Message from the Founder

At the foot of Mt. Tamaki, in Kiwa Town, Kumano City, we are restoring a 150-year-old former inn watched over by a 400 year old maple tree.

This place is being reborn as a sanctuary for renewal and nourishment a space where people can reconnect with nature, their bodies, and their inner stillness.

Under the name “Yomigaeri Kumano Yojoen,” we are creating a retreat-style accommodation, with an opening planned for this summer.

This is not just a renovation.

It is the revival of a place, a culture, and a way of living that has been slowly fading.

By supporting this project, you become part of that revival.

We are deeply grateful for your warmth, your trust, and your presence in this journey.

Project Highlights

1.

Reviving a 150-year-old inn in the sacred land of Kumano.

A forgotten place is brought back to life as “Yomigaeri Kumano Yojoen,” a space for deep renewal.

2.

A stay inspired by Shugendo, rooted in the spiritual mountains of Kumano.

Reconnect with yourself through nature, ritual, and quiet presence.

3.

A sanctuary of nature, nourishing food, and deep rest.

A place where your body softens, your mind clears, and something essential returns.

Ⅰ．Project Details

In the World Heritage mountains of Kumano, we are restoring a 150-year-old former inn, quietly watched over by a 400-year-old maple tree.

Our vision is to open “Yomigaeri Kumano Yojoen,” a place where people can reconnect with nature, their bodies, and a deeper sense of themselves.

To preserve this aging building safely and pass it on to the future, we are raising 3,000,000 yen through this crowdfunding project.

By supporting this project, you are not only helping restore a building, but also sustaining a way of life rooted in nature and tradition.

Ⅱ．Self Introduction

Nice to meet you. My name is Kenichi Haruki (Ken).

I am currently living in Kumano, where I am preparing to open a hands-on lodging facility called “Yomigaeri Kumano Yojōen,” a restored 150-year-old traditional Japanese house.

So far, I have been involved in Thai traditional massage, yoga, welfare work, and the management of retreat facilities, supporting people in their physical and mental recovery and healing.

At present, through the practice of Shugendō, I am working to create a place for “nurturing life and renewal,” centered on nature and prayer.

Ⅲ． Story

I once lived a stable life as a company employee, yet deep inside I carried a quiet sense of unease—questioning whether this was truly the life I was meant to live. Eventually, I lost my physical and mental balance and my sense of direction, and in 2006, I left my job.

A turning point came during a trek in the Northern Alps. As I regained my breath in the midst of nature, I realized that “human beings are capable of much deeper healing and renewal than we usually allow.”

Although I dreamed of creating a healing retreat, I was met with the harsh realities of life and experienced repeated setbacks.

Later, I studied Thai traditional massage and became a shop manager. I also worked in welfare facilities and retreat centers, and trained in Kundalini Yoga, eventually teaching it as well. Through these experiences, I witnessed many moments in which people went beyond physical healing and reconnected with their vital life force.

In time, I was guided to the sacred land of Kumano, where I met a teacher of Shugendō and was given the Dharma name “Kōryū” (Light Dragon). Through prayer and deep immersion in nature, I came to a profound realization:

Within nature, stillness, and human warmth, people can return to their true selves and begin walking their path once again.

Along this journey, I also met my life partner. She carries a deep sensitivity for ceremony and healing, and together we are nurturing this place. Walking this path not alone, but in mutual support, holds deep meaning for me.

It was through this unfolding that I encountered a 150-year-old former inn, watched over by a 400-year-old maple tree.

I feel called to restore this place as a sanctuary where people can rebuild their lives and return to their true selves—a place they can always come home to.

Now, the challenge of bringing a 20-year vision into form is truly beginning.

IV. Social Issues We Aim to Address

In modern society, convenience and efficiency are often prioritized above all else.

As a result, many people have become disconnected from nature, their bodies, and moments of quiet reflection.

More and more people experience physical and mental imbalance, chronic fatigue, and a growing sense of emptiness—

yet lack the time and space needed for true recovery.

Especially in urban environments, stress is widespread.

While many seek healing, the rest they find often remains superficial.

Ⅴ．Project Overview

Current Condition of the Traditional House

This is a two-story wooden building with a surrounding corridor. Having stood for 150 years, the structure has significantly aged and shows signs of deterioration.

We plan to carry out minimal renovations while preserving as much of its original character and atmosphere as possible.

1F

2F

Toilet

Bathroom

Kitchen

What is “Yomigaeri Kumano Yojoen”?

Kumano, a UNESCO World Heritage region, has long been known as a land of rebirth.

Through nature, prayer, and pilgrimage, people have come here to reconnect with their true selves.

In this mountain village, we are restoring a 150-year-old traditional inn, along with the surrounding satoyama landscape and abandoned land, to create a place for deep renewal.

At the heart of this project is a retreat centered on nourishment ― for both body and mind.

We will offer meals that support balance and vitality, including Shojin cuisine, vegan dishes, and medicinal food practices.

