The Japanese word 'kominka' literally means 'old home' and generally refers to houses built no later than World War II. These old Japanese folk homes are typically structured with wood, clay, straw, and bamboo in a distinctive style.

The town of Hiraizumi in Iwate Prefecture is dotted with temples and ruins designated as World Heritage sites. Hiraizumi Club ~farm&resort~ is a rentable, traditional Japanese folk house nestled within this historic town that only accepts one group of guests per day.

This 150-year-old kominka house has been completely renovated and offers a peaceful view of rice paddy fields.

The comfortable and well-equipped space has Western-style rooms with beds and two bathrooms. Massive pillars, ceiling beams, and large columns give the house a unique, old-fashioned atmosphere of a traditional Japanese folk home.

You are free to use the Nambu ironware and Hidehira lacquerware bowls, both traditional crafts of Iwate Prefecture, stored on the kitchen shelves! Experience the intricate craftsmanship of these items during your stay!

Meal options include a catering service that uses seasonal and local ingredients, a local cooking experience where you cook and enjoy meals with the mothers in the neighborhood, or a barbecue where you can enjoy local ingredients and seasonal vegetables. Choose your favorite option and enjoy a wonderful dinner!

What’s more, you can experience the unique cultural charms of Iwate during your stay! We highly recommend watching Nambu Kagura, a traditional Japanese performing art that has been handed down for generations in southern Iwate. Nambu Kagura, generally performed at festivals and as a part of Shinto rituals, can be enjoyed at the folk house! Dynamic dance performances make for some unforgettable memories!

Access
・Car: Ten minutes from the Hiraizumi Maesawa Interchange on the Tohoku Expressway via Prefectural Route 237
・Train: Ten minutes by taxi (or a 30-minute walk) from JR Hiraizumi Station

Amenities
Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothbrush, razors, samue (comfortable traditional kimono-style top and trousers traditionally worn by monks); bath towels, face towels, and hair dryers are also available

Multilingual Support
English-speaking staff available

Facility Information
・Hours: Check-in: 3:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., Check-out: 10:00 a.m.
・Rate: 100,000 yen per night (maximum of nine guests per group)

Recommended sightseeing spots nearby
・Chuson-ji Temple
・Motsu-ji Temple

Kakunodate Sanso Wabizakura is located on a satoyama, a naturally abundant area nearby villages. It’s a ten-minute drive from the Kakunodate Samurai Residence, or “Michinoku’s Little Kyoto,” in Senboku City, Akita Prefecture.

Secluded and surrounded by majestic mountains, Kakunodate Sanso Wabizakura is a 200-year-old folk home that was relocated and reconstructed. All who visit are impressed by its distinguished appearance!

The interior has been renovated into a modern space. You’ll find a sunken hearth lounge in the atrium and a bar where you can enjoy Akita’s local sake, allowing for an incredibly relaxing experience!

There are a total of ten guest rooms (each room accommodates up to four guests) with options such as Japanese-style rooms, Japanese-Western-style rooms, and Japanese-Western-style rooms attached with a dining area.

All rooms come with a half-open-air bath where waters flow freely from a natural spring source! Soaking in the hot spring whenever you like is truly a blissful experience! The bath is an alkaline simple hot spring, known for its gentle feel on the skin. Enjoy a leisurely bath while gazing at the surrounding greenery!

There is a private open-air bath available for use in 30-minute increments from 3 PM to 10 PM and from 6 AM to 10 AM. Relax and feel the fresh mountain breeze while listening to the chirping birds in this serene environment!

At night, gaze up at the starlit sky on the “Hoshimidai Terrace.” The view of countless stars illuminating the night sky is breathtaking.

Moreover, if you don’t feel like eating out during your stay, you can have lunch served in your room (an additional fee is required). Kakunodate Sanso Wabizakura offers a blissful stay where you can completely relax and take in views of beautiful nature!

Access
・Car: 50 minutes from the Omagari Interchange on the Akita Expressway via Route 105
・Train: 15 minutes by taxi from JR Kakunodate Station

Amenities
Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothbrush set, shower cap, razor, body towel and sponge, comb and brush, shaving gel, slippers, toner, makeup remover, facial cleanser, lotion, cotton pads, cotton swabs (there are also towels, bath towels, hair dryers, and nightwear available)

Multilingual Support
Official website: English guidance, English explanations available throughout the house

Recommended sightseeing spots nearby
・Kakunodate Bukeyashiki (Samurai Residences)
・Lake Tazawa

Shiguretei (志ぐれ亭) is a folk home located in the countryside of Kitakata City, Fukushima Prefecture. It welcomes only two groups per day (two rooms can accommodate up to six people). The 100-year-old house has been relocated and reconstructed, and its quaint exterior blends in perfectly with the peaceful countryside.

Since there are no televisions or radios, you can enjoy an environment where you can forget about the passage of time and harmonize with the surrounding nature. Being unbound by time or outside distractions really helps you relax and reconnect with yourself and your travel partner.

The two guest rooms come with their own private bathroom. Both bathtubs are made of Kiso Sawara cypress wood and are finished with the same lacquerware technique as Aizu lacquerware, a local, traditional craft. It’s said that in the past, lacquered bathtubs were only allowed to be used by feudal lords.

