itinerary

After arriving in Yame, join the “Yame Fukushima: Meet the Craftspeople Keeping Traditions Alive” guided walking tour. Learn about Yame’s history as a former castle town and how the area has developed as a “town of merchants and crafts.” Along the way, visit workshops of artisans crafting Buddhist altars and paper lanterns — places not easily accessible on one’s own.

At the teahouse, Maruyasabo, experience Yame matcha green tea using original tools made by Yame craftsmen. Observe the tea master prepare matcha tea, then make the tea yourself and enjoy it paired with Japanese sweets.

Following the tea experience, check in to Craft Inn 手 [té], an inn renovated from a traditional Japanese building. Enjoy the original furniture and fixtures made by Kyushu craftsmen and tableware from the nearby Unagi no Nedoko Store. Relax in the provided room wear made from Kurume Kasuri fabric and in the wooden bath made from Japanese cedar.

Craft Inn 手 [té] does not provide dinner, encouraging guests to enjoy the restaurants in Yame. Within walking distance from the inn are restaurants and izakayas that serve motsunabe hot pot, free-range chicken, and more. We will introduce restaurants according to your preferences, budget, and number of guests.

In the morning, enjoy breakfast in the comfort of your room. Breakfast is filled with vegetables and local ingredients and comes in an original wood and bamboo bucket made by Matsunobu Kogei.

After breakfast, head to Aizome Kasuri Kobo, an indigo-dyeing and weaving workshop. Among craft makers in the Chikugo region, this workshop continues to dye indigo in the most traditional way. Tour the workshop, then dye a piece of cloth in indigo and create an original art panel. The art piece will be ready to take home after the tour.

After indigo dyeing, why not extend your visit and have lunch at “Saryo Chiyono-en” in the nature-rich region of Okuyame? Chiyono-en is an organic tea farmer who has been growing tea in Yabe Village, Yame’s mountainous region, for three generations. Enjoy a pairing of Yame tea and local cuisine at the cafe.

At the end of the trip, shop at Unagi no Nedoko, a store that features handicrafts from Kyushu and across Japan. Specialty products include “MONPE” work-style pants made from Kurume Kasuri fabric, pottery, Japanese paper, glass, bamboo crafts, toys, and more. This is a great place to pick up unique souvenirs that represent Kyushu and beyond.