Satoru, Nozomi

We are the caretakers of Massara-ya. Twenty-two years ago, we left the fast-paced life of Tokyo and moved to Kumano. We now live in Atashika, a peaceful village just 15 minutes from Massara-ya. This retreat is born from hope—a deep hope we’ve found through our journey, and a hope we wish to share with you. When we first married, there was a high and thick wall between us. Through our relationship and raising our children, many challenges arose. We’ve faced them slowly, sometimes hardly and with severity—untangling each knot one by one. Over time, the wall began to break, becoming lower, thinner. Now, we continue walking together, step by step, toward a connection without barriers—what some might call oneness. We can’t speak English fluently, but we can communicate with each heart fluently.