Looking for an escape from the tried-and-true Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka circuit? How about a comfortable Airbnb in the middle of Big Nature, with forests to walk through, bike rides to take, and onsens to dip in, all while still being just a fifteen minute local train ride from a mid-size city? The mid-size city is Morioka, and your home for this journey should be a house called Cantabile, easily reservable through Airbnb.
Big house, big wilderness, big relaxation
Cantabile, run by a fluent English speaking Japanese guy named Kohei, is surrounded by trees. There are some hammocks for summer months in the large yard, and a deck to lounge on as well. The house is about a ten minute’s drive from Shizukuishi Station, and the host is happy to pick you up and drop you off there as desired. Certain Shinkansen trains from Tokyo go non-stop to Shizukuishi Station (first stop on the Akita Shinkansen line), so check the schedules to plan it perfectly.
Gratuitous picture of loving dog
Kanta is a loving pup just bursting with energy. He has a very large enclosure outside the house, so your interaction with him can be as much or as little as you like, but with a face as cute as that, you just won’t be able to resist playing with him! They say that a dog reflects its owner’s personality, which makes sense seeing how friendly both Kohei and his dog are!
Super spacious everywhere, including the shared living room
The house has a capacity of over ten people (there are a number of bedrooms), but on weekdays, there are usually very few people around. You are encouraged to use the living room freely. It’s a great place to chat with the owner or other guests should you be so inclined. The included breakfast and optional dinner (600 JPY, or around 5 USD) are tasty and thoughtfully prepared.
Simple but solid bedrooms
The winters get warm up here, but you’ll be able to swaddle up in nice thick blankets! There’s also a heater in each room, as well as a small TV. The free Wi-Fi reaches everywhere in the house, so you can stay connected both in your room and the common spaces. Or, you can get in the spirit of being in the middle of nowhere and choose to NOT be connected!
More than just a place to stay, this is a place to come to yourself
Comfortable rooms at around 35 USD for a single and 55 USD for a double, a friendly owner, and good food prepared for you daily are some of the obvious nice things about staying at Cantabile, but really it’s about so much more than that. Take a walk outside the front door, and within one minute you are in a silent grove of trees, ambling along a path towards a gurgling river with a towering Mt. Iwate in the background. Ride a free bicycle and go to Koiwai Dairy Farm, or just to get a hearty lunch of soba noodles and tempura. Relaxation has never been so easy.
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