Komatsu: Where Farmers and Artisans Live in Harmony with Nature

With direct flights from Tokyo to Komatsu Airport and the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, it is now easier than ever before to visit Ishikawa Prefecture. And yet still few travelers venture beyond the region’s popular destinations like Kanazawa to explore more rural areas where local traditions and values still thrive. Located just a short drive south from central Komatsu, the small town of Takigahara is one such special place, where local people have lived in harmony with nature on farms amidst forested hills for countless generations.

A Deep Reverence for the Land and All It Provides

While undeniably one of Japan’s remoter regions, Hokuriku maintained vital trade links throughout much of its history with Tohoku in the north and Kansai in the south via the Kitamaebune ships that traveled the Japan Sea coast. Alongside agriculture, artisanal manufacturing emerged to produce items such as lacquerware, using materials derived from the land and methods that were passed down through the generations.

Quarries arose to make use of abundant high-quality stone near the present-day city of Komatsu, leading to the creation of stone storehouses, a relative rarity in Japan. Potters in the region used crushed Hanasaka stone to make uniquely beautiful ceramics known as Kutani ware. For centuries, local people have worshiped at temples and shrines embedded into the natural world, expressing their gratitude for all that the land here provides to them. At Natadera Temple, there is a particular long-standing tradition of reverence for Mount Hakusan as the source of the life-giving water that nurtures the area’s farms and forests.

A Stay with a Sense of Place

Takigahara Craft & Stay: the Perfect Place to Relax, Recharge, and Relearn

You will be staying at Takigahara Craft & Stay, a former farmhouse built over a century ago. In recent years, the property has been renovated to provide visitors with an ideal spot to relax and recharge away from the rigors of city life. At the same time, Takigahara Craft & Stay also offers opportunities to experience local culture by arranging workshops with local artisans and farmers. Working in collaboration with neighboring Takigahara Farm, the accommodation strives to provide meals that follow a sustainable farm-to-table ethos with an emphasis on ingredients that showcase the best of each season.

Access to the facility is convenient, with Wabunka providing special private car service to and from Komatsu Airport, JR Kagaonsen Station, or JR Komatsu Station (Hokuriku Shinkansen).

When staying at Takigahara Craft & Stay, visitors can choose from two different types of accommodation. One of these two facilities, Takigahara House, is a whole building that you can book for the ultimate private stay. The other option, simply called Craft & Stay, is a combined hostel and guest house that offers dormitories as well as private guest rooms.

Meals are served on-site at the Takigahara Cafe. Wabunka customers can also enjoy a special extended 11:00 AM check-out time. Bicycles can be rented to explore the surrounding countryside (depending on availability). English-speaking staff are available on site to assist guests.

Many visitors enjoy Takigahara Craft & Stay so much that they end up eager to extend their stay. For a truly relaxing stay and a more meaningful experience, we highly recommend booking multiple nights.

Make Yourself at Home Amidst Traditional Architecture and Modern Decor

When you arrive at Takigahara Craft & Stay, you will feel less like you have come to a hotel or ryokan and more like you have stepped into a tiny, picturesque village. While the exteriors of the buildings retain a rustic air that speaks to the history and tradition of the area, the interiors have been fitted with stylish modern furniture and decorated with contemporary art, creating the sense that this community is also ever-evolving. The Takigahara Cafe is located in a separate building alongside the two main accommodation facilities.

Rejuvenate in a Private Sauna and Stone Bath with Views of Fields and Forests

One of the most unique features of Takigahara Craft & Stay is a free-standing sauna that was constructed using local wood and stone. Gaze out on soothing views of the surrounding fields and forested hills as your body warms and your mind clears itself of distractions. The building also possesses an outdoor stone bath and cold plunge pool on a terrace that faces Mount Kurakake. In the warmer months, you can even cool down in the stream that runs through the property, immersing yourself in fresh spring water that flows down from the surrounding mountains.

