Destinations
Ukiha: A Place to Escape the Hustle and Reconnect with Your Breath
Located about an hour’s drive from urban Fukuoka, Ukiha is a town that stretches along the gentle flow of the Chikugo River. You won’t find flashy entertainment or dizzying change here. Instead, there are pure, bubbling springs, a quiet history etched into the white-walled streets, and a peaceful atmosphere that naturally calms the breath of every visitor.
A journey to discover the luxury of “doing nothing.” We invite you to a two-day, one-night story designed to wash away the clutter of the mind and help you rediscover your true self.
| Destinations | Fukuoka Prefecture: Ukiha (White-Walled District, Forest Therapy Base) |
| Duration | 2 Days Day 1 – White-Walled District, Minamo Day 2 – Forest Therapy, Chukasoba Osami |
| Recommended for | ・Those seeking a moment of tranquility ・Those who appreciate historic streetscapes ・Those looking to reset mind and body in a refined, high-quality space |
Experience Themes
A Stroll Through the Historic Merchant Districtads
The White-Walled District still echoes with the atmosphere of the late Edo and Meiji periods. Here, you won’t find the typical tourist hustle—only a soothing silence. Simply walking and pausing among these streets, where time seems to stand still, wraps you in layers of preserved history and a profound sense of calm.
An Ultimate Sanctuary of Water and Sauna
Minamo is a renovated traditional minka house with over 100 years of history. In this space, where traces of the past harmonize with modern comfort, you can indulge in cypress baths and saunas that utilize the pure spring water of Ukiha. It is an ultimate restorative experience found only here—embraced by water, allowing your thoughts to gently unwind.
Forest Therapy to Restore Mind and Body
Forest therapy is a practice designed to restore the mind and body based on scientific evidence. Alongside a guide, you will walk slowly while focusing your senses on the scents and sounds of the forest. As you breathe deeply in harmony with the forest’s own breath, the tensions of daily life will dissolve, leading you into a healing moment where you can rediscover your true self.
Journey Outline
Day 1: Serenity of White Walls and a Stay Embraced by Water
Experiences:Drive from Fukuoka City to Ukiha. Take a quiet stroll through the historic streetscape of the White-Walled District, then enjoy lunch on the terrace at the popular bakery Pan no Mokka. In the evening, check into Minamo, a decentralized hotel set in renovated traditional houses. Spend a deeply relaxing night with a cypress bath and sauna featuring Ukiha’s natural spring water. Accommodation: Minamo.
Accommodation: Minamo
Day 2: Breakfast in a Grand Manor and Healing in the ForestScenic Drive
Experiences: Start the day with a meticulously prepared Japanese breakfast in the grand hall of Kagamida Mansion, a designated cultural property, overlooking its beautiful garden. Afterward, reconnect with your breath during a guided Forest Therapy session through the woods. To conclude your journey, savor a nourishing bowl of noodles at Chukasoba Osami before heading home, feeling fully restored in mind and body.
Curated Cultural Journey
Day 1: Escape the hustle and bustle, and return to tranquility
The Journey to Ukiha: Drive from urban Fukuoka toward Ukiha, a place rich in nature where the Chikugo River gently flows alongside. As the view opens up to reveal rice paddies and mountains, you will feel the busyness of daily life fall away, and the pace of your own breath begin to settle into a calm, steady rhythm.
White-Walled District: The streets are lined with the dignified merchant houses of the late Edo and Meiji periods, yet they remain free from the typical noise of a tourist destination. It is a place to savor simple yet rich moments—walking while sensing your own footsteps and the gentle breeze, or stopping by a popular local bakery or a quiet bookstore.
Minamo: A space created within a renovated historic residence, embodying the very essence of the town’s gentle pace. As you surrender yourself to the pure spring water of Ukiha in your private cypress bath or sauna, your thoughts quietly unwind along with the warmth, enveloping you in a state of profound peace.
Day 2: A healing experience of forest and food to quietly restore the mind and body
Forest Therapy: A walk through the forests of Ukiha designed to restore your physical and mental well-being based on physiological research. By walking slowly and focusing your awareness on the scent of the trees and the texture of the soil beneath your feet, your breathing naturally deepens, and you can feel your inner senses becoming finely tuned.
Chukasoba Osami: Conclude your journey with a bowl from this popular shop nestled within the white-walled district. The seafood-based soy sauce soup, with its delicate sweetness, pairs perfectly with the thin, wavy noodles. The flavor is robust yet surprisingly light, leaving a comfortable and lasting impression on both your heart and body.
Things to know
| About Reservation | Minamo is a quiet inn with only three buildings and a total of six rooms. For dinner, you can choose based on your preference: book a plan that includes a meal in collaboration with nearby restaurants, or freely bring in takeout to enjoy a relaxing meal in the comfort of your own room. |
| Best Season | If your goal is to escape the urban hustle and quietly reconnect with your breath, any time of year is the perfect time to visit. It is also wonderful to time your stay with the changing seasons in the garden of Kagamida Mansion, or when Ukiha’s signature seasonal fruits are at their peak. |
| What to Wear | During the stroll through the White-Walled District and the Forest Therapy session, you will walk a few kilometers at a slow, relaxed pace. No special equipment or high level of physical fitness is required. However, as you will be walking through the forest and on stone-paved streets, please come in comfortable walking shoes or sneakers that you are used to wearing |
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