Welcome to the Fukubatake homepage!
Fukubatake is a 100-year-old traditional Japanese house located in Yoshino,
Nara, Japan.
Here reside jazz pianist Komay Shibata and his wife Yuki Shibata. Established
in Osaka in 1995, This jazz school relocated to Yoshino in 2020.
In conjunction with the school, they offer accommodation facilities.
These lodgings are not exclusively for the students of the school but are
open to all travelers.
At Fukubatake, you can engage in musical exchanges and immerse yourself
in the beautiful nature and rich history of Japan.
- We will pick you up and drop you off at Yamato-kamiichi station, Yoshino Jingu-mae station, or Yoshino station.Please contact us for pick-up and drop-off during your stay.
- There is no curfew. You are free to come and go as you please during your stay.
- Breakfast is included.
Blog updaded
- 2024年05月08日
- We're Now Booking.com "Proud Certified"!
- 2023年07月28日
- National Treasure of Nara
- 2023年07月21日
- Where is the most beautiful village in Japan?
Welcome Fukubatake!
Greetings from the owner
Thank you for finding my website!
I hope you found your way here because you are interested in a small island
country in the Far East.
Or is it because you wanted to connect through music with someone who lives
quietly somewhere in the world?
We welcome you for either reason!
You will find both here. We have the typical Japanese landscape of Japan.
There are historical temples, artifacts, and Buddhist statues. There are
towns with traditional Japanese houses.
We have beautiful nature and traditional crafts. And there is music.
Why don't you spend a great holiday with a wonderful view of Yoshino Town,
surrounded by pleasant jazz music?
Nice to meet you. My name is Komay Shibata, a jazz pianist.
I usually teach jazz to my students in this house.
After graduating from Berklee College of Music in the United States, I
worked as a jazz pianist in New York City, and it was 1995 when I returned
to Japan and opened a one-on-one jazz school in Shinsaibashi, Osaka.
Over the next 25 years, I sent more than 3,000 graduates to Osaka.
Osaka was a very big city where I lived. Buildings lined the streets without
gaps, the sky was narrow, and the sound of cars during the day and air
conditioning at night was constant. I was too busy and tired every day
to take a good rest.
I talked with my wife and decided to live somewhere, in a village in the
countryside. Then we started looking for a house.
We found our current house in Yoshino-cho, Nara Prefecture, and although
it was 100 years old and in need of repairs, it was a sturdy house with
thick pillars.
Yoshino-cho is a village in the mountains, 90 minutes by train from Osaka,
where we lived.
It is not far from Osaka, but before the opening of the tunnel, it was
an unexplored town that could only be reached by crossing a steep mountain
road.
Yoshino, with its famous cherry blossoms planted all over the mountain,
its forestry industry that has continued for 500 years, and its history
related to the Emperor's family, has remained largely unaffected by outside
influences, leaving the town's scenery and nature as it was in the past.
When I moved to Yoshino in 2020, I felt as if I had been reborn.
Fresh air comes from Ryumon-dake, a mountain that rises in the village
where I live, and drinkable well water springs from underground.
The beautiful nature, with its scenery changing from season to season,
is a pleasant release for my soul.
Playing the piano with a gentle breeze, I feel free.
I am 70 years old now, but my piano playing is more dynamic than when I
was younger.
After three years of living in Yoshino, with the support of the villagers
and teaching music to my students, I have come to realize that I want many
people to see this beautiful village.
And nothing would make me happier than if I could give you a small taste
of the freedom I felt.
With this in mind, my wife and I opened a private residence.
We have not only a grand piano, but also bass, drums, and a PA, so you
can have a jam session at any time. If you order in advance, we will set
up a jam session on the day of your stay and announce it to you. If you
are not able to play an instrument, you can still enjoy watching the jam
session (free of charge). (Both performance and viewing are free of charge).
We also have mountains and lakes just a 10-minute walk away, so you will
be able to enjoy the outdoors.
Of course, you can also spend a quiet time in your room. Especially at
night, as the sun goes down, you will feel the quietness of midnight.
There are also many events and attractions to experience the culture of
the area, making it a great place to create fun memories. I hope you will
stay at my facility and enjoy a luxurious travel experience.I will help
you to make this time in your life, which you will never have again, a
wonderful time.
I sincerely look forward to meeting you.
Ko-may
Ko-may Shibata
OWNER
jazz pianist. Jazz theorist.After graduating from Kyoto University of Foreign Studies, he moved to the United States. He graduated from Berklee College of Music.In 1983, he won the gold medal at the New York Bacchus Music Competition in the jazz category.He is active as a pianist in New York. he returned home.In 1995, he founded the jazz school "SPOONFUL MUSIC" in Shinsaibashi, Osaka.In 2013, he released his solo album "JAZZ ROCKET". He will release 6 more albums.He has a reputation for his sensual sound backed by his endless ad-libs, multifaceted expressiveness, and natural sense of rhythm.Moved to Yoshino-cho in 2020 after moving to Abeno-ku, Osaka in 2015.