Next Up – Azumi Farm
Next Up
Azuma Farm & Koiwai: The Something Else in Japan
Tokyo. Kyoto. Hakone.
That’s usually how the story goes.
Fast, precise, electric — then quiet, cultural, composed — followed by a pause in the mountains. It’s a beautiful rhythm. And it works.
But there’s always a moment, somewhere in the planning, where you feel like adding something else. Not more — just something different.
This is that shift.
A few hours north, in Iwate Prefecture, the landscape begins to open in a way that feels almost unfamiliar within Japan. Less structured, more expansive, quietly grounding.
This is where we send travelers who want to step slightly off the beaten path — without losing the intention or quality of the journey.
At the base of Mount Iwate, Koiwai Farm and Azuma Farm offer not just a visit, but a stay that changes the pace entirely.
Wellness as Part of the Stay
Before anything else, this is where you reset.
Both Koiwai and Azuma place a strong emphasis on onsen and sauna, not as amenities, but as part of the rhythm of being there. Mornings or evenings naturally lead you into heat, water, and stillness.
It’s simple, but essential. Time slows, the body recalibrates, and everything else becomes clearer.
Koiwai Farm
Koiwai is expansive, but never overwhelming.
Staying here, your days unfold with a quiet structure. You move through wide-open land with Mount Iwate always in view, and gradually begin to understand the precision behind it — a working farm operating with intention and discipline.
Experiences feel effortless:
Walking or cycling through the grounds at your own pace
Horseback riding across open fields
Seasonal meals and dairy tastings that reflect exactly where you are
Time built in to do very little, without feeling like you’re missing anything
Participating in seasonal farm activities or harvesting
Learning traditional Nambu ironware craftsmanship — a regional art form rooted in precision and heritage
Nothing is overproduced. The experience comes from being within it.
Getting There
From Tokyo, it’s a seamless transition.
The Shinkansen brings you to Morioka in just over two hours, followed by a short drive into the countryside. It’s easy to reach, but feels far enough removed to shift the entire pace of the trip.
It fits naturally into a wider itinerary — after Tokyo, alongside Hakone, or before Kyoto — adding a layer that changes how the rest of Japan is experienced.
The Roov Perspective
We’re always looking for places that sit just outside the expected rhythm.
Where beauty isn’t overproduced. Where the experience feels intact. Where staying somewhere changes how a destination is understood.
Koiwai Farm and Azuma Farm offer exactly that.