Unwind & Explore: What to do in free time at the Retreat

We believe that the magic of a retreat happens not just in the scheduled activities, but also in the moments of freedom and exploration that fill your day. During your free time, you’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the serene beauty of our surroundings, discover hidden gems, and truly connect with the peaceful rhythms of nature.

Whether you choose to unwind with a gentle walk through lush landscapes, meditate by a tranquil stream, or simply savor a quiet moment with a cup of tea, your time is yours to cherish and enjoy.

On Day-1, we go for a short walk together in the surrounding area, so that we all familialize ourselves with the place and feel comfortable to explore further away by themselves if we want to in the free time.

There is a local shrine just behind the retreat venue, which is very quiet and feels the sense of sacredness. Just across the shrine, you can enjoy the botanical walk through some Japanese common plants and trees, as well as many other exotic botanics from other countries displayed really well.

In the middle of the botanical walking path, there is a nice little cafe, which also offers a great lookout with nice nature view. They sell nice drinks and delicious sweets, and retreat participants often go there to enjoy the Japanese cafe experience.

Some people spend lots of their free time in our yoga shala, located in the center of our main building. You can see the Japanese garden from there with soft and gentle tatami floor, which offers the perfect environment for reading, journaling, drawing and whatever the personal meditative activities you choose.

We also see some practicing yoga or doing stretches in their free time. They often review what they learnt in the daily yoga class, and practice by themselves.

Our living space offers variety of drinks including organic Japanese green tea, Hoji tea, selection of herbal teas, coffee and coffee alternatives. In Oyatsu “sweets” time, we put some Japanese snacks out on the table, so people make their drinks and have a chat with nice tastes of Japanese sweets.

Most of the retreat participants are solo travelers in our retreat programs, but by the end of the retreat, they all come close after spending nice time together.

The picture above is when they were hanging out with some Japanese snack they bought in a convenience store. This Japanese styled outdoor terrace is a perfect spot to chill out and enjoy the Minou-renzan mountain views.

Our retreat venue is a truly amazing Japanese traditional building with a beautiful garden. As it already feels so special being there, you probably don’t need anything special to do in the free time.

Go for a walk and take some photos.
Make a tea and find a comfortable spot to sit.
Or just lie down in the Shala and relax.

Let’s be simple for the greatest experiences.