Ogatayama in Tsuru City, Yamanashi Prefecture, is a quiet farming village surrounded by mountains. It is located in Tanokura, a station on the Fujikyu Railway line that runs to Mt. Fuji (two stations from Otsuki, or a 10-minute taxi ride from Otsuki). It is about an hour and a half from Tokyo.

Much of the natural environment remains, and while modern life blends in, traditional lifestyles and customs also persist.

In Ogatayama, you can stay in a 100+ year old traditional house, dine and sleep in a tatami room, take cooking classes using locally grown vegetables, experience village festivals, visit the elementary school, communicate with locals, learn about local industries, the relationship between religion (temples and shrines) and the local people, and discover new community revitalization efforts being undertaken by the region.

The language of instruction is English, but for those who wish to study Japanese, classes in Japanese language, calligraphy, and Japanese history are also available. These classes are taught by Kikuchi, the founder of ICEK, who has taught American language and history in the United States for many years.

These are individual workshops, typically lasting 1-4 days and including accommodation. They are suitable for individuals, couples, or groups of friends (up to 5 people). The price is $250 per person per day/night, including accommodation (in a beautiful traditional house), meals, and the workshop itself.

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Since the booking calendar isn't ready yet, please contact us by email (icekworkshops@gmail.com) to let us know your preferred date. In 2027, the workshops will be held in March, April, September, and October, during the spring and autumn seasons when Japan has the best weather, so please feel free to join us!

We are also always looking for bilingual Japanese-English interns.