Alongside this, guests can experience a range of wellness programs such as yoga, meditation, qigong, healing sessions, and warming therapies.

Rooted in the philosophy of Shugendo, we will also offer practices connected to prayer and nature including daily chanting, shrine visits and cleaning, mountain walks, and purification rituals.

🌿 Retreat Programs & Ceremonies

In addition to these offerings, we will host retreats that encourage deep connection with nature and the self through practices such as Fire Ceremonies, Cacao Ceremonies, and Kirtan.

These experiences are designed to support inner transformation, renewal, and a return to one’s authentic essence.

What is a Cacao Ceremony?

A ceremonial gathering where sacred cacao is shared to gently open the heart and reconnect with one’s true self.

Through music, meditation, and mindful presence, participants explore the deeper layers of love and inner awareness.

What is a Fire Ceremony?

A ritual of offering prayers and intentions to the fire, symbolically releasing what no longer serves and inviting renewal.

It encourages inner commitment, clarity, and a sense of new beginnings.

What is Kirtan?

A form of devotional chanting where mantras are sung together in a shared musical space.

Beyond logic and language, voices blend into a collective experience that softens the heart and creates a sense of unity.

🌿 Vision & Purpose

In addition to our retreat activities, we are committed to restoring abandoned land, practicing organic and pesticide-free cultivation, and protecting the satoyama landscape.

Through these efforts, we aim to carry forward Japan’s traditions of prayer, sustainable living, and cultural wisdom into the future.

Yomigaeri Kumano Yojoen is not simply an accommodation.

It is a place to pause, reflect, and reconnect with how you truly want to live.

Our intention is to create a place people can return to ― again and again for renewal, grounding, and a sense of belonging.

Ⅵ．Project Timeline

A step-by-step journey toward opening in July

January – Construction begins

Late February – Crowdfunding campaign launches

Late April – Crowdfunding campaign concludes

Late May – Construction completed

June – Ryokan business license obtained

Early July – Grand opening

VII. Messages of Support

Ⅷ．How the support funds will be used

While renovating a hotel would normally cost over 10 million yen, we plan to carry out only the minimum necessary renovations that preserve its current character.

*We are currently carrying out the necessary renovation work in accordance with our application for a business license for farm, forestry, and fishing experience guesthouses, and we expect to obtain a hotel business license around mid-June.

<Necessary expenses>

Bathroom and toilet renovation... 2 million yen

Floor and structural reinforcement... 800,000 yen

Doors, entrance doors, shutters... 950,000 yen

Electrical and gas work... 700,000 yen

Other renovations... 550,000 yen

Total 5 million yen

<Budget>

Crowdfunding: 3 million yen

Personal funds: 2 million yen

<Regarding the application process>

This project will be implemented using the All-in method. Even if the target amount is not reached, the plan will be executed and rewards will be delivered.

Ⅸ．Final message

Future Vision: Co-Creating with the Local Community

Kiwacho, in Kumano City, Mie Prefecture, once thrived through copper mining, with a population of around 10,000 in the 1950s.

However, after the mine closed in 1978, the population steadily declined, and today, fewer than 1,000 people remain.

Despite its rich natural environment and cultural heritage, depopulation has continued, leaving behind many vacant homes and abandoned farmland.

We hope to revitalize the Nishiyama area of Kiwacho as a “place of renewal.”

Our vision goes beyond operating a lodging facility—we aim to restore ways of living rooted in the land, together with local residents.

Today, Kiwacho faces increasing abandoned fields and empty homes, along with an aging and declining population.

To respond to this reality, we are working closely with the community to restore traditional houses and reactivate farmland.

Our initiatives include

Offering fermented foods and shojin-style plant-based meals using local wild herbs and mountain vegetables

Hosting kominka (traditional house) restoration workshops with local residents and people interested in relocating

Creating opportunities for people from Japan and abroad to pray, learn, and work alongside the community

Reviving local processing facilities for regional products such as ume (plum) and miso

Through these efforts, we aim to create a place where people can reconnect—with each other, with nature, and with themselves.

This project is not only about tourism.

It is about nurturing a living environment where local culture, spirituality, and everyday life continue to thrive.

Within the warmth of Kumano’s nature and its people, visitors can rediscover balance in body and mind—

while the region itself begins to regain its vitality.

This is the future vision of Yomigaeri Kumano Yojoen.

An Invitation to Co-Create － Please Help Us Nurture This Light Together

The inn is aging, and essential renovations are needed to create a safe and welcoming space for guests

including improvements to water facilities, toilets, flooring, and fittings.

We are seeking 3,000,000 yen to support these renovations.

The path to this moment has not been easy.

There were times when I lost direction, confidence, and what I once held dear.

Yet I continued to move forward.

Every experience became part of a journey toward renewal.

Now, together with my wife, a dream carried for over twenty years is finally beginning to take shape.

We warmly invite you to become part of this story of rebirth.

We look forward to welcoming you here in Kumano.