Hi, thanks for visiting my profile!
My name is Issei (English name: Naru).

I live in the countryside of southwest Ibaraki Prefecture, about one hour from Tokyo.
It’s a quiet rural area with beautiful nature and famous cherry blossom spots nearby.
My favorite thing is enjoying cherry blossoms with very few people around.
If you’d like to experience local countryside sakura, you’re very welcome here 🌸

I travel around Japan and learn, practice, and teach traditional Japanese culture.
At my place, you can experience Japanese food and lifestyle from about 100 years ago.
We grow many organic Japanese ingredients, and depending on the season, you may get to taste fresh fruits from my garden.

I teach and share things like:

🌿 Wild vegetables (Sansai) – April to May

🎍 Bamboo crafts (baskets, candle stands, pots) – Sep to March

🔵 Indigo dyeing (Aizome / Sukumo) – anytime

🍵 Tea ceremony (Sado)

🏺 Kintsugi (repairing pottery with gold) – anytime

🍶 Miso, Mirin, Kome-koji (malted rice)

🌱 How to make Konjac

🍡 Real Warabi Mochi

🔪 Traditional Japanese knives & kitchen tools

I love natural food and simple living.
In my garden, we grow strawberries (May), grapes (July), yuzu (winter), cherries, Japanese oranges, figs (summer–fall), and kaki (fall).
If you visit in the right season, you might get to try them 😊

I enjoy meeting new people through Couchsurfing, sharing stories, cultures, and life experiences.
I usually host one Couchsurfer per month, and I can offer one night stay.
Even if you don’t need accommodation, you’re welcome to visit—I’m happy to show you around the countryside.

I can pick you up at Moriya Station (Tsukuba Express Line), about 1 hour from Tokyo.

If you’re interested in traditional Japanese culture, food, and countryside life, feel free to reach out!

📷 Instagram: vmlenglish

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love meeting new people, discovering new worlds, and sharing cultures and life stories.
Hearing about your travel experiences and what you’ve done so far really excites me—and I’d be happy to share my own stories with you too.

I’d love to show you how wonderful Japan can be, not just the famous places but the quieter, more local side as well.
At the same time, I’m always curious to discover new places in Japan myself, especially through the eyes of people from different backgrounds.

Let’s exchange stories, cultures, and perspectives, and enjoy the journey together 😊

Interests

Traveling , cooking , sports( Tennis, swimming ), hiking and art !

• arts
• culture
• cooking
• traveling
• sports
• tennis
• swimming

Music, Movies, and Books

all kinds of Music
Pops R&B
classical music

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I’ve traveled extensively around Africa with just a backpack, and hitchhiked across Iceland.
In total, I’ve explored more than 70 countries so far
each journey shaping the way I see the world.

Teach, Learn, Share

Japanese culture is incredibly fascinating, and sadly, many Japanese people don’t even realize how deep and rich it is.I’m still learning myself, and discovering these traditions is something I truly enjoy.

I’m also very curious about cultures from around the world, so let’s share our stories and experiences together.

What I Can Share with Hosts

everything! culture and travel stories and so on!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Denmark, England, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Mauritania, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Senegal, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Wales, Zambia

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, Denmark, England, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, United States