Japan 2026
I took part in the second KonMari retreat in Japan in May 2026. It was so nice to see my KonMari friends again! This time, I went there a day ahead of time so that I would be able to visit a few things in Kyoto before the program officially started, and I got to do that with like-minded friends.
First, we went to Arashiyama bamboo forest. I will tell you right now the secret to getting pictures with hardly anyone in them: go as soon as the sun rises! Many attractions, like temples, open at sunrise (the bamboo grove is actually open 24 hours a day). If you are coming from North America, chances are you will be jet-lagged and wide awake at 4:00am anyway, so why not go out and visit something before breakfast? We left the forest around 7:00am and it was already getting crowded then. After a stop at out hotel for breakfast and some rest, we went out again to explore and shop at Le Labo, Uniqlo, a stationery store, My Only Fragrance, Nishiki Market, Gion District… I spent the rest of the day doing intuitive wandering, and it was great.
The next day, we started the official KonMari program at Ryosokuin Temple – we met Toryo Ito, a Zen monk who led us in a zazen meditation. It was by far my best medication experience! Not only did time fly, I also got to use my sense of smell more than expected (it turns out that the monk was using a room spray made with items gathered from the temple’s garden, and if I had realized that I could purchase it on site I totally would have!). He also used singing bowls, which at one point made my whole body vibrate, and it felt like the sound was physically going around in my head. He actually has a playlist for meditating, if you are interested.
When asked what his typical day looks like, he stated that he gets up around 4:00am each day, then takes some time for his morning ablutions and come to the temple to meditate for an hour. He goes home around 6:00am to help get his kids ready for school. He then comes back to the temple and cleans for about an hour (he prefers cleaning a bit each day instead of doing deep cleanings less often). And then… he records his podcast and posts on social media for his other employer, a skincare company.
One thing that stood out from our conversation is that when you ignore the details of your decisions, that’s when clutter builds up. When you pay attention to the little things, you tend to care more about putting them away or deciding whether to keep them in the first place.
Image courtesy of Solana Deguchi
After this, we made our way north and spent a few days at a ryokan, Hatori, where I finally dared to try the onsen. I hadn’t tried it during my first stay in Japan because being naked in “public” was too far out of my comfort zone, but this time I decided to be brave and just go for it. I really enjoyed the experience!
We then had a day of workshops focused on tokimeki. I can’t post the contents, but ask me about tokimeki during a session and I’ll help you find what sparks joy!
Image courtesy of KonMari Media, Inc.
We continued our trip by visiting Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa. It is said to be the third-most beautiful garden in Japan, and I just love a country that rates its gardens! It was indeed absolutely beautiful.
That afternoon, I was part of a small group that had a fabulous sushi-making workshop at In Kanazawa House. The ingredients we worked with were fresh and beautiful, and we got to taste everything before creating our sushi. I discovered myoga, which is a flower bud that tastes like a milder form of ginger. I absolutely love that ingredient and I miss it already! Another highlight was finally tasting real wasabi root. Did you know that what is sold as wasabi in most places in North America is actually mustard, lactose, and food coloring? I do not like spicy foods and do not like wasabi in North America, but it turns out that real wasabi root, simply grated and with no additives, is delicious! In the U.S., it looks like it is produced by some specialized farms on the West Coast, and I might splurge to have some shipped to me for a special occasion.
The next day, we visited Shirakawago, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its traditional thatched roof houses. There is an open-air museum, which is quiet and lovely to visit, as well as a lively village with shops and restaurants across a pedestrian bridge.
Photo courtesy of Renelyn Tan-Castillejos
Finally, we went to Tokyo. We got to visit Akasaka Teran, where I had a yoga class followed by a shojin ryori (vegetarian Buddhist cooking) class. We also visited part of the private home of Masami Asao (the head monk, chef, and registered dietician). One thing that came out of the yoga class, and which could be applied to other contexts, is the phrase, “release your unnecessary energy.” In that case, it meant that we should get our wiggles out before settling down to focus, but I can see how I would apply that elsewhere!
For me, the highlight came that afternoon, with a kintsugi workshop given by Taku Nakano, a skilled (and remarkably young-looking!) artisan. Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with a mixture of sticky tree sap dusted with gold; it is rooted in the philosophy of wabi-sabi, which embraces impermanence and imperfection. One of the participants made a comparison to a really difficult experience she had gone through recently and which had left her feeling broken. But when you break a plate, it’s usually an accident and no one’s fault, really, and with kintsugi, instead of pretending like the plate wasn’t broken or getting rid of the plate, you actually highlight the breaks and imperfections and it makes the whole more beautiful. Again, there’s a life lesson in there if you care to look! I got to bring home the plate on which I worked, and it was a lovely experience.
Finally, after the KonMari retreat, my roommate and I spent two more days in Tokyo exploring on our own. We went to Teamlabs Borderless; did some window shopping at Shinjuku Lumine; ate ramen, curry, and konbini egg sandos; and I went to a head spa. I have since looked it up and apparently, there are head spas in San Antonio, so I will have to try one out here! It was such a relaxing, blissful experience.
Photo courtesy of Ericka Lunbeck
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