Opened "Sukeshichi" — an inn preserving the village structure for the future — in Itoshiro, a secluded mountain community inhabited since the Jomon period, where the population has fallen below 200.
Crowdfunding achieves 220% of its goal, raising over 10 million yen!
"Sukeshichi," a guesthouse preserving the village's form for the future, opens in Itoshiro, a mountainous region inhabited since the Jomon period with a population under 200.
Commemorative Talk Event for the Opening of the Renovated Traditional House Guesthouse "Sukeshichi" to be Held on November 29
Itoshiro Youhinten Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Gujo City, Gifu Prefecture; Owner: Kaori Hirano) has launched a new "guesthouse operation" business in addition to its traditional apparel business. As the first phase of this new venture, the entire 150-year-old renovated traditional house guesthouse "Sukeshichi" is now open for reservations on its official website in November 2025.
Bookings are now open on the official website.
"Sukeshichi" homepage: https://itoshiro.org/pages/sukeshichi
In opening the guesthouse, the goal was not simply to preserve the building, but to restore a building where Itoshiro's past way of life could be felt, where the unique Itoshiro lifestyle could be continued, and where a community could be formed. With the aim of preserving the village in a way that is true to Itoshiro, a crowdfunding campaign was launched. Against a target of 5 million yen, over 10 million yen was received from 350 supporters. To commemorate the opening of the entire guesthouse "Sukeshichi," a talk event will be held on November 29.
[Overview of the Talk Event]
Date & Time: Saturday, November 29, 2025, Registration opens at 13:00, Event starts at 13:30 (Scheduled to end at 15:00)
Venue: Furukawa-an / Former Restaurant (4-15-7 Ikenohata, Taito-ku, Tokyo)
Admission Fee: 3,000 yen (including tea) *Reservations required (Please order from this site.)
Speakers: Yuri Fujisawa (Architect: Studio DENDEN), Kaori Hirano (Owner: Itoshiro Youhinten)
Born in Okayama City in 1975. Lived in Yokohama and Tokyo during junior high school, studied psychology at university, and after graduation worked in land acquisition for a real estate company building new condominiums. Wanting to learn how to utilize old folk houses without demolishing them, she studied architecture at a second university, working concurrently in design and real estate at a renovation company. She became independent in 2014 and moved to Gujo Hachiman, Gifu, after being involved in efforts to address vacant houses there. She currently works between Tokyo and Gifu, engaging in architecture, real estate, and hospitality. In Gujo Hachiman, she designed and operates two renovated traditional house guesthouses, Art & Hotel Kino-ri and Private Stay Mizu-no-ri. She uses Itoshiro Youhinten's clothing as loungewear at her guesthouses and is a devoted fan of their clothes, from workwear to everyday attire.
Speaker: Kaori Hirano, Owner of Itoshiro Youhinten
Born in Gifu Prefecture in 1981. Owner of Itoshiro Youhinten. After graduating from Keio University's Faculty of Policy Management, she joined a PR company. Drawn to regional development in her hometown of Gifu, she returned and moved to the Itoshiro village in Gifu Prefecture in 2011 after marriage. In 2012, she founded Itoshiro Youhinten. She redesigns traditional work clothes (tattsuke) passed down in the region and uses local plants for botanical and indigo dyeing. She works while raising four children in nature.
[Background to the Guesthouse Business Launch]
Itoshiro is a small village located in the westernmost part of Gujo City, Gifu Prefecture. Situated in the heart of Mount Haku, it flourished as a mountain village that preserved and transmitted the beliefs of Mount Haku. However, due to the changing times, depopulation has advanced, and the population, which was 1200 in the 1950s, has now dropped to under 200. It is a small, isolated region, about 14 kilometers from the next village, but precisely because of this, there is much to learn from the traditional way of life that has been preserved here. This includes not only practical knowledge like how to grow vegetables and rice in fields, and how to gather and cook wild plants, but also the "mindset" for living in such a land where the blessings and threats of nature go hand in hand. We feel that the Itoshiro region itself is a pristine Japanese landscape, and the way of life cultivated here possesses a resilience for survival, no matter how times change. It holds many significant clues for an uncertain future.
Therefore, in order for the Itoshiro region to continue to exist, we decided to continue Itoshiro Youhinten's business as an employer and to launch the new "guesthouse business."
[Features of the Guesthouse]
"Sukeshichi" is a board-clad house over 150 years old.
Upon entering the entrance, you'll find the horse stable, then the attic "Tsushi," and further inside, "Uchinnaka," a room with an irori (traditional sunken hearth) where the family gathers. Beyond that is "Dei," and "Oku-no-Dei," which is the Buddhist altar room.
The board-clad building retains the old charm of Itoshiro. The breath of life of the people who created everything with their own hands. We have preserved the original layout of Itoshiro, creating a comfortable space where you can experience the visible lifestyle of the past.
Gallery Tsushi
Attic - Folk Art Gallery
These are daily tools crafted by hand in this region. From all the items made from plant fibers, you can see the humble yet resilient lives of the people who lived here. You are free to browse during your stay. Enjoy the view from the second floor as well.
Dinner & Breakfast
We offer meals in collaboration with "MAGOEMON," a restaurant in Itoshiro that serves wholesome dishes using abundant seasonal ingredients. During your stay, you can enjoy Gujo's local cuisine, Keichan, and in winter, Itoshiro's unique pickled meat and hot pot dishes. Please select whether you would like to include meals when making your reservation.
Experience
Indigo Dyeing, Plant Dyeing, and Clothes Making Experience
Indigo dyeing workshops are held from May to September, while plant dyeing and Itoshiro traditional clothing making workshops are held throughout the year. We invite you to stay with us and participate in these workshops to experience time immersed in unique craftsmanship.
=====================================================
Overview of the "Sukeshichi" Guesthouse
Facility Name: Itoshiro Youhinten's Guesthouse Sukeshichi
Address: 65-18 Itoshiro, Shirotori-cho, Gujo-shi, Gifu
Phone Number: 0575-86-3808
Reservation Site: https://itoshiro.org/pages/sukeshichi
Capacity: Up to 6 people (limited to one group per day)
Accommodation Fee: From 66,000 yen per building (subject to change) *Dinner and breakfast are optional.
Check-in / Check-out: From 15:00 / Until 10:00
■About Itoshiro Youhinten
Itoshiro Youhinten revives the traditional work clothes (tattsuke) inherited since the Jomon period in Itoshiro, a small village in Oku-Mino, Gifu Prefecture, and creates clothing with designs suitable for modern lifestyles. They collect local plants for botanical dyeing and indigo dyeing, striving to create clothing using natural materials. Their efforts in regional revitalization through manufacturing were recognized, earning them the semi-grand prize at the 12th Regional Revitalization Awards organized by Kyodo News and others in 2022. Itoshiro Youhinten has also been selected for "MINGEI: ART WITHOUT HEROS," the largest exhibition focusing on Japanese folk crafts in British history, currently being held in London, where it is introduced as an "eco-conscious brand" symbolizing contemporary Mingei.
