The Nekoji-mura Way of Staying — Washin Village, Where Cats and People Rest in the Same Satoyama

Hello. We're Washin Village, a small satoyama village you can stay in, in Futtsu, Chiba.

Washin Village is a little hard to sum up in one line.

A glamping site in Chiba. An inn where you can stay alongside rescue cats. A farmhouse roughly 200 years old. A satoyama with a wood-fired sauna. A small escape from everyday life, about 70–90 minutes by car from the Tokyo area.

None of that is wrong. But on its own, it's not quite enough. What matters most at Washin Village isn't the name of any facility — it's the way time moves here.

We call this way of spending time "Nekoji-mura" (猫治村).

Not a place to go see cats — a village where cats live, that you happen to stay in

Washin Village is home to rescue cats.

But this isn't a cat cafe. It isn't a facility with a set time slot for petting, and it isn't a place that puts cats on display as an attraction.

Some cats wander the garden. Some choose a sunny spot near the old farmhouse. Some come right up to people; others simply watch quietly from a distance.

Which cat you spend time with, and how close they come, depends on the cats' mood that day, the time of day, and how patiently you wait.

猫治村とは、猫をこちらの予定に合わせることではなく、猫たちの暮らしのそばで、人のほうが少し呼吸をゆるめる過ごし方です。

Translation: Nekoji-mura isn't about making the cats fit our schedule — it's a way of spending time in which people, living alongside the cats, let their own breathing slow down a little.

Nekoji isn't about doing things — it's about letting go, little by little

When people first arrive at Washin Village, many ask, "What should we do?"

You can go into the sauna. Have a BBQ. Sit around the bonfire. Rest in your room. Spend time in the same garden as the cats. There's plenty you can do.

But time at Nekoji-mura isn't meant to be a checklist to get through.

Waiting for the firewood to catch. Watching the charcoal turn red. Looking at the color of the farmhouse's old wooden pillars. Stepping out of the steamy sauna to breathe the satoyama air. Giving way, just a little, when a cat crosses your path.

Each of these is a very small thing. But they're also things everyday life has, somehow, made harder to do.

From a glamping search to a satoyama stay

Many guests find Washin Village by searching "Chiba glamping," "Futtsu glamping," or "glamping near Tokyo."

That entry point matters. Not too far from the Tokyo area, a stay surrounded by nature, with BBQ and a wood-fired sauna to enjoy — in that sense, Washin Village is easy to find within the glamping conversation too.

But the time you actually spend here doesn't fit neatly into the phrase "upscale outdoor stay."

The kominka (farmhouse) has its own quiet stillness, the nagayamon (gate house) leaves room for family or friends to gather, the jyubako cabin offers the small pleasure of tucking yourself into a wooden space, and the Nordic-style tent brings you a night closer to the outside air.

And moving between all of it, the cats come and go at their own pace.

Washin Village — Nekoji-mura — is less a place to enjoy a lineup of facilities, and more a lodging where you gradually find your own pace again, inside the satoyama.

Who Nekoji-mura suits

Washin Village is a place where nature and animals feel close.

It suits people who love cats, of course, but also anyone who enjoys watching a fire, anyone drawn to the atmosphere of an old farmhouse, and anyone who wants a little open space to move at their own pace rather than a schedule where everything is arranged like a hotel.

Families with children, couples who want a quiet stay, small trips among friends, or anyone who's a bit too tired to travel far but wants to get away from the noise of the city — Nekoji-mura time tends to suit all of them.

What matters most is not rushing the cats.

If one comes close, that's a joy. If one keeps its distance, you take in that distance too. If one settles on your lap, that's a special night. Even if a cat just passes by, that's still time spent sharing the same garden.

Before you book

The idea of Nekoji-mura isn't meant to raise your expectations too high. If anything, it's a small promise that helps you enjoy Washin Village comfortably.

Because the cats live freely, how much you interact with them changes from day to day.
We can't promise that you'll meet every cat, that you'll always get to touch one, hold one, or that one will come to your futon.
Since this is a stay in nature, there are insects, the sound of rain, and the sound of wind depending on the season.
Since September 2025, we have not been accepting guests' pets for overnight stays or day visits.

In exchange, moments that don't go as planned have a way of staying with you.

The sound of rain falling on the roof. Sitting quietly by the bonfire. Morning light coming through the shoji screens. A cat watching you from across the garden.

What Washin Village wants Nekoji-mura to become

Washin Village hopes to be more than just a place to stay the night — a place where cats, people, and nature share the same satoyama, close but not too close.

The words "rescue cat" can make it easy to see a clear line between the ones who help and the ones being helped.

But spending real time at Washin Village, it's often people who end up learning from the cats: not to rush, not to force closeness, to choose a comfortable spot for yourself, and to sleep when you feel sleepy.

The name Nekoji-mura carries our respect for that kind of time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Nekoji-mura?

It's a term for a way of spending time where people rest a little in the same satoyama while respecting the pace of the rescue cats who live at Washin Village. Rather than a facility that puts cats on display, it values the feeling of staying within a village where cats live.

Am I guaranteed to interact with the cats?

The cats live freely around the property. Some will come close to you, and some will watch from a distance. How much interaction you get depends on the cats' mood and the time of day.

Can I stay if I'm not comfortable around cats?

Because rescue cats live at Washin Village, guests who are very uncomfortable around cats or who have a severe cat allergy should check the official information before booking, and we recommend contacting us in advance if you have any concerns.

Can I bring my own pet?

Since September 2025, Washin Village has not been accepting guests' pets for overnight stays or day visits. This is a policy to protect the safety and wellbeing of the animals who live here.

If you can picture a little of what time at Washin Village feels like, take a look at the room types and availability too.

Check availability See photos on the official site →

We look forward to meeting you at Washin Village.