The programs in Yukiguni Retreat are supported by retreat counselors who have learned coaching skills through our guide training program. The presence of a retreat counselor who’s available to listen creates opportunities for a relaxed dialogue, along with a sense of psychological security, for the participants. This allows them to regain a sense of their real selves through expressing themselves in their own words.
In our retreat programs, we value the collaborative relationship between participants and the host community. Through collaboration, the barriers between the participants and hosts are eliminated, leading to the creation of a space where participants can feel safe. Another feature of the Yukiguni Retreat is that it is not just about providing hospitality, but also about providing an opportunity to participate in local activities and become a part of the community.
We believe that the experiencing of daily life and nature as it is in Snow Country, gives the participants an appealing experience that is different to the normal. Our retreats are held in small, beautiful locations that have not come into the tourist spotlight, are not often mentioned in guidebooks, and are known only to those who live in the area.
A connection to wholeness is one of the key concepts on the retreats. Harmony with the nature and snow, and the encounter with the knowledge and culture born of this environment, enables the experience of a feeling of wholeness that cannot be felt in the bustle of urban life.
Normally, around 3 meters of snow falls in the Snow Country Tourism Zone area in winter, and about 150,000 people live here. It is rare to find anywhere in the world where so many people live in an area of such deep snow. Here there exists a way of life which is hard to find anywhere else. Through the encounter with the people living with these overwhelming snow falls, visitors will realize that they too are living beings coexisting with nature. This realization will help them to accept themselves as they are.
Why does it snow so profusely in the Snow Country Tourism Zone area? It is due to the dry air from the continent meeting the warm currents of the Sea of Japan thereby creating moist air, which rises up the high mountains, then cools and turns into snow. It is said that heavy snow has been falling here from as long as 8,000 years ago, just as it does today. The lifestyle in this snow-heavy area that has continued since the Jomon period (c.14,000 to 300 BC), has created a unique local culture.
Life in Snow Country changes dramatically in winter. Even today, people are limited in what they can do to cope with the massive amount of snow that falls. They work together to remove the snow, and build barriers to prevent windows and garden plants from being broken or crushed by the snow. However, the snow is not just an inconvenience. It helps the edible wild plants, which sprout in the spring, grow tastier. Moreover, the snowmelt water nurtures vegetables and rice, bringing rich harvests in summer and fall. The overwhelming power of nature, which modern people tend to forget, and the way of life that has embraced it can be found here.
The programs of the Yukiguni Retreat aim to revitalize not only the people involved, but also the communities they are held in. Through their involvement with the participants, we hope that local residents will become more aware of the value of the nature and culture of Snow Country, and take greater pride in it. Furthermore, we would like our programs to contribute to the local community, ensuring the preservation of the local culture and the natural environment.