Mrs. Mari Booth-Spain

Mari Booth-Spain is a bilingual Japanese-English facilitator, English language instructor, and founder of Kura Retreat Daikokuten — a lovingly restored 130-year-old Japanese kura (storehouse) turned immersive cultural guesthouse in rural Tōei, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. A Japanese native with 13 years living in the UK (London and Kent), Mari brings deep cross-cultural insight and exceptional English proficiency (TOEIC 960). She specializes in immersive English culture retreats (including 3-day intensive camps and weekend programs), international cooking and culture that go far beyond textbooks. Her programs combine practical conversation practice, confidence-building coaching, and personal development workshops focused on ikigai (discovering one’s purpose in life), self-understanding, curiosity, and goal-setting. Guests also enjoy authentic Japanese cultural experiences such as tea ceremonies, farm-to-table cooking with home-grown produce from the 5-acre permaculture gardens, calligraphy, nature immersion (forest bathing and local mountain hikes), and warm countryside hospitality. As the Japanese co-host alongside her husband Shem, Mari creates safe, nurturing, and supportive environments where participants reconnect with their sense of purpose, and experience genuine rural Japanese life. Her warm, patient, and culturally attuned facilitation style makes her retreats ideal for professionals, students, and travelers seeking meaningful language growth combined with relaxation and personal transformation in a serene mountain setting.