Historic Retreat at 300-Year-Old Ashigarigo Setoyashiki Villa

One of Kanagawa’s Finest Villas

Setoyashiki is located in rural Kanagawa Prefecture, surrounded by Mount Hakone, Mount Matsuda, Mount Fudo, and the Tanzawa Mountain Range. Its thatched roof form has remained unchanged in the last three centuries, and it is a Designated Important Cultural Property for the region.

The roof is re-thatched every 20 years

The villa was donated to Kaisei Town by its original owner, and was opened to the public in 2005. The enormous 64,000 square foot plot includes the main house, a beautiful flower and dry landscape garden, storehouses, a water mill, and a well. All combine to form a window into the rural Japan of old.

The clear waterways are inhabited by king crabs, and hosts of fireflies can be seen lighting up the summer night sky.

Seasonal Bounties by Firelight

In the villa, guests can learn how to light a traditional kamado stove and cook fresh local vegetables. Seasonal cycles become clear as different vegetables come and go and guests learn to prepare them using the villa’s well.

Plump fava beans are harvested in Kaisei from spring to early summer

Lighting a kamado requires great care. Thankfully, this experience includes instruction on how to set up firewood and how to use a traditional hifutake bamboo pipe to nurture the flames. Even beginners will be able to set their fire with ease.

Setoyashiki’s kamado remains unchanged from when the house was built, offering guests a hands-on opportunity to witness how much our lives have changed over the last few centuries.

Blowing on the fire with a hifutake pipe

Leisure and Luxury

In between experiences, feel free to relax on the spacious porch or take a stroll through the grounds. Some plants in the garden have existed since the villa was constructed and stand as testament to the area’s rich history. Feel your mind quieten down as you immerse yourself in these peaceful surroundings.

A view of the verdant courtyard from the villa’s tea room

Deeper exploration of the grounds reveals a bamboo grove next to the residence. This peaceful path is filled with cool air and soft silence, and time seems to flow slower as you walk.

A Meal by the Hearth

In previous centuries, the sunken hearth provided not only a place to cook and eat, but a place for households to spend time together. During the meal, guests can enjoy a traditional meal around the hearth and experience a different, more personal way of life.

The main course is a delicious nabe hotpot made with locally-made tofu, high-quality meat, and fresh vegetables harvested in Kaisei. The flavors of each element soak into the dish to create a satisfying and hearty meal.

Enjoying a moment of peace around the hearth

The hotpot is served with freshly-cooked local rice, seasonal tempura, and simmered side dishes that bring the best out of the morning’s vegetable harvest. Each dish is prepared according to local styles, offering a unique enjoyment that’s tough to find in the city.

After the meal, enjoy seasonal sweet amazake, a traditional low-alcohol fermented rice drink that’s associated with celebration.

Amazake changes with the season. Enjoy it with coffee, strawberries, and more

Traditional Seasonal Fermentation

One of the high points of the day is the opportunity to try traditional fermentation of a seasonal food, like shio koji seasoning in summer and miso in winter. Using carefully selected koji mold from nearby Seto Sake Brewery, local salt and soy sauce, guests can create delicious fermented food to enjoy in the coming weeks.

Koji soy sauce offers a rich aroma

Explore Kaisei Aboard a Tuk-Tuk

As an optional extra, visitors can tour the nearby town of Kaisei and try their hand at harvesting local vegetables. Experience the freshness of truly seasonal vegetables, which offer a depth of color and flavor that’s tough to find in a supermarket.

On a tuk-tuk tour of the town and surrounding area, guests can feel the refreshing breeze, the scent of each and greenery, and the dramatic sight of the surrounding mountains.

A tuk-tuk weaves between rice fields

Step into the unique lifestyle of old Japan on this full-day experience, and enjoy a brief respite from the toils of modern life in a grand and historic villa.