Sasama area is a collection of small villages nestled in narrow river valleys running north to Japan’s Southern Alps district. Known for its tea fields and crystalline blue water, it is one of few areas in Japan to preserve the traditional Shinto dances known as KAGURA. The Oigawa steam and rack-and-pinion […]
Ryozenji (Niigata Prefecture)
Google maps Link If you love snow, Ryozenji is the place to be. It is a rice farming village at the base of one of the best powder skiing resorts in the country, Lotte Arai Ski Resort. Ryozenji (approx 80 houses) together with a few other villages makes up Yashiro district which in turn is […]
Kitajima, Tamba-Sasayama (Hyogo Prefecture)
Google Maps Link Our village, Kitajima, is located in a beautiful satoyama in Hioki District, Tamba-Sasayama, characterized by a mix of man-made and natural woodlands near rural settlements with land use predominantly forests, paddy fields, black soybean fields, and vegetable croplands. Our village is nestled by the Sasayama river along which numerous Japanese cherries are […]
Hirabayashi (Nagano Prefecture)
Google Maps Link Since day one of arriving in Hirabayashi as the first expats in the village we have felt nothing but welcomed. Now, after nearly 4 years here I can say without doubt that this is our home and moving here was one of the best decisions of my life. With stunning nature surrounding […]
Hami (Kyoto Prefecture)
Google Maps Link Two hours drive from Kyoto station will land you along the Sea of Japan’s pristine waters and rugged mountains. The Hami river flows down Hami valley and three villages occupy the space in a close-knit ‘Tri-Village’ setting: Satohami, Nakahami, Okuhami. Throughout history Hami was rather isolated due to little access to the […]
Fukuroi (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Google Maps Link Nestled in the scenic prefecture of Shizuoka, Fukuroi shines as a charming village that captures the essence of traditional Japan. With its rich history, stunning natural beauty, and warm-hearted locals, Fukuroi has become a hidden gem worth exploring. Fukuroi boasts a deep-rooted history that dates back centuries. The village was once a […]
Atera Village (Aichi Prefecture)
Google Maps Link Atera is a tiny village perched on both sides of a mountain valley, started about 1000 years ago by the Japanese mystic Abe no Seimei (like the Japanese Merlin). Atera is right next to a famous waterfall, and the area is known for its scenery and nature, being a popular destination for […]
Welcome to the New-and-Improved Official Kominka Japan Website!
“Improved? How so?” you ask? For starters, we’ve added a new feature we’re very excited about, something in the workssince last summer – The Kominka Japan Forum! While our Facebook page and its nearly 4,500 members has always been “ground zero” forup-to-the-minute information, over time we’ve come to realize that so much greatinformation – posts […]