Pre-Selected Rooms

Private Villa

Built over 80 years ago, this stone storehouse is typical of rural Hokuriku architecture but quite rare elsewhere in Japan. The building has been thoughtfully renovated to preserve a sense of history and provide unforgettable private stays for guests. The ground floor has a kitchen, dining area, and living space, as well as a large bathroom where you can relax as long as you want in the tub, while the upper floor is a bedroom that can sleep up to four people.

Other Rooms

Private guest room

The other accommodation building, Craft & Stay, also has a private guest room on its second floor with one queen-sized bed and one bunk bed. Large windows brighten the room and provide views of surrounding buildings and trees.

*Through Wabunka, you can reserve either the Takigahara House or a private room at Craft & Stay.

*Please note that room assignments may be subject to change based on availability. If a change is necessary, the rate may vary, and we will notify you of the details beforehand.

Moments at the Table

Savor Delicious Farm-to-Table Meals that Celebrate the Bounty of the Region

All meals at Takigahara Craft & Stay are served at the stylish on-site Takigahara Cafe, which welcomes guests into seats at a long shared wooden table. The emphasis here is on seasonal ingredients intimately connected to the land of the surrounding region, sourced from local farmers, fishermen, and hunters who balance flavor and freshness with health and sustainability. When you check in, you can inform the accommodation whether you want to share the table with other guests or dine privately.

There are two chefs currently working at Takigahara Craft & Stay, one who makes Asian cuisine using local ingredients for lunches and another who prepares traditional French-based course meals for dinner.

*Dinner and breakfast menus change seasonally.

*Drinks are not included in the experience fee. Please make the payment separately on the day at the venue.

*Please note that you may be seated with other guests during meals at the accommodation.

Breakfast

Breakfast at Takigahara Craft & Stay is balanced and nutritious, featuring homegrown vegetables from Takigahara Farm and eggs from their free-range chickens. Some items on the menu may include fresh-baked bread, seasonal fruits and vegetables, and eggs from Takigahara Farm’s free-range chickens, as well as orange juice and coffee. Japanese-style breakfasts may include such dishes as clay pot rice, miso soup, grilled fish, and seasonal vegetables.

Dinner

Dinner at Takigahara Craft & Stay is a multi-course meal featuring local seasonal ingredients prepared using culinary techniques and flavors from Japan and other parts of the world. There is a special emphasis on fresh seafood, as well as wild game meat such as boar and venison. If you wish, you can also order dessert and natural wine. Food is served on exquisite Kutani ware ceramics and Echizen lacquerware.

Relax over an Evening Drink at the On-site Bar in a Renovated Storehouse

Moss Bar is the facility’s on-site bar and lounge, perfect for enjoying a quiet drink or two after dinner. Located inside an old storehouse that has been renovated into a warm, welcoming space, the bar has a broad selection composed of natural wines from around the world as well Hokuriku sake and Japanese whiskey. You can drink at the counter or head up to the lounge on the second floor to relax and listen to a collection of vinyl records.

*Moss Bar can be pre-booked through Wabunka when making your reservation. There is no cover charge; please simply pay for your drinks on site.

Deepen Your Connection to the Region

Visit Ancient Natadera Temple on the Slopes of a Sacred Mountain

To experience the spiritual side of Hokuriku, you will visit the historic temple of Natadera, on an exclusive Wabunka tour. Founded on the slopes of Mount Hakusan in the early eighth century, Natadera is truly a temple at one with its surroundings, built into the very rocks and trees and moss of the mountain itself. In line with the widespread Japanese tradition of mountain worship, the temple has long been a place to show reverence and respect to Mount Hakusan.

One area of particular interest on the grounds of the temple is Kigan Yusenkyo, a large rock formation with numerous caves carved into it by the forces of time. It has long been believed that passing through these sacred caves offers believers the opportunity to cleanse themselves and be reborn. For safety and preservation reasons, entry to the caves is no longer permitted, though it is possible to tour some of the underground passages via the Honden main hall.

