KOJI KOJI
After graduating from university, I began a career in the housing industry, moving from place to place across Japan while working in sales. Helping people bring their dream homes to life gave me a deep sense of purpose, and I poured my heart into this work for many years. The journey had its ups and downs, but every step taught me something valuable and helped me grow. Looking back, I realize it was this path that eventually led me to discover a new and exciting dream here in Kumano.
In my late forties, thanks to changes in work-life balance, I began to find a little more free time. That was when I took up hiking in the low mountains as a hobby, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, I traveled along the Kumano Kodo. Those experiences brought a fresh breeze into my life and inspired a new dream—to open a guesthouse here. In 2024, after 30 years with the same company, I decided to retire and move with my wife to Chikatsuyu, a post town on the Nakahechi route of the Kumano Kodo. Thanks to the warm welcome and generous support of the local community, we were able to make our dream a reality and open our own guesthouse.
Through my previous career, I came to realize something important about myself. I may naturally prefer solitude over being in a group, yet I truly enjoy connecting with people. For me, the greatest joy—and the deepest value I hold—is in those precious moments when someone says, “I’m glad I met you.”
NAOKONaoko
I am deeply grateful to my wife, who has always been my greatest supporter and has stood by every decision I’ve made. While caring for our family, she also worked at bakeries in different places, honing her cooking skills and nurturing her love for geography, culture, and languages. I believe she will bring all of this rich experience into our daily life here—and into the warm hospitality we offer to our guests.
We look forward to enjoying this new stage of life together as a couple in a new place. Our hope is to create a welcoming space where every encounter becomes a wonderful memory—not only for our guests, but also for us.
Nestled in the forests of the Kii Mountains, the Kumano Kodo is a place of rich nature and deep spirituality. Here, we hope to create a space where you can return to your true self. It is our joy if the encounters you experience in this land remain in your heart.
“Living the Forest, Living the Moment – Koji”