A Private Farmhouse in Rural Japan
A traditional Japanese home in the mountains of Kochi,
along the Yoshino River
— about 15 minutes to Oboke Gorge and 30 minutes to Iya Valley’s vine bridge.
Entirely yours, with space to slow down and settle in.
Private whole-house stay · Pets welcome · Self check-in
A slower kind of stay
No hotel rooms. No shared spaces. No set itinerary.
Just a traditional wooden farmhouse, mountain air, starry nights, and the everyday sounds of rural Japan.
Garbanzo House is rented exclusively to one group at a time. Make yourself at home, cook your own meals, and enjoy the countryside at your own pace.
Check availability and rates for your dates.
For direct bookings, message us with your dates and number of guests.
Why book direct
- Our lowest priceNo platform fees, so booking direct is always our lowest price.
- Talk to us directlyAsk about arrival times, pets or station pickup on WhatsApp, even before you book.
- River trips in the same messageWe can arrange rafting and other river activities on the Yoshino together with your stay.
ご予約・お問い合わせ / Booking & Inquiries
※ 💬 Contact: チェックアウト日（清掃・時間要相談）/ Checkout day
※ 🌙 Late Check-in: 本日分はレイトチェックインのみ相談可 / Same-day late check-in only
Inside Garbanzo House
A traditional Japanese farmhouse, around 90 years old, in Otoyo, Kochi. This is a real rural home rather than a modern hotel, with its own character, wooden interiors, and a relaxed atmosphere.
The whole house is yours
One group at a time — no other guests, no shared kitchen or bathroom. Bring your family, friends, or pets.
The layout
There were originally four tatami rooms. Some have been opened up, so the space feels wide. Close the fusuma and shoji (sliding paper doors) to make separate rooms, or open them into one large space. Arrange it to suit your group.
A rural setting, day and night
Step out onto the balcony and the satoyama, the farmed mountain countryside, spreads out in front of you. A one-car local train passes a few times a day, and a limited express about once an hour. Around the house, the only light at night is a single street lamp at the shrine in front, and on clear evenings you may see a sky full of stars. Insects, birds, and other sounds of nature are part of life in the countryside.
A traditional wooden home
The house has the character of an older Japanese home, with low ceilings and steps in some areas. Please take care with small children and older guests. Rooms can be divided with fusuma and shoji (sliding paper doors), but they are not private rooms with walls or locks. Please read the house information below before booking.
What the house has
- Toilet: renovated, Western-style (manual flush button)
- Bath: traditional tiled bathroom with a stainless steel tub. Hot water comes straight from the tap.
- Kitchen: gas stove, microwave, refrigerator, cooking utensils, and basic seasonings (oil, salt, pepper)
- Cooling and heating: air conditioner, electric fan, and kerosene fan heater
- Bedding: Japanese futons. Folding mattresses and an electric air bed are also in the closet, free to use.
- Balcony: views over the satoyama and the Yoshino River. The BBQ grill can be used here.
- Free Wi-Fi
- No TV. All you will hear is the water running through the nearby channel, birds and insects, and the trains passing along the tracks.
- Fresh, washed sheets are prepared before you arrive. They are not changed during your stay, but let us know if you need new ones.
A Night at Garbanzo House
DAY 1
- 16:00Check inOpen the key box, drop your bags, and stretch out on the tatami.
- EVENINGWatch the trains from the balconyA limited express crosses the valley about once an hour.
- NIGHTBBQ and handheld fireworksCook dinner on the balcony grill (bring charcoal, a grill net and food).
- LATELook upThe only light near the house is the shrine’s single street lamp. On clear nights you can see the Milky Way.
DAY 2
- MORNINGWalk to the riverPast the shrine and along the rice-field paths, 5 minutes. A good walk with your dog.
- 10:00Check out
- AFTERGo down the Yoshino RiverRaft or paddle with Outdoor!Galbanzo. The river is close, so you lose no time getting there.
River activities run in season, are priced separately and need booking in advance. Outside the river season, visit Buraku-ji Temple (10 min) or the giant cedars of Sugi-no-Osugi (20 min).
What Guests Say
Rates & Booking Information
Private whole-house stay
From ¥14,000 per night for up to 2 guests.
- Rates vary by date, weekends, holidays, and season.
- Base rate includes up to 2 guests.
- Additional guests: ¥5,000 per person, per night.
- Cleaning fee: ¥4,000 per stay.
- Pet fee: ¥5,000 per pet, per stay.
- Maximum occupancy: 8 guests.
- Direct bookings are always our lowest price.
Check-in: from 4:00 PM
Check-out: by 10:00 AM
Self check-in is available. There is no reception desk.
We will send you the key-box instructions and access details before your arrival.
If you would like, we can meet you on arrival and show you around the house and the area.
During your stay we are happy to help with sightseeing tips or book river activities for you.
No meals are provided. A kitchen and cooking utensils are available for self-catering.
Please shop before arrival if you need groceries, as nearby shops close early.
For exact rates and availability, check the calendar or contact us.
Before You Book
Garbanzo House is an older wooden home in a rural village.
We want guests to enjoy their stay while respecting the house, the neighbors, and the surrounding environment.
Sound & the Local Train
This is a traditional wooden house, not a modern hotel. The rooms are divided by fusuma and shoji (sliding paper doors) rather than walls, so there are no lockable private rooms, and voices carry from room to room.
The JR Dosan Line runs right beside the house. Local trains pass a few times a day, and limited express trains about once an hour, so you will hear trains regularly through the day. If you are particularly sensitive to noise, please consider this before booking. Earplugs are provided.
