Okami no Tani no Yado
Okami no Tani no Yado - おおかみの谷の宿
Project for an International Non-Profit Association (in constitution)
Fostering mobility, traditional crafts exchange, and solidarity-based heritage renovation
Fostering mobility, traditional crafts exchange, and solidarity-based heritage renovation
The project "Okami no Tani no Yado" aims to take concrete action to preserve the historical heritage of the Shikoku pilgrimage trails while stimulating human exchanges. Through our future programs, we hope to enable Belgian pilgrims and enthusiasts to discover this sacred journey, while funding and organizing the rehabilitation of vacant rural infrastructure.
We plan to purchase abandoned traditional houses (akiyas), often vacant secondary homes, to transform them into minshukus and modern, ecological rest stops. Equipped with solar panels for charging electric bikes, tools, water, and rest areas, these locations will offer welcoming accommodation for hikers and cycling pilgrims.
We plan to organize exchange programs for Belgian and Japanese students in traditional crafts (carpentry, cabinetmaking, eco-construction). Housed in the acquired house, they will use it as a base for stay and work on potential local projects. A unique opportunity to combine hands-on learning and cultural sharing.
Discover our first concrete project of buying and restoring an akiya into a modern bike shelter, located in Kumakogen (Ehime), at the heart of the Shikoku pilgrimage.
Property: Traditional wooden single-family house of type 7SLDK (7 tatami and western-style rooms, living room, kitchen) with a large attic, built in 1996 and renovated in 2021. Living area of 182 sqm on a 452 sqm land.
Our Goal: Purchase this vacant secondary home, located 3 minutes on foot from the Yanai bus stop, to make it our guest house dedicated solely to welcoming pilgrims. Our future goal is to acquire and renovate other akiyas in the region to house exchange students (Belgium-Japan) for free as well as pilgrims. These students will live there and act as hosts to warmly welcome passing pilgrims. We also plan to set up on-site a covered parking space equipped with solar energy for charging electric bikes and maintenance tools, with the aim of helping the yado association equip their shelters with electricity.
Collaboration: Carpentry and traditional restoration work will be carried out by students from Belgian and Japanese arts and crafts schools in companionship residency, supervised by master local carpenters.
To carry out these renovations and ensure high-quality hosting, we plan to collaborate with local municipalities in Shikoku, pilgrimage committees, and craft schools and universities in Belgium and Japan. (Note: no formal contacts have been established yet; these partnerships are currently in the planning stage). Together, we support rural communities and promote responsible tourism.
We believe in responsible travel that gives back to the territories crossed. By mobilizing student craftsmen and rehabilitating vacant homes, we fight rural depopulation in Shikoku while transmitting secular traditional skills between our two countries.
The future "Okami no Tani no Yado" project will be funded by your donations and cultural immersion workshops. Every projected contribution will help us purchase new akiyas, buy renovation materials (wood, solar panels, tools), and fund bourses of mobility for our student craftsmen.
Participate in our origami, ikebana, cooking, or calligraphy workshops led by Misako in Belgium. All proceeds directly fund material purchases for our student chantiers in Shikoku.
Support our projects by purchasing unique handcrafted items branded with the Ontny logo (mugs, traditional yukatas, tea bowls). Every purchase funds our students' and pilgrims' tooling.
Directly support our akiya bike shelter renovation projects. Your donations allow us to buy the necessary materials for the student workcamps.
