About us
If you've explored Tokyo and are ready to discover a different side of Japan, this group is for you.
Let's explore the Japanese countryside together. Rather than simply enjoying beautiful scenery, we aim to experience rural Japan through hands-on activities, local food, and meaningful connections with the people who live there.
Our events may include farming experiences, seasonal cooking, forest activities, local festivals, walking through rural towns, and enjoying fresh seasonal food rooted in each region.
Meet local people, hear their stories, and experience everyday life beyond the typical tourist route.
We believe the best way to discover Japan is not only by sightseeing, but by slowing down, learning through hands-on experiences, sharing meals, and connecting with local communities.
We're based in Ogawamachi, Saitama, just about one hour from Ikebukuro by direct train. Many of our events take place here, but we also organize trips to other unique rural destinations that are easy to reach from Tokyo.
Our members are mostly nature lovers and people who enjoy learning new things. It's always a pleasure to meet people who share similar interests.
About half of our participants are returning members and half are first-time visitors, so you'll always find both familiar faces and newcomers.
Whether you come alone or with friends, you'll be warmly welcomed.
Our organizers speak both English and Japanese, so there's no need to worry about the language barrier.
We look forward to exploring rural Japan with you!
Upcoming events
1
Gyoza (Japanese Dumplings) Making, Hands-on Farming & Forest Hiking! 🥟🥬🌳
Tokyo, JP（English/日本語）
Winter is getting chilly, but it's still lovely to spend time outdoors during the day when the sun is shining 🌳☀️Let’s enjoy a hands-on farming experience, make gyoza together using vegetables grown on our farm, enjoy freshly cooked gyoza for lunch, and go for a hike in the forest 😋🥟🌳✨
The event will take place in Ogawamachi, Saitama, one of Japan’s well-known towns for organic farming. It’s about one hour by direct train from Ikebukuro, Tokyo. We’ve also set the meeting time so you can take direct trains from Shibuya, Shinjuku, Yokohama, Musashi-Kosugi, Nakameguro, and other areas 🚃
We’ll first enjoy a walk through the peaceful countryside surrounded by forests on our way to the farm 🏃➡️🏞️
At my organic farm, we’ll enjoy a hands-on farming experience in the winter fields 🌱🥬
At this time of year, we grow various winter vegetables, such as daikon radishes, Chinese cabbage, and komatsuna, as well as a lesser-known vegetable called Jerusalem artichoke (kikuimo) 🥬🫚
Jerusalem artichokes have a nice crunchy texture and are often a favorite even among people trying them for the first time ✨ As it’s their harvest season, we might get to dig some up together 🌱After the farming experience, we’ll make gyoza together using vegetables grown on our farm 🥟✨
Gyoza are also a popular home-cooked dish in Japan. We’ll prepare the filling in advance, so everyone can experience wrapping their own gyoza, one by one🧑🍳💡
After wrapping the gyoza, we’ll cook them ourselves and enjoy them freshly cooked for lunch 🥟🔥
Gyoza always taste extra delicious when you wrap and cook them yourself 😋✨
We’ll also enjoy some side dishes made with vegetables from our farm, such as Jerusalem artichokes 🫚✨After lunch, we’ll go for a hike in the forest that we manage and enjoy some forest bathing along the way 🏃➡️🏞️
The air is crisp and clear in winter, and with the leaves fallen from the trees, we can enjoy a different view of the forest than usual 🌳🍁✨After some light exercise, we’ll take a relaxing tea break 🍵
This time, we’re planning to prepare homemade annin tofu (almond jelly) for dessert 😋🍮✨
In traditional Chinese medicine, annin tofu is believed to help soothe dryness in the lungs, making it a perfect dessert for the dry winter season 🌿✨Through this event, we also hope you’ll have the chance to meet other people who enjoy nature and hiking or are interested in farming and cooking ✨
Let’s enjoy farming, gyoza making, and hiking in nature while meeting other nature lovers 😊To see more of our past events, farm, and forest, check out our Instagram here ↓
https://www.instagram.com/taka_in_ogawamachi/■ Schedule:
10:00: Meet outside Ogawamachi Station
10:00–10:10: Self-introductions
10:10–10:30: Walk through the countryside
10:30–11:30: Farming experience
11:30–11:40: Walk to the lunch location
11:40–12:15: Gyoza making experience
12:15–13:15: Cook gyoza and enjoy lunch
13:15–14:15: Light forest hike
14:15–15:00: Tea break
15:00–15:30: Walk back to Ogawamachi Station
※ We plan to catch one of the trains departing from Ogawamachi Station at 15:46, 16:03, or 16:14.*If you prefer not to join the forest hike, you are welcome to stay and relax in the room.
