Welcome Home
Our countryside home, our vegetable garden…
Stay a while, lighten your load.
Hands-On Experiences
Taka’s
Hobby Farm
Try Your Hand at Harvesting Our Zero-Kilometer Vegetables*
After retirement, we began growing vegetables in the small field behind what would become our guest house. We aim for pesticide-free, which comes with its share of battles with hungry insects and pesky weeds, but are proud to provide safe and delicious fresh vegetables to our guests.
The vegetables we grow in small quantities each year have expanded to around 35 varieties, and we look forward to you trying our vegetables, some perhaps for the very first time, at Guest House Tunagu or Yaibei Cooking Salon.
If you venture into the field, you might encounter a few creatures as well: grasshoppers, dragonflies, earthworms, or even a butterfly or two.
About Our Hands-On Experiences:
If the season is right, you can try weeding, planting seeds, replanting sprouts, etc. Vegetables ready for harvest depend on the season as well and can include potatoes, snap peas, asparagus, tomatoes, Japanese radish, etc. Please inquire about what’s in season when you make your reservation.
*We call our vegetables zero-kilometer vegetables, which means they are harvested within a 1-km radius.
Yaibei
Cooking Salon
A simple and delicious meal-making experience using fresh and nutritious vegetables across all four seasons
We will make breakfast together during your stay at Guest House Tunagu. You can select from the following:
☆Japanese (rice, miso soup, 2 sides)
☆Western (bread, vegetable soup, eggs)
☆Pizza (vegetable pizza)
☆Tea or coffee with the above
Options:
If you’d like to make dinner or lunch together as well, we can create a menu that showcases what’s in season in Taka’s vegetable farm. (Up to 5 adults)
Our Location
Located at the westernmost point of the Mino Mountain Range in the Chikugo district of Fukuoka Prefecture, our location offers an environment where you can experience rich nature and history, including a visit to the renowned Kora Shrine founded in 1660.
Part of the agriculturally plentiful Chikugo plain, Kurume City is a flourishing castle town of the Arima clan, and is the birthplace of Kurume Kasuri textiles and two major rubber industries (Bridgestone and Moonstar).
There are close to 20 breweries along the Chikugo river that runs through Kurume; the area is one of Japan’s top 3 hot spots for sake production due to its high suitability for rice cultivation. Kurume is also rich in B-class gourmet cuisine, such as yakitori, ramen, udon noodles, etc.
Guest House Tunagu is located about 4 km from the city center and about 1.5 km from the Kurume Interchange exit, and has well-connected public transportation including buses, trains and easy access to Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Oita, and Kumamoto prefectures.
Why don’t you take some time to relax with us?
Cultural Exchange
Guest House Tunagu is positioned to offer all guests of all nationalities the opportunity to experience a food culture cultivated in the local community and handed down from one generation to the next. Reservations are required but please feel free to contact us with questions.
Cultural Exchange Opportunities:
Making miso paste, harvesting vegetables, working with fermented foods (sake, soy sauce, miso, etc.) and crafts (mizuhiki paper crafts, calligraphy art, etc.)
Check out our Instagram by clicking on a photo below:
Our Facilities
Camellia
Shared Living Space
Camellia is one of the world’s most famous flowers and is the official flower of Kurume City. Gather to meet, chat, or relax in the quiet and spacious common room.
Sakura
Japanese-Style Bedroom (Sleeps 3)
A calming space where light pink cherry blossoms drawn on the traditional paper screens collect the sunlight that gently filters in.
Plumeria
Western-Style Bedroom (Sleeps 2)
A twin-sized Western bed with a firm mattress and one sofa bed. Wake up in the morning to the pleasant aroma of essential oils and the music of songbirds in the trees by the window.
Kitchen & Dining Room
Cooking utensils and Arita ware dishes are available for use by our guests. This is where you will cook and enjoy your very own breakfast – with help and tips from Yaibei, of course.
Learn more about kitchen amenities
Bathtubs and Showers
Toilets (Japanese and Western)
Outside View
Guest House Tunagu is a single-family guest house adjacent to a
small vegetable garden.