The Natural Environment
The house is surrounded by nature. Depending on the season, insects and small wildlife may appear. Insect repellent, mosquito coils, and window screens are provided. Please avoid leaving doors or windows open for long periods.
BBQ
- A BBQ grill is provided and can be used on the balcony. Only the grill and tongs are supplied, so please bring charcoal, a grill net, fire starters, and food.
- Please do not leave food, food scraps, or garbage outside. They may attract wildlife.
- After use, you may leave the charcoal in the BBQ grill, but please make sure it is completely extinguished.
- Please leave the used grill grate in the BBQ grill. We will dispose of it.
- If rain is expected, please move the BBQ grill under the eaves after use.
Fireworks
- Handheld fireworks only.
- No aerial fireworks or fireworks that may affect nearby fields or passing trains.
- Keep a bucket of water nearby.
- Never leave a fire unattended.
- Make sure everything is completely extinguished before leaving.
Pets
House-trained pets are welcome, as long as they use the toilet properly indoors and do not bark excessively. There is no limit on the number of pets. The pet fee is ¥5,000 per pet, per stay. Pets may come into the bedrooms with you. After walks, you can rinse paws at the outdoor tap outside the lower floor (please stay outside; the lower floor itself is off limits).
- Pets may come into the bedrooms, but please keep them off the futons.
- Please bring your own pet bed or crate.
- Please clean up after your pet.
- Please manage your pet’s toilet needs responsibly indoors.
- If your pet has an accident indoors or damages anything, we will charge the actual cost of cleaning or repair.
Other House Rules
- Smoking is not allowed indoors.
- If anything is broken or heavily soiled, we may charge the actual cost of repair or cleaning.
- The basement floor is used to store farm equipment. Please do not enter.
River Safety
The Yoshino River is a natural environment where water levels and currents can change. Do not assume that the river is safe to enter. Please check local conditions and safety information before approaching or entering the water. River activities are separate from your accommodation booking.
Location & Access
Garbanzo House is in Otoyo, Kochi Prefecture, in the mountains of rural Shikoku.
Nearest station: Otaguchi Station on the JR Dosan Line.
Train services are limited, so a rental car is recommended.
Free pickup is available from Oboke and Osugi stations (reserve in advance).
Parking: Concrete parking for 4 cars, and a large van fits.
The road in front of the entrance is narrow, so please drive slowly.
Contact us in advance if you are coming in a microbus or anything larger.
Nearby shops
Otoyo Supermarket: approximately 3 minutes by car.
Kondo Store: approximately 4 minutes by car.
FamilyMart Osugi: approximately 15 minutes by car.
Lawson Oboke: approximately 20 minutes by car.
Nearby shops may close early. We recommend buying groceries and other essentials before checking in.
Arriving after dark: There are a few street lights along the road from the national highway past Otaguchi Station to the house. The area right around the house is dark, so a flashlight or phone light helps.
A Glimpse of the House & Countryside
Explore the Outdoors
If you would like to add an outdoor experience to your stay,
our family also runs Outdoor!Galbanzo, a separate river activity company.
Activities include rafting, river SUP, packraft, whitewater kayaking, and mini shower climbing.
These activities require separate reservations and are subject to river conditions and safety decisions.
Explore activities with Outdoor!Galbanzo →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the whole house private?
Yes. The house is rented exclusively to one group at a time. You do not share the house with other guests.
What time is check-in?
Check-in is from 4:00 PM, and check-out is by 10:00 AM. We will send you the self check-in instructions before arrival.
Are meals provided?
No meals are provided. The house has a kitchen and cooking utensils, so you can prepare your own meals.
Can we stay with pets?
Yes. There is no limit on the number of pets, and the fee is ¥5,000 per pet, per stay. Please read the pet rules above before booking.
Is Wi-Fi available?
Yes, free Wi-Fi is available throughout the house. Connection speeds may vary in this mountain area.
Is the house quiet?
The area around the house is quiet countryside, but this is an old wooden house and a railway runs close by. The rooms are divided by fusuma and shoji (sliding paper doors), so you can hear voices from the next room, and you will hear passing trains. No trains pass between 11:30 PM and 6:30 AM. Earplugs are provided.
How do direct bookings work?
Send us your dates, number of guests, and number of pets via WhatsApp. Once the details and availability are confirmed, we will send you a payment link. Airbnb bookings are paid and managed through Airbnb.
Cancellation Policy for Direct Bookings
Cancellation fees for direct bookings:
- Up to 7 days before check-in: free
- 6 to 2 days before: 50% of the booking total
- The day before or the day of check-in: 100% of the booking total
- No-show without notice: 100% of the booking total
Refunds are processed to the original payment method via Stripe, usually within 5–10 business days. Date changes are subject to availability and the applicable cancellation policy. If we cancel due to weather or a natural disaster, a full refund will be issued.
Bookings made through Airbnb are subject to Airbnb’s own cancellation policy.
A Note from Your Host
I grew up in a busy town, and it has been 15 years since I came to live in these mountains.
At first, I could not understand the local dialect at all.
Now I find something warm and easy in the way people speak here.
This place has a kind of darkness you do not find in cities.
On clear nights, the sky fills with stars, and I still catch my breath.
We grow vegetables, fix what breaks, and try not to waste what we have.
I also work as a river guide on the Yoshino, and have for 17 years.
The water is so clear you can see the stones on the bottom, even in the deep pools. I go down that river with guests almost every day.
This house is still a work in progress.
The bedrooms, toilet and bath are ready, and we are fixing up the rest little by little.
That is what lets you step into rural life as it is actually lived.
If you leave thinking, “So this is rural Japan — I like it,” that is all we could ask for.
Make Yourself at Home
A private traditional farmhouse in rural Kochi, Japan.
Check your dates and plan your stay.