Natadera Temple was awarded one star by the Michelin Green Guide in 2015. The main hall and several other buildings have been designated nationally as Important Cultural Properties and the temple grounds recognized as a National Place of Scenic Beauty.

Follow the Temple’s Priest on a Private Tour and Goma Fire Ritual

Your guide at the temple will be the temple’s priest Shunken Yoshita, who was born and raised in Komatsu. His jovial manner provides a warm introduction to Natadera as he leads you through the grounds and structures of the temple. The range of ancient Japanese beliefs described today as Shinto focused primarily on the worship of nature, with spirits known as kami thought to inhabit special places such as rivers, trees, mountains, and stones. The unusual caves and rock formations where Natadera now stands were clearly one such sacred place.

These ancient traditions later merged with Buddhism to create Japan’s uniquely complex blend of rituals and beliefs. With his deeply intimate knowledge of the subject, Shunken Yoshita is the perfect guide to explain these subtleties as he guides you through the temple’s most fascinating and beautiful spots. Among these will be the Shoin Hall, an Important Cultural Property built in the early Edo period (1603-1867), and its Japanese garden, which has been designated as a Place of Scenic Beauty.

Led by Shunken Yoshita, you will also have the rare experience to participate directly in a goma fire ritual. This ancient Buddhist practice involves building a small fire in front of an altar to various deities, then burning prayers written on wooden tablets (known as goma-gi) and papers. The fire is thought to serve two purposes, sending the prayers onward to the deities while burning off the earthly desires that cause human suffering.

To capture memorable images of your special experience at Natadera Temple, we highly recommend selecting Wabunka’s Photo Service as an additional option, in which a professional photographer will accompany you throughout your temple visit (additional fees apply). Amidst the trees, ancient temple buildings, and rock formations, the carefully-maintained grounds of Natadera are carpeted in thick green moss, providing a beautiful backdrop to photographs that you will treasure long after your visit.

*Please note as well that this temple visit can take place even in rainy or other inclement weather.

Enjoy a Tea Ceremony Experience at Natadera Temple (Additional Option)

As an additional exclusive Wabunka option (additional fees apply), you can choose a private tea ceremony experience at the temple’s on-site teahouse Nyozean. This simple yet elegant structure was built in the mid-17th century by the legendary tea master Senso Soshitsu IV. Reflecting the personal tastes and aesthetic preferences of the head of the Maeda family, Nyozean does not have the typical low-set entrance (nijiriguchi) of most teahouses that compels one to bow deeply upon entry, with its kininguchi (noblemen’s entrance) requiring only a slight bow of the head. Tableware used during your tea ceremony experience will include fine lacquerware and Kutani ware ceramics made in the Hokuriku region.

*Herbal tea or coffee is available instead of matcha if requested.

Another exclusive Wabunka option (additional fees apply) is to enjoy a boxed bento lunch during your tour of Natadera at the historic Fumon-kaku building. This graceful former home, made of rare zelkova wood, was relocated to the temple in 1965 and has been recognized as a Tangible Cultural Property. Inside, you can see Buddhist art and tea ceremony utensils that once belonged to the powerful Maeda samurai family who ruled the region.

If you prefer to eat back at your accommodation, lunch can be arranged for you at Takigahara Cafe after your temple tour (additional option, reserve through Wabunka and pay on site).

A Warm Welcome in Komatsu, No Matter What Time of Year

Many travelers choose to visit Hokuriku in late spring when the cherry blossoms bloom or fall when the leaves blaze red, orange, and yellow. But the truth of the matter is that places like Takigahara are beautiful all-year round, including in the winter months when deep snow covers the land in a soft white blanket.

Whenever you visit, we hope that this Wabunka plan gives you the chance to slow down and experience more of what this unique part of Japan has to offer. With a night at Takigahara Craft & Stay and an in-depth tour of Natadera Temple, you can begin to appreciate the deep connections that people in this rural region have formed to the land that has sustained them for centuries.