Here, you can eat vegetables while still incredibly fresh. We believe the concept of grow locally, eat locally – what we like to call “zero-kilometer vegetables” – can contribute to the health, safety and peace of mind of our guests and our community.
| General Amenities | All rooms are non-smoking (smoking area available) 2 toilet rooms (1 Japanese-style, 1 Western-style) with small sinks for handwashing / 1 separate bathing room with bathtub and large sink / kitchen / washing machine Free Wi-Fi |
|---|---|
| Amenities | Face towel / shampoo / conditioner / body soap / hand soap / hair dryer / laundry detergent / softener |
| Kitchen Amenities | Refrigerator and freezer / rice cooker / toaster oven / microwave / electric kettle / dishwasher / tableware / cooking utensils / seasoning (some charges apply) |
| Items to Bring |
Pajamas / toothbrush / razor / hair brush / etc. |
| Other | No alcohol or juice provided (there is a convenience store and supermarket in the vicinity) |
Room Rates
Note: Accommodation taxes will go into effect on April 1, 2020. Our guests will be charged an additional 200 yen per person per night effective same day.
House Rental
We recommend this plan for families and friends who want a completely private space.
32,000 yen per night (2-7 people)
Room Rental
We recommend this plan for individuals, small groups, or those who want to meet new people while traveling.
7,200 yen per person (2 people)
7,000 yen per person (3-4 people)
6,400 yen per person (5 people)
We ask our guests to participate in preparing breakfast (both harvesting and cooking).
(If you wish to omit breakfast, you can opt for the simple stay plan.)
Lunch/dinner are not available at the standard room rates but we can introduce you to nearby eateries.
The kitchen is available for those who wish to cook at home (please let us know in advance).
If you wish to prepare a Japanese-style lunch or dinner while staying at Guest House Tunagu, you may request this option for an additional fee. Please contact us in advance to confirm availability.
[Child Rates]
Children in elementary school (ages 7-12) receive a 50% discount; children 6 and under receive a 75% discount.
[Group/Student Rates]
If you are staying 5 nights or more,
or if you are a student, please contact us for a discount.
Time
Check-In/Check-Out
16:00 – 10:00
Simple Stay Plan
Guests opting for the simple stay plan will receive a discount of 400 yen per person from either the House Rental or the Room Rental rates.
Day Trip/Experiences
Experiences Available While Staying at Guest House Tunagu
☆Cooking and Meal Preparation (Teacher: Yayoi “Yaibei” Fujisaki)
All vegetables and fruits are harvested from Taka’s Hobby Farm or from nearby farmers. You will make quick, low-salt, simple dishes consisting mainly of traditional local cuisine with a touch of Hawaiian flair (thanks to Yaibei’s time studying abroad). The finished dishes are sampled and take-home is available upon request.
☆Nature Exploration (Guides: Taka and Yaibei Fujisaki)
Enjoy an exploration of Mt. Takara, including Takara Taisha Shrine, with the Fujisaki couple as you learn about local history and nature.
*Charges apply（ask for details）
☆Japanese Culture (Charges Apply)
(1) Calligraphy Art (Teacher: Moun)
Make irreplaceable souvenirs from your trip to Japan as you create art on colored paper and fans using traditional calligraphy ink. Create your own name stamp by etching your favorite Japanese character into an eraser.
(2) Mizuhiki Paper Craft
Mizuhiki is a form of 3D artwork created by weaving together strands of tightly rolled paper. Designs begin with simple knots and progress to elaborate objects.
*Charges apply (¥2,000 and up）
Access
Guest House Tunagu
1566-3 Mii-machi, Kurume-shi, Fukuoka 839-0851
By Car
- (1) About 5 minutes by car from the Kurume Interchange exit
- (2) About 15 minutes by car from the Nishitetsu Kurume area
By Bus
From Kurume
Get off at the “Kurume Daigaku Mae” bus stop
[About 15 minutes from Nishitetsu Kurume Station]
Take one of the buses below
- (1) Get on Bus 1 or Bus 8 for Shinai Jogakuin (via the Cultural Center)
[About 25 minutes from JR/Kyushu Shinkansen Kurume Station]
Same as above (1)
From Fukuoka Airport
Get off at the “Kurume Inter-Minami” bus stop
[About 40 minutes from Fukuoka Airport]
Get on the Nishitetsu Highway Bus bound for Kurume
※ We might be able to arrange pickup/dropoff from the following stations: JR Kurume Station, Nishitetsu Kurume Station, or Kurume Inter-Minami Highway bus stop. Please contact us in advance to request a pickup or dropoff.
Reservations and Inquiries
Please contact us using the form below to make a reservation or inquire about anything.
Your reservation will be completed when you receive a fax or e-mail from us stating that your contact has been received AND that your reservation has been accepted.