Izui

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House |4 bedrooms |Sleeps 6

Saitama in Honshu

from £115 / night

£800–£900 / weekBookable online

This property can be booked securely online within a few minutes. Just click on the ‘Check availability and book’ button.

3 nights minimum stay

Changeover flexible

5 out of 5

1 review | Write a review

Key info  Air conditioning, balcony/terrace, car essential, private garden, no pets allowed

Check availability and book

About the home

If you are looking for "real Japan", and would like to stay in a large, detached house in the countryside, off the beaten track but only an hour away from Tokyo, this could be what you are looking for. Izui offers 4 bedrooms, 3 reception rooms and 2 bathrooms (1 ensuite).

The rooms are a mixture of Japanese and western style, so some bedrooms have beds, while others offer more flexible arrangements using futon. Enjoy traditional tatami floors and paper screens, or relax on the 6-seater corner sofa for an evening of DVDs or satellite TV on the 42" plasma TV. The house is perfect for families, and is baby and toddler friendly - as well as a full-size cot and highchair, a selection of toys, books and a Yamaha clavinova are available to use freely. The garden is fully enclosed and safe for children.

Situated in a quiet area of an old village, the house offers tranquillity with the convenience of a shopping mall, zoo, parks and restaurants all within 15 minutes drive. From the nearest station, Takasaka, trains depart every 5-15 minutes for the 50-minute journey direct to Ikebukuro, one of the major stations in Tokyo.

A 7-seater car can be provided for hire at an extra cost. Please enquire for further details.

Courses and classes: Japanese cultural activities can also be provided at extra cost. Possibilities include (but are not limited to) Japanese language classes, kimono wearing, Japanese cooking, flower arranging, calligraphy and Japanese dance. In season, it is also possible to arrange participation in community activities such as rice planting and harvesting. Activities are provided by members of the local community, so this is a good way to meet local people as well as learn something new. Please enquire for further details.

A comprehensive brochure with basic Japanese expressions, information about local facilities and attractions, and English instructions for all the Japanese appliances is provided for your convenience. A native-English speaker is also on hand nearby to answer any questions, provide assistance and advice, and meet you at the nearest train or bus station when you arrive.

The house is constructed to high-quality standards, is built to be earthquake-resistant, and is on high ground away from the sea with no risk whatsoever of tsunami.

Facilities

Further details indoors:
Three of the four bedrooms in the house are located upstairs. Bedroom 2 is a tatami room, with space to fit two futon comfortably. On the other side of the landing, Bedroom 1 has a double bed. Access to Bedroom 3 is through Bedroom 1 (or Bedroom 4), and this bedroom is designed as a children's bedroom, with a child's bed and a full-size cot. There is also plenty of space to put an extra futon in Bedroom 3. Downstairs, Bedroom 4 has a single bed, space for an extra futon if required, and a small en-suite bathroom with toilet, bath and shower. The rooms comfortably sleep 5 adults, a child and a baby, and extra futon can be provided to sleep up to 10 people (including children) if required.

The living room, dining room and kitchen are open plan. In addition to the appliances listed above, a rice cooker, coffee maker and bread maker are provided in the kitchen.

There is also another large Japanese-style reception room with tatami flooring. This is designed as an activity room, and contains a desk, a Yamaha clavinova, books, toys and board games.

The main bathroom is located downstairs, and there is a separate toilet. There is another toilet upstairs. As all the main living areas, main bathroom and an en-suite bedroom are downstairs, the house is suitable for someone with limited mobility.

Further details outdoors:
A barbecue and outdoor garden furniture are available for guest use.

Further details

A welcome pack containing basic food items is provided on arrival.

Basic everyday items (e.g. shampoo, soap, washing powder, washing up liquid) are also provided.

An English-speaking co-ordinator lives nearby and is available to answer questions and organize optional Japanese cultural activities if required.

Conditions

Strictly no smoking.

Photos

 

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House from outside

 

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Living room

 

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Traditional paper screens

 

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Bedroom 2 - Japanese-style futon on tatami

The Honshu region

Izui is located in Hatoyama Town, which is in Saitama Prefecture, about 1 hour north of Tokyo on the main island of Japan, Honshu.

Like the rest of Japan, Saitama has 4 clear seasons. Spring (March-May) is the cherry blossom season, the season of new beginnings (academic and work years begin in April), and one of the best seasons in terms of climate. Summer (June-September) starts with the rainy season in June, which is generally followed by a period of hot weather - temperatures are always over 25 degrees in August, and may rise over 35 degrees some days, but there are air-conditioners in most rooms in the house! Autumn/Fall is a beautiful season, with fine weather and many local festivals to enjoy. Winters are cold (usually 5-10 degrees in the daytime) but usually dry, and the clear blue skies are a treat for anyone used to damp, dark winters.

The Saitama area

In the immediate vicinity, there are plenty of enjoyable walks and bike rides. The area is quite flat, and it is possible to enjoy easy cycling or walks with pushchairs around the quiet roads of the neighbourhood. Locally, Saitama Children's Zoo is about 10 minutes drive from the house. Children under 6 and retired people can enter free, and there are lots of animals to see (including giraffes, llamas and kangaroos), pony and train rides, and a "Children's Castle".

