Water Retreat
How long has this water been flowing? Where does it come from and where does it go?
When was the first time you drank it?
What would it taste like?
Feel the water flowing through the village and the blood flowing through your body.
A retreat where you can feel and discover the buds of life
I am aiming for
The origin of the Water Retreat
The setting for the water retreat is a village in the Kiyotsukyo area of Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture.
This village, on which the clear Kiyotsu River that gave birth to Kiyotsu Gorge flows, has long drawn water from the mountains and used it as drinking water. In the spring, water is drawn to the fields and rice paddies, and in the winter it is stored in reservoirs and used to melt snow. Life in Koide village is surprisingly centered around water, and it is always in harmony with nature; we cannot survive without water. It can also be said that this is a region where you can learn about the importance of water throughout the year. As this retreat takes place in a village where water flows continuously, it has been named a "Water Retreat."
overview
time spent without a purpose
You can walk around the village, spend time alone, play in the river, pick wild vegetables, meditate (or not), chat with locals, do traditional handicrafts from the snow country, drink tea, etc. The retreat incorporates seasonal activities and allows you to experience the changing of the seasons together with other participants, along with the local lifestyle.
*We value time spent gathering in circles with other participants and having one-on-one conversations, so there is a possibility that we may spend a longer time listening to each other's stories.
Three Pillars
Something that water retreats value.
1 ) Feeling and expressing
The purpose of this program is for participants to experience together the act of "feeling," which is often overlooked in our busy social lives, and to "express" what arises within us (for ourselves), rather than "communicating" for the sake of others, and to bring that feeling back into our everyday lives. This is because I believe that before humans can adapt to society, it is more important for them to be able to remain human.
Sensing: In addition to the five senses, such as feeling the earth, the wind, the air, and the water, it is also important to feel the emotions emanating from others, the atmosphere, and the feelings within oneself, which are related to the movements of the heart.
Expression: We value the use of expressive methods that are not limited to explaining things in words. Expressing inexplicable feelings and thoughts through pictures or poetry, or simply expressing current sensations through sound or physical movement. Creating a story, expressing through color, expressing through shape, etc. Any method of expression is possible.
2) Sharing your sensibilities with others (spending time in dialogue)
The reason for creating a space with other participants is that no human being can live alone. When we meet others and encounter a world outside of our own living space, our own world expands as if responding to it, and we are moved by it. Through such experiences, we hope to create a space where each participant can cultivate their own sensibilities.
3) Living in harmony with the earth and nature (local culture)
In this land of snow, you will experience both the earth-based lifestyle and the magnificent nature, and spend time opening up your five senses. By interacting with the culture, traditions, and people of the snow country, you will gain something that you would not get in your everyday life, and we hope that it will add a new perspective to your daily life.
Introducing the guide team
Nobu
Born in Tokamachi. After studying and working abroad, he returned to Tokamachi. Wanting to create a "home where everyone can play freely" throughout his life, he started a lodging business near Kiyotsukyo Gorge in Tokamachi.
It took three years to complete the 150-year-old traditional Japanese house, mostly DIY, with the help of local carpenters. His motto is "Don't forget your sense of playfulness." While it's difficult to put things into practice 100% in the real world, he lives his life trying not to neglect the things that are important to him. Through the water retreat, he hopes to explore with participants what moves and delights his soul.
I think retreats are similar to the act of "transforming from a human into an insect." It's an attempt to escape for a moment from a life filled with daily "human" goals and "human" reasons, and to exist as a living being while using your five senses. I hope we can create such a time together.
J (Jay)
Nice to meet you. My name is J and I run Shionoya, Yukifuru Yado, Yukifuru Shokudo and other restaurants at the entrance to Kiyotsu Gorge in Niigata Prefecture, where we cherish the local food, nature and connections with people.
Every day, I interact with the blessings of the local area and slowly but carefully reexamine what it means to "live." I would be delighted if you could join me on a retreat to relax your mind and body in nature and reconnect with yourself.
On the day, we will have you talk to everyone you meet. Together with the retreat guide, we will create an environment where you will want to talk to the person next to you.
While listening to the flow of the river in Kiyotsu Gorge, you can reset your roles at work, your roles in the family, and your relationships. It's time to face yourself here and now.
Why not enjoy the natural excitement of the conversation, discovering new aspects of yourself that you didn't know existed?
Otoi
I've been in my hometown of Tsunan for almost a year now, commuting back and forth between the city and the city about two days a month, soaking up the local atmosphere and lifestyle, and slowly but surely settling in and doing a little bit here and there.
People who are there. Listening/trying to listen, opening/keeping the space open, being with people and things. Each and every one of us, together, makes our own world more interesting. A society where people can live within the cycle of the elements of life that are necessary for them, through the "work" that everyone has. Enza, Kagemai, and Mijikan are alive. Based on these, we can deliver one-on-one and reflecting sessions with various people, conversations with those who are vulnerable, and training sessions for small teams, regardless of the form, time, or direction, for which payment is required.
Sharing play and learning. I live a shallow life with little physical strength, energy, or information processing ability.
Films include "The Life of a Woman," "The Man Next Door," and "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels." Rock and punk in his heart.
次回のリトリートのお知らせ
📌今後の開催スケジュール
• 2025年9月6日（土）〜7日（日））
• 2025年10月4日(土)〜5日(日)
• 2025年11月29日(土)〜30日(日)
• 2026年1月17日(土)〜18日(日)
• 2026年3月28日(土)〜29日(日)
※9月のみ18000円で、10月以降は料金 25,000円（1泊3食付）で承ります。
For inquiries regarding the Water Retreat, which is available by request, please contact the Tokamachi City Tourism Association. For more information, please click here.