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Rural x Bilingual x International Homestay

Hyogo
Japanese style house
Local traditional events
Mountain

Tamba Sasayama City is famous for delicious vegetables such as the famous black soybeans and Tamba chestnuts, as well as the beautiful countryside that the city lies in. The city has many faces: as a castle town, as a village of Tamba pottery which is one of the 6 ancient pottery kiln areas in Japan, and as a farming village. In recent years, more and more people from bigger cities have moved here. Many stylish cafes and restaurants that are located in renovated old private houses have opened. Osaka and Kobe are an hour and a half away by train, and Kyoto is about an hour away by car.

3 Key Points

1Host’s introduction 
We are an international couple from England and Japan. We have five grown up children, who are all independent, so now only the two of us live here. Barry visited/lived in many countries in his younger years before coming to Japan and Yoko works as a local guide in Tamba Sasayama City and also as a freelance translator. We love international cultural exchange, helping to organize events and disseminate information about Tamba Sasayama to the community of foreigners living in Japan. So, if you would like to know about this city, this would be the perfect place!
The history and culture of this city is so deep and interesting, that we decided to move here in 2011! We fell in love with Tamba Sasayama!
2You can interact with people like this! 
When events are held, English-speaking foreigners gather to visit Sasayama's tourist attractions and events together. Our own direct neighbors are a family who are working hard on permaculture and land improvement. Of course, you can interact with other locals in the area too.
3You can experience like this!
Barry usually works hard on growing vegetables in our vegetable garden and maintaining our house which has been fully renovated by ourselves. He’s always happy for a helping hand if you want to try it yourself! Yoko can show you around the tourist spots. You can also participate in events if the schedule matches.

House Rule

Allowed
Having friends over, Staying out or coming home late at night
Forbidden
Hosting Friends, Accepting Pets, Indoor Smoking

Host Area

 1 reviews
Anonymous

I participated in a rural homestay alone. The host couple was close to my age, and their experiences, way of life, thoughts, and being were exactly what I needed at this point in my life, like a source of inspiration. I had never traveled alone at this age, so it was a journey filled with excitement. I arrived in the evening, and Yoko-san welcomed me. We hit it off so well that it didn't feel like we were meeting for the first time, and we chatted so much that we didn't even have dinner until John-san came back from work. After dinner, we stayed up talking until late at night, something I hadn't done in years. The next day, they took me shopping, where we bought food and spent more time chatting. Tamba Sasayama is known for its pottery and history, so they took me to see the pottery. Yoko-san gave me a detailed explanation of Tamba pottery and the history of the land on our way there. We also unexpectedly visited a sake brewery, where I bought some sake and Tamba pottery as souvenirs. Tamba Sasayama is also famous for dinosaur fossils, and they took me to see the dinosaurs. On the fourth day, we went to the castle town. We visited "Makekirai Inari" shrine and then explored the castle town, where I was moved by the atmospheric streets. Yoko-san explained many things in detail there too. We then went to Sasayama Castle. It's built similarly to Nijo Castle, and Yoko-san taught me various things about it. Having a guide for the sightseeing allowed me to learn things only locals would know, which was very educational and led to many discoveries. It was a great experience. In the evening, I spent enjoyable time with John-san making beer bread and watching movies. I also cooked with Yoko-san and learned various recipes. It felt like I had gained a sister I could consult about anything, and I look forward to visiting them again.

FAQ

Q.

What payment methods are available?

A.

We basically accept credit card payment.

Q.

What is included in the homestay fee?

A.

It’s included a fee for staying, for the service of insulting the manager, interviewing when you match, and tax. Some of the Host is included in food costs.

Q.

How many days is the minimum stay? What is the minimum period of stay and how do the rates change depending on the stay?

A.

You can stay from minimum 4 nights and 5 days. Minimum stay differs from host to host, please check each host’s home page for details. Also it refers amount of per day per week. If you wish to stay in a homestay for more than one month, a daily fee will be added to the monthly amount.

Q.

Is there a pick-up and drop-off service from the nearest station?

A.

For homestay residences that require transportation, the host will pick you up and drop you off. Details on pick-up and drop-off are listed in the “Location” section of each host’s page.

Q.

When can I send a reservation request to the Homestay?

A.

Please send a request at least three months to three days before your desired stay dates. Highly recommend you send a request as early as possible, as reservations tend to increase before a month.

Q.

How much will cost for the kids?

A.

Prices for preschool and elementary school students differ depending on the homestay. Please check the “Additional Fees” on each host’s page. If there is no indication of preschool and elementary school student rates in the “Additional Fees” section, the rates are the same as the general rates.

Q.

Is it the same room if I’m staying with friends?

A.

It basically going to be the same room. Please check each host page for less expensive rates for two people. However, if two adults request separate rooms, the regular rate per person will be charged.