*The schedule is a rough estimate. The event will take place in the rain, but the farming experience may be changed to a farm tour depending on the weather.■ Participation Fee:
・5,000 yen + 500 yen for insurance = 5,500 yen
・The fee will be used for lunch and dessert ingredients, preparation of meals and activities, guiding, and maintaining the forest we manage.
・Advance payment is required (usually through a PayPay payment link, but Rakuten Pay and bank transfers are also available).■ About Insurance:
・Covers medical expenses for injuries.■ Hiking Course Level:
・Beginner level
・There are some gentle uphill and downhill slopes in the forest.
・We’ll walk together at a comfortable pace.■ Meeting Place and Time:
・In front of Ogawamachi Station on the Tobu Tojo Line
※ Note: This is Ogawamachi in Saitama, not Ogawamachi in Tokyo.
・10:00 AM. There is a convenience store nearby. Please take care of shopping and restrooms before meeting.
・We won’t be able to wait for late arrivals, so please be on time. If you are running late on the day, please send us a message and we’ll let you know where to meet us.■ Train Access Examples:
・Direct trains are available from Ikebukuro, Shibuya, Yokohama, Shinjuku-sanchome, Musashi-Kosugi, Nakameguro, and more.
・Please check the comments section for details.■ What to Bring & Wear:
・Drinking water, a hat, a towel, etc.
・Please wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty, as we’ll be visiting the farm and forest.
・Hiking shoes are ideal for the forest, but some participants also come in sneakers.
・There is a space to change clothes at the lunch location, so please bring a change of clothes if needed.■ Registration Deadline & Confirmation:
✅ 10 days before the event (Thursday, December 10)
✅ After you register, we will send you payment details by message. Your participation will be confirmed once payment is received.
✅ We expect around 15 participants. Places will be secured on a first-paid, first-served basis.
※ Even after the registration deadline, spots may become available due to cancellations, so feel free to message us if you’d like to join.■ Cancellation Policy:
・7 to 4 days before the event: 20%
・3 to 2 days before the event: 50%
・1 day before or on the day of the event: 100%
*If the event is canceled due to a typhoon or other severe weather, a full refund will be provided.■ Note:
・We are not responsible for any injuries, accidents, lost or stolen items, damages, or other issues that may occur during the event.The guides speak both Japanese and English, so people who are not fluent in either language are also very welcome!
