Hi all. It’s Haruka here.

November has always been one of my favourite months. When I was little, I loved playing with things I found in nature — fluffy tall grasses, colourful fallen leaves, branches with interesting textures, and seeds in all sorts of shapes. November, sitting quietly between autumn and winter, felt like a season full of small wonders.

I used to say I loved these things as a child… but maybe, after all these years, I still do — just in a different way.

(At the Japanese traditional plant dye workshop)

So it felt very natural to choose November as one of our retreat months — it’s truly my favourite time of the year. Fukuoka is at its most beautiful then, and the more time passes, the more deeply I feel that beauty.

It’s an absolute pleasure for me to share this season with our guests, and to welcome them into the quiet charm of November in Fukuoka.

(At Buddhism Practice with a local monk)

In this November retreat, we welcomed guests from Belgium, Hawai‘i, Hong Kong, and Australia. One guest returned after joining us last year, completing both retreat seasons — spring and autumn — which felt especially meaningful.

Some guests travelled solo, while others joined as friends on a shared journey. This mix always brings a lovely balance of independence and companionship, and it was beautiful to watch new connections naturally form throughout the week.

(At a certified Forest Therapy Road in Fukuoka)

I would love to share this story that will stay in my heart forever.

Last year, three wonderful ladies from Hawaii🌴 joined us to celebrate one of their 70th birthday. We secretly arranged a special cake and had the most heart-warming celebration together🎂🎉

One year later, their friends from Hawaii came to join the 2025 Nov retreat — another group of three, traveling for the exact same reason. (They actually even stayed in the same room!)

And yes… we celebrated another beautiful 70th birthday with another cake! 🎂✨

(Learning about Matcha from the local tea professional)

These six Hawaiian women are some of the most cheerful, positive, generous, kind, curious, and adventurous people I’ve ever met✨

Spending time with them made me reflect on how I want to live my own 60s and 70s — not about what I do, but how I embrace life with that same lightness and joy.

Feeling so honoured to be part of their life adventures. 🌺💛

As someone who also loves traveling, I’ve always felt that experiencing different places and cultures brings a quiet kind of inspiration and energy.

After a journey, I return to my everyday life back home, but knowing that there are people who live differently often changes the way I see the world — even if that change isn’t always obvious or immediate. It slowly opens my perspective, softens my ideas, and leaves a lasting warmth in my heart.

So I truly hope that this retreat offers guests the same gift — an opportunity to open their perspective, soften their ideas, and carry home long-lasting memories and a quiet warmth that stays with them well beyond the journey.

Another thing I feel truly grateful for is the positive change and open attitude of the local team.

This village isn’t a touristy place, and at the beginning, many people weren’t used to interacting with guests from overseas. I remember how nervous everyone was — from the tea teachers to the kimono instructors — when we first started the retreat. I think I was nervous too.

(Partner yoga practice in the Tatami shala)

Now, they genuinely enjoy meeting and spending time with guests, even though not everyone speaks English fluently. Seeing their confidence grow and watching them enjoy these exchanges is one of the moments when I feel most rewarded for creating this retreat.

So many beautiful memories and meaningful conversations came out of this retreat. It truly felt like the perfect group to wrap up the year of 2025. Big big ARIGATO to everyone who joined this Nov program. I hope you are all doing well back home!

We’ve now opened bookings for our 2026 October and November programs, with just a few rooms left, and we’re already feeling excited to welcome new guests for the next journey ahead.

(The special year of 70! The journey of the friendship continues…)

This is probably the last blog post before the Christmas.
Have a very merry Christmas everyone!!

November Retreat Highlights: What Made This Season Special

Looking Back on a Wonderful October Retreat🍁👘