For meals, you can choose from four kaiseki multicourse traditional Japanese meals. Dishes include rich and flavorful local specialties such as kozuyu, a hearty soup with a stock made from dried scallops and horse meat sashimi, an Aizu delicacy (horse meat sashimi can be changed to seafood sashimi upon request). Handmade soba (buckwheat noodles), made from locally produced flour, are also very popular!

Finding time for yourself can be hard. Book a stay at Shiguretei Relax and enjoy extraordinary experiences away from the hustle and bustle of the city!

Access
・Car: Approximately 30 minutes from the Aizuwakamatsu Interchange on Banetsu Expressway via Route 121
・Train: 10 minutes by taxi from JR Kitakata Station

Amenities
Toothbrush, hairbrush, comb, body sponge, cotton set, makeup remover cotton, lotion (sold in small packets), shower cap, shaver & lotion, shaver lotion (in addition, shampoo & conditioner, body soap, hair dryer, samue (can be changed to yukata), haori, slippers, face towel, bath towel available)

Multilingual support
None

Facility Information
・Hours: Check-in: 3 PM, Check-out: 10 AM
・Rate: One-night stays with two meals start from 15,300 yen

Recommended sightseeing spots nearby
・Weeping cherry blossoms along the Nitchu Line Memorial Bicycle Route and Footpath
・Sunflower fields at Sannokura Highlands

Lien Tono is a traditional Japanese folk house in Tono City, Iwate Prefecture. The surrounding area is lush with greenery and offers a wide range of activities to enjoy! It’s the perfect place to stay for those who want to add some excitement to their travels!

Guest rooms include Japanese-style rooms and Western-style rooms with beds. We recommend booking the Japanese-style room if you want to enjoy a traditional atmosphere.

You can enjoy the proprietress’ homemade cooking in the garden on a clear day. In the evening, dinner is served by the outdoor fire pit, where you can watch the relaxing flickering of flames. Dining in nature makes the food taste even better!

Barbeque packages and courses brimming with local vegetables are also available. Please ask about these attractive dining options upon making a reservation!

During your stay, you can enjoy activities such as kayaking, SUP, and mountain biking, led by the landlord himself! These activities allow you to fully immerse yourself in the magnificent nature of Tono! Other fun activities include making pizza in a pizza oven and farm work experiences! This is the perfect stay for a trip with friends, as a couple, or as a family with children.

Access
・Car: Five minutes from the Tono Sumida Interchange on the Tohoku Odan Expressway via Route 340
・Train: Eight minutes on foot from JR Iwate-Kamigo Station

Amenities
Shampoo, conditioner, body wash

Multilingual support
English-speaking staff are available

Facility Information
・Hours: Check-in: 3 PM / Check-out: 10 AM
・Rate: 25,000 yen for a two-person rental. It costs an additional 8,000 yen for each added guest.

Recommended sightseeing spots nearby
・Tono Folktale Museum
・Kappabuchi Pool

This guesthouse not only offers reasonably priced accommodation, but here you can also enjoy socializing with other guests! It’s a popular option among both Japanese and foreign tourists.

Marumori Hostel is recommended to those who want to stay at a traditional kominka house renovated into a guesthouse! The 120-year-old home is tucked away deep in the mountains of Marumori Town in Miyagi Prefecture.

Marumori Hostel offers many services for a comfortable stay! This includes a common room with a wood stove available anytime and an attic movie theater where you can enjoy movies on a large, 120-inch screen! You can also roast rice cakes or enjoy nabe hot pot around a sunken hearth. Socializing with guesthouse staff and the other guests will enhance your trip all the more!

Guest rooms include rooms with bunk beds or traditional, Japanese-style rooms (one room accommodates up to four guests). Some rooms even offer a view of the majestic mountain landscape! The Japanese-style rooms are private, so first-time guesthouse users can also feel at ease.

If you’ve made it up to Marumori Hostel, you have to try the goemonburo, a large iron kettle-shaped bath! Soak in hot water heated by an open fire fed by firewood. As these baths are not so common today, it’s sure to be a retro experience you won’t forget!

Access
・Car: 30 minutes from the Yamamoto Minami Smart Interchange on the Joban Expressway. via Prefectural Route 245
・Train: Around 30 minutes by taxi from Marumori Station on the Abukuma Express Line

Amenities
None (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and hair dryers are available)

Multilingual support
English-speaking staff are available

Facility Information
・Hours: Check-in: 3 PM - 9 PM / Check-out: 10 AM
・Rate: Overnight stays without meals start from 5,000 yen

Recommended sightseeing spots nearby
・Abukuma Riverboat Cruise
・Kura no Kyodokan Sairi Yashiki

There is a wide variety of folk homes in northern Japan, ranging from single-house rentals to guesthouses. All of them are located in rich natural environments-enabling you to enjoy spectacular seasonal scenery such as fall foliage and winter snowscapes! Try an innovative and fun way to travel by planning your trip around the folk home of your choice!

Text by: Satoko Sugawara
＊The information in this article is from October 2022. Please check the official websites for the latest information.