There are always people joining our events or Meetup for the first time, so please feel free to join us without any worries ^^
ーーー“手作り餃子体験＆農業体験＆森ハイキング！🥟🥬🌳”
肌寒い冬の季節になりますが、晴れた日の日中は、外で過ごすのも気持ちが良いです🌳☀️
畑で土に触れながら農業体験し、畑で育てた野菜を使った手作り餃子作り＆焼きたて餃子ランチを堪能し、森でのハイキングを楽しみましょう😋🥟🌳✨場所は、日本でも有数の有機農業が盛んな町、埼玉県小川町。東京・池袋から電車で一本、約1時間。その他、渋谷・新宿・横浜・武蔵小杉・中目黒などからも乗り換えなしで一本で来られる電車の時間に合わせて、集合時間を設定しています🚃
この日は、まず森に囲まれた空気のおいしい里山の町を楽しみながら、畑までウォーキングします🏃➡️🏞️
私のオーガニックファームでは、冬の畑での農業体験をします🌱🥬
この時期は、大根や白菜、小松菜など、さまざまな冬野菜が育っていますが、『菊芋（キクイモ）』という、あまり知られていない野菜も育てています 🥬🫚
菊芋はシャキシャキした食感が特徴で、初めて食べる方にも美味しいと好評の野菜です✨ちょうど収穫の時期なので、みんなで菊芋掘りをするかもしれません🌱農業体験の後は、畑で育てた野菜を使って、みんなで餃子を作ります🥟✨
餃子は日本でも家庭料理として親しまれており、今回は具材を事前に準備しておき、一つひとつ自分で包むところから体験します🧑🍳💡包んだ餃子は、自分たちで焼いて、焼きたてをランチでいただきます🥟🔥
自分で包んで焼いた餃子は、格別に美味しいです😋✨
畑の菊芋などの野菜を使った副菜も一緒に楽しみます🥬✨ランチ後は、私たちが管理している森の中で、森林浴を楽しみながらハイキング🏃➡️🏞️
冬の森は空気が澄んでいて、木々の葉が落ち、普段とは違った森の景色を楽しめる季節です🌳🍁✨軽く体を動かした後は、ティーブレイクでリフレッシュ🍵
今回は、手作り杏仁豆腐をご用意する予定です😋🍮✨
薬膳では、杏仁豆腐は肺の乾燥を和らげるとされていて、乾燥する季節にぴったりです。このイベントを通して、自然やハイキングが好きな方、畑や料理に興味のある方との出会いも期待できます✨
自然の中で農業体験＆餃子作り＆ハイキングを楽しみながら、自然好きな人たちとの出会いも楽しみましょう😊イベントや畑・森の様子はこちらから↓
https://www.instagram.com/taka_in_ogawamachi/■ スケジュール：
10:00: 小川町駅を出たところで集合
10:00-10:10: 自己紹介
10:10-10:30: 里山ウォーキング
10:30-11:30: 農業体験
11:30-11:40: ランチ場所までウォーキング
11:40-12:15: 餃子作り体験
12:15-13:15: 餃子を焼いてランチ
13:15-14:15: 森で軽いハイキング
14:15-15:00: ティーブレイク
15:00-15:30: 駅までウォーキング
※15:46、16:03、16:14 小川町駅発のいずれかの電車に乗車予定です。*森にハイキングへ行かずに部屋で待機することも可能です。
*スケジュールは目安です。雨天決行ですが、雨の場合、農業体験が畑ガイドツアーに変更になる可能性があります。■ 参加費:
・5,000円＋保険代500円=5,500円
・参加費は、昼食・デザートなどの材料、食事やアクティビティの準備、ガイド、私たちが管理する山の維持のために使用されます。
・事前支払いになります（基本的にPayPayリンクでのお支払いとなりますが、楽天ペイや銀行振り込みも可能です）。■ 保険について
・怪我などに対する治療費が補償されます。■ 森でのハイキングコースのレベル:
・初級者レベル
・森には少し上り坂や下り坂のアップダウンがあります。
・皆でペースを合わせて歩きます。■ 集合場所と時間
・東武東上線小川町駅の入り口前 ※注意：東京の小川町ではなく埼玉県の小川町です。
・午前10:00。近くにコンビニがあります。必要な物の購入やトイレなど済ませて集合ください。
・遅れて到着された方をお待ちできないので、お時間にお気をつけください。当日万が一遅れる場合は、目的地を伝えるのでメッセージでご連絡ください。■ 当日利用可能な電車の例：
・池袋、渋谷、横浜、新宿三丁目、武蔵小杉、中目黒などから電車で一本で来れます。
・詳細はコメント欄をご参考ください。■ 持ち物、服装
・飲料水、帽子、タオルなど
・畑や森に行くので、汚れても問題のない格好がおすすめです。
・森ではハイキングシューズだと歩きやすいですが、スニーカーで来られる方もいます。
・ランチの場所で着替えることも可能ですので、着替えたい方は着替えをご持参ください。■ 申し込み締切&確定期日
✅ 10日前（12月10日木曜日）
✅ 参加申し込みいただいた後に、お支払い方法をメッセージでお送りしますのでご確認ください。お支払い完了をもって参加確定となります。
✅ 参加人数は15名ほどで、お支払いをいただいた先着順となります。
※申し込み期限を過ぎた場合でも、キャンセルなどで枠が空くこともあるので、参加希望の方はメッセージをください。■ キャンセルポリシー
・1週間前〜4日前まで：20％
・3日前〜2日前まで：50％
・1日前・当日：100％
*台風などにより中止となった場合は、100%返金いたします。■ 注意事項
・イベント中に発生した怪我、事故、紛失や盗難、損害、その他の問題については責任を負いかねますので、ご了承ください。ガイドは日本語と英語を話すので、英語や日本語が話せない方でも大歓迎です！
私たちのイベントやMeetup自体に参加するのが初めての方も毎回いらっしゃいますので、安心してご参加ください^^
1 attendee
Past events
74