Within 30 minutes drive are shopping malls, a huge park (Shinrin Koen) and many other smaller parks, temples, shrines, hot springs and a range of other attractions. Ogawa, a 20-minute drive from the house, is famous for "washi", traditional Japanese paper, and it is possible to have a go at making it yourself. Kawagoe, a historic city from the Edo era, is a 30-minute drive or 20-minute train ride away. See http://www.koedo.or.jp/foreign/english/index.html?index.html for details in English.

Takasaka station is 15 minutes drive from the house. From here, the express train to Tokyo (Ikebukuro station) takes 50 minutes, making it quite possible to commute from Izui for a full day of sightseeing, shopping or business. Tokyo Disneyland is also within day-trip reach. Summerland Water Adventure Park in Hachioji is 50 minutes drive (http://www.summerland.co.jp/english/) and is open most of the year. The Ghibli Museum, dedicated to the work of Hayao Miyazaki, is just over an hour away by train, and less by car, but tickets need to be bought in advance (http://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/welcome/).

In the opposite direction to Tokyo are the Chichibu mountains, a relatively unexplored and uncommercialized - but very beautiful - part of Japan. For a day of rivers and rafting, Nagatoro is about an hour away (http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/saitama/chichibu_nagatoro.html).

Further afield, but still under 3 hours away and possible for an early start day trip are Mount Fuji to the south and Nikko to the north. Nikko is a stunning World Heritage Site where you can view the "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" monkey carving (http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/indepth/featuredarticles/worldheritage/c_4_nikko.html). Kamakura, with its many beautiful shrines and temples, is also within reach.

How to get there

Izui What's nearby: Attractions Restaurants Click map icons for more information

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Buses run from Narita Airport direct to Sakado or Shinrin-Koen, and pick up can be arranged from here.
For guests already in Japan, take the Tobu-Tojo line from Ikebukuro station, and get off at Takasaka station. Pick up can be arranged from here.
Please enquire for detailed directions.

Activities near Saitama

Reviews

Review: 1 to 1 of 1

20 Apr 2012

“Lovely spacious and well-equipped house in peaceful surroundings” We really loved the feeling of space in this house, where we stayed for 5 nights after a hectic 3 days in a small apartment in Tokyo. It was a place we could relax and enjoy walks in the surroundings, and with the use of the car which came as an additional extra with the house, we were able to do some trips within the area to places of interest within an hour or so of this location - the Bonsai museum and nurseries at Omiya, Kawagoe (also known as Little Edo) and Nagatoro. The house has large rooms, lots of bedding, a wel-equipped kitchen, and is within 10 mins drive of the town of Hatoyama with supermarket, post office etc. There are also convenience stores nearby. Just down the road there is also a vegetable stall where local people leave their produce for sale for 100 yen or so a pack, you just put your money in the box. We took advantage of this! Tokyo is 50 mins away on the train from Takasaka station (a 15-20 minute drive) so if you wanted to go into the metropolis from here it is easy on a direct train to Ikebukuro. We self-catered here which gave us a chance to try things from the supermarket - great fun! There was also a "welcome pack" of food for us when we arrived which was much appreciated. We also had a calligraphy lesson one evening which had been arranged with one of the neighbours - this we enjoyed immensely. Use of a car is essential here to take advantage of the location. We had to arrange an international driving licence as a UK licence is not valid in Japan.

Review: 1 to 1 of 1

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Rental prices

Prices for group size 6
Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
Spring	23 Mar 13	16 Jun 13	900£ 900	210£ 210	210£ 210	3 Nights
Summer	16 Jun 13	15 Sep 13	900£ 900	210£ 210	210£ 210	3 Nights
Autumn	15 Sep 13	17 Nov 13	900£ 900	210£ 210	210£ 210	3 Nights
Winter	17 Nov 13	16 Mar 14	800£ 800	200£ 200	200£ 200	3 Nights
Spring	16 Mar 14	14 Jun 14	900£ 900	210£ 210	210£ 210	3 Nights

The property's weekend rates apply to: Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights

NB: Prices may be subject to change at the advertiser's discretion.

Linen and towels included in price.

Welcome pack on arrival.

Pick up available free of charge from nearest train or bus station.

Bikes available for use free of charge.

Car available to hire at extra cost.

Cultural activities (Japanese language classes, Japanese cooking, calligraphy, ikebana, kimono wearing etc.) available at extra cost. Please enquire for further details.

Payment: 20% deposit at time of booking, remaining 80% due 6 weeks before start of stay.

Breakages and damage deposit: Refundable 300 pounds security deposit required with final balance. This will be returned within 2 weeks of the property being checked at the end of the stay.

Cancellation: Cancellation up to 8 weeks before stay: 5%. Cancellation between 8 and 6 weeks before stay: 25%. Cancellation between 6 and 4 weeks before start of stay: 50%. Cancellation between 4 weeks and 1 week before start of stay: 75%. Cancellation less than 1 week before start of stay or no show: 100%.

Discounts for stays over 1 week long: 10% discount for second consecutive week of booking, 20% discount for third and subsequent weeks.

Payment methods: Payment accepted by bank transfer (to UK or Japanese bank accounts), UK cheque, or PayPal.

Availability

See below for next 9 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here