Retreat wabi-sabi

Angela and Yasu were wonderful hosts during our weekend at Wabi-Sabi. We stayed in a cottage surrounded by greenery, with total quiet and the beach just an eight-minute walk away. It was clean and had everything we needed for a relaxing break. The food was delicious, regional, organic, and freshly prepared with our own ingredients. We’re sure to come back!

For the price, I expected more. It didn’t feel like a retreat to me, just a few basic self-catering cottages. There wasn’t much around, perhaps because it wasn’t peak season. Within walking distance, I found only two or three mediocre restaurants, and the nearest supermarket was 3 km away. There were no bikes to rent, so getting anywhere really required a car. The on-site cafe was no longer open, and the surfboards we rented were very poor. The futons were so thin and uncomfortable that we barely slept. Windows were everywhere, with cheap blinds that let in a lot of light. Garden floodlights stayed on until midnight, leaving the room very bright, and then the sunrise brought in more light. Given how uncomfortable the futons were, maybe we wouldn’t have slept anyway.

We spent five weeks in Japan, and this retreat turned out to be a lucky find. Yasu was a wonderful host who took care of every little request. He called taxis for us and booked restaurants. I couldn’t have asked for a better host. We were there as a family and will recommend Wabi Sabi to our friends. Please don’t take the negative comment about the host’s bad experiences as our experience. Thanks for having us at this beautiful oasis. We loved it!

Whenever we’re in Shimoda, I look forward to eating here so much that we plan our vacation around the restaurant’s schedule. The food is the best I’ve ever had, especially if you’re after amazing food that’s typically plant based. This is the place for you.