Roots House
This kominka has stood in the hills of Ueki for four generations, since our great-grandfather first raised its beams.
I grew up here myself — these rooms, this land, are home before they're anything else.
Today my parents still live here. It's mid-renovation — slowly, deliberately, mostly by hand — and it's becoming a guesthouse without losing what makes it a home.
The family, at the beginning — outside the same door still standing today. Photo taken approximately 1960–1970.
My mother cooks for every guest who stays — meals built around whatever the season and the neighbors' fields are giving.
My father is a working blacksmith with his own studio on the property — the sound of the forge is part of what the house feels like.
A white Maltese, and the house mascot. Most welcome, most friendly — her job is being cute, and she takes it seriously.
If this already feels like your kind of place —
Apply for the work-stay → or keep reading for the details ↓You swiped once to get here — swipe again to see what's around it.
A real look from above — rice fields, hills, and a quiet road in from town. Tap to open the exact pin in Google Maps.
960-2 Uekimachi Shōsei, Kita Ward, Kumamoto, 861-0117, Japan
Onsen culture asks for nothing but your presence. Ueki's hot springs, known as bijin-no-yu — beauty water — have been doing exactly that for over a century. Come as you are. Leave a little softer.
A little further north, Yamaga has kept its waters running for over 1,300 years. Sakurayu, its old Edo-era bathhouse, was rebuilt true to form after it was lost — wooden beams, low light, the same quiet it always had. Worth the drive, on the right kind of afternoon.
Grew up here — knowing the roads, the rhythm, and the places that never make it into the guidebooks. Stay a little longer, and we'll show you the Kyushu we know — away from the crowds, to the places worth finding.
Drive times are approximate from Ueki — check Google Maps for exact directions.
This is what work-stay hands have already changed. Drag the line to see it.
One of the tatami rooms — cleared, beams exposed, floor restored.
The full architectural dossier — defect diagnosis, causes, recommended repairs, and house plans — prepared by Roman Lucas Biers & Elise Renaud Charpentier.
View the survey (PDF) →Renovation, content creation, and marketing. This is where work-stay guests make the biggest difference.
Pre-opening — final details, first test stays.
Roots House opens.
In exchange for a few hours of renovation work each day, you get a bed and a real place inside the house's story — not a homestay performance. Dinner, once a day, is covered at cost.
Hands-on renovation work — carpentry, painting, garden and land upkeep, general restoration tasks. No experience required, just willingness.
Private or shared accommodation on-site, dinner cooked by my mother once a day, and access to the house, forge, and land during your stay.
People who want to slow down, work with their hands, and be part of a family home rather than pass through it.
Stay, work, and the house are free — this covers the cost of dinner, once a day, at cost, nothing added.
Weekdays are for work — weekends are for exploring. Since we're out here in the middle of nowhere, we mostly hang out together, and I'll take you around to some of the best spots in Kyushu for hiking, onsen, and the outdoors.
"Loved my stay. The most welcoming family I've met in my life. Really cool house and the nature surrounding it with the rice fields and the mountains were honestly breathtaking. Amazing food, mixed work tasks that often were pretty fun. Would recommend everyone to go there!"
"Staying here was one of the most authentic and memorable experiences I've had in Japan. It felt far more personal and genuine than a typical tourist stay, and I was able to experience a side of the country I wouldn't have discovered on my own. The guest house itself is wonderful, but what truly makes it special are the people. I'm very grateful for the warm hospitality that made my stay so memorable. I would absolutely recommend this place to anyone looking for an authentic, welcoming, and truly special experience in Japan."
For past work-stay guests — opens a short form
A few of the people who've stayed here.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis — tell us a bit about yourself and when you're free.
Apply for Work-stay →