Animal Glamping in Kanto — Living Alongside 16 Rescue Cats at Chiba's Washin Village
Most animal-encounter facilities only give you a fixed slot of time before the session ends. If you have ever wished you could spend far longer with animals, there is a stay in the Kanto region built for exactly that. In the satoyama hills of Futtsu, Chiba, Washin Village (和心村) is a glamping facility where 16 rescue cats, along with dogs, goats, and ukokkei (silkie chickens), live on the grounds. Rather than humans visiting animals, this is a place where guests visit the animals' home — you share the same hours with them from check-in all the way through check-out.
A Rare Kanto Stay Built Around "Living With Animals"
At most petting facilities, animals are brought to a designated area and interaction lasts only tens of minutes. Washin Village works the other way around: the animals were here first. Cats come and go across the property as they please, goats amble through the garden at their own pace, and the ukokkei announce the satoyama morning. Because everything unfolds on the animals' own schedule, you get to observe their genuinely unstaged, natural behavior up close — and that is the biggest draw of a stay here.
Access from Tokyo is also convenient. Via the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line, it is about 80 minutes by car, close enough for a day-trip feel from anywhere in the Kanto region — a comfortable distance for a weekend getaway.
The Animals You'll Meet at Washin Village
16 rescue cats — the whole property is their home
The stars of Washin Village are its 16 rescue cats. They move freely through the kominka's engawa (veranda), the terrace, the garden, and the guest rooms. Guests often report that a cat wanders unannounced into their room, and some have found one curled up beside them in the futon by nightfall. Some cats are outgoing and affectionate, others prefer to watch from a distance — with 16 of them, you are bound to find one whose company you enjoy.
Dogs, goats, and ukokkei also share this satoyama
It is not only cats. Dogs and goats also live on the property, adding the kind of animal contact that is distinctly satoyama in feel. A flock of ukokkei (silkie chickens) is resident too, lending the grounds the atmosphere of a peaceful farming village. Having cats, dogs, goats, and chickens together in one place is a rare setup even among Kanto glamping facilities.
More Than Animals — A Proper Glamping Experience
Washin Village pairs its animal encounters with a genuinely complete glamping experience.
- Authentic Finnish wood-fired sauna — free for overnight guests at no extra charge. Self-service loyly and open-air rest in the satoyama breeze deliver the full "totonou" experience.
- BBQ — grill, charcoal, and tableware are all provided, so you can enjoy it without bringing a thing.
- Bonfire — time spent around the flames is special for children and adults alike.
The rooms are just as varied. Choose from four types: the ~200-year-old kominka main house at the heart of the property, the traditional Nagayamon (a maisonette built from a historic gate house), the Jyubako — a collaboration between architect Kengo Kuma and Snow Peak — and the Nordic brand's Nordisk Asgard tent. A treehouse is currently in preparation as a new option, so the choices will only grow.
A Model 1-Night, 2-Day Plan for Animal Time
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 15:00 | Check in (last check-in 19:00). Stroll the grounds and say hello to the cats |
| 15:30 | Watch the goats and ukokkei in the garden — observe the animals' everyday life |
| 16:30 | Adults head to the wood-fired sauna. Time to "totonou" after some cat time |
| 17:30 | BBQ prep. Cats may gather, drawn in by the aroma |
| 18:00 | BBQ dinner under the stars |
| 19:30 | Bonfire time — a dreamlike moment if a cat settles onto your lap |
| 20:30 | Back to your room. Lucky guests may find a cat curled up in their futon |
| 07:00 | Wake to the ukokkei's calls and watch the cats' breakfast |
| 09:00 | One last round of animal time on the engawa |
| 11:00 | Check out |
Access
- Address: 14 Takamizo, Futtsu-shi, Chiba-ken 299-1733
- Coordinates: 35.21983 N / 139.950408 E
- By car: about 80 minutes from Tokyo via the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line. Free parking for 20 cars on site
- By public transport: a taxi from the nearest JR Uchibo Line station is the most convenient option
Enter "14 Takamizo, Futtsu-shi, Chiba" into your car navigation.
Reservations & Contact
Washin Village does not accept reservations by phone. Please book using one of the methods below.
- Online reservations: the official reservation site d-reserve.jp (hotelCode 0000000873)
- LINE: https://lin.ee/E7zha5w
- Email: info@washinmura.jp
- Official site: https://www.washinmura.jp
- Instagram: @washinmura_nature_glamping
Come spend a special night together with the animals at Washin Village. Book on the official reservation site
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What animals can I interact with?
In addition to 16 rescue cats, dogs, goats, and ukokkei (silkie chickens) live on the property. Because the cats move freely throughout the grounds, you can interact with them naturally, 24 hours a day.
Q. Is it okay if someone in my group doesn't like cats?
The Jyubako and the Nordisk tent are standalone rooms that cats rarely enter, so you can control the distance from the animals to some degree.
Q. Can I make a reservation by phone?
We do not accept reservations by phone. Please contact us via the official reservation site (d-reserve.jp), LINE, or email.