Retreat Itinerary

Orientation and welcome drinks.

A rare opportunity to enjoy a seasonal feast of the sea, celebrating the 72 microseasons by fish monger and chef Ototojet.

Learn about the Japanese terroir and its influence on vocabulary, agriculture, and ways of eating and even perceiving. The farmer’s role as the wisdom holder.

Enjoy a simple farmer’s lunch in the countryside.

A session all about Japanese hamono. Learn about the spectrum of Japanese knives - shapes, sizes, purposes, regionality, the history of the knives and swords of Japan, the dying profession that ties blacksmith with cook, and how knives are held and used in traditional cooking technique. Enjoy a lesson on sharpening knives, how to care for and store them, and how knives are repaired and restored for long-term use.

Slice and dice vegetables harvested in the morning, and learn fundamental techniques like dashi making, and seasonal rules of classic Kyoto-style culinary arts with Atsushi Nakahigashi. Finish the session by enjoying with a unique interactive dinner.

A special mix of clay, stone, and fermented indigo to challenge our hands and our aesthetic sensibilities to create our very own tableware to incorporate into our home collection.

Enjoy a Japanese meal in a potter’s home, with locally-sourced ingredients. Learn how Japanese-style plating practices can help incorporate Japanese design and way of being into an otherwise everyday meal.

Experience rice preparation in an okudosan and the meanings and micro-steps along the way which result in a fragrant, rich, yet toothsome pot of rice that cannot be mimicked by any other method.

A meal centered around this extremely special pot of rice. Paired with vegetables, fruits, game, fish, beans, grains, and even water that are all foraged or sourced from locally.

What is koji? Experience seasonal fermentation and preservation techniques based on rice koji. What we make is directed by what is bountifully available each season (e.g., miso in January, plums in June, persimmons in November).

Take a moment of deep relaxation while enjoying seasonal tea and tea sweets based on fermentation and preservation techniques.

Complete the day with drinks and dinner at our home, which is now your home too. Our thoughtfully-created beverages and dishes tell the story of the natural resources and techniques of the country.