The Japan Retreat
A 6-day adventure for men seeking contemplation, cultural discovery, transformation, and connection.
MEDITATION + HEALING + CULTURE
January 7th to 12th, 2027
Kyoto, Japan
Adventure is calling.
The world is becoming increasingly loud, fast, and uncertain. In the midst of it, we can lose touch with ourselves. And sometimes, we need to step away from the familiar.
To slow down. To find stillness. To discover another way of seeing and being. To reconnect to our (inter)being, our spiritual centre, our true self beyond the egoic self.
In Kyoto, we will engage in practices that cultivate greater presence, equanimity, wisdom, patience, and kindness—within ourselves and our relationships.
And we will bring those qualities home.
A transformative journey into the heart of Japan
The hero’s journey begins when we step beyond the familiar.
The modern world moves quickly. Our attention is pulled in a thousand directions, and somewhere amidst the hustle and distraction, we can lose track of what matters.
In Kyoto, we become beginners again. We encounter an unfamiliar language, culture, landscape, and way of life—and in doing so, create space to see our own lives with fresh eyes. As Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki wrote, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind, there are few.”
Through meditation, mindful movement, emotional and relational healing, cultural exploration, and new experiences, we will cultivate the qualities that help us meet life with greater wisdom and equanimity: patience, presence, openness, and kindness.
We journey into the unfamiliar not to escape our lives, but to return to them with a renewed perspective.
6 DAYS TO…
FIND INNER STILLNESS
HEAL YOUR WOUNDS
GET GROUNDED IN NATURE
MAKE LASTING CONNECTIONS
EXPERIENCE JAPAN’S CULTURE
RECONNECT TO YOUR TRUE SELF
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Arrive at our villa on the outskirts of Kyoto.
You may choose to spend a couple of days in Tokyo, Osaka, or Kyoto leading up to the retreat to help you adjust to the time zone and begin to enjoy all that these cities have to offer.
For our first evening, we’ll have a welcome dinner, followed by an opening ceremony. We will discuss our intentions for the retreat at this time.
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A slower, more contemplative and emotionally focused day.
Each morning we will begin with yoga and meditation.
Throughout each day there will be time to reflect, rest, and have free time.
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A day of deep emotional processing.
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Our biggest day of excursions outside the villa. Enjoy visiting the world-famous Arashiyama bamboo forest, multiple shrines, and a surprise experience in the mountains.
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This will be our deepest day of meditation and contemplation.
Expect it to be deeply uncomfortable at times, and even more peaceful at others.
Think of this day as a mini Vipassana retreat.
We will celebrate our final night together with an exquisite feast, followed by a closing ceremony.
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On our final day together, we’ll close with a yoga and meditation practice followed by a delicious breakfast.
Expect to head out by 10:30am.
You may like to spend another few days in Kyoto, Osaka, or Tokyo on your own before heading home.
Who this is for
You’re committed to becoming your best self
You recognize the importance of slowing down and looking inwards
You value deep connections with other like-minded men
You’re ready to heal parts of yourself that are wounded or hurting
You’re up for an inner and outer adventure that feeds your soul
Who this is not for
People who don’t want to take a break from screens
People who don’t believe in rest or self-care
Lone wolves who don’t play well with others
Anyone who’s afraid of trying new things in new places
People who don’t like one-of-a-kind experiences
Leave the screen behind. Disconnect to reconnect.
While we don’t confiscate smartphones during the retreat, we encourage you to turn your phone off or leave it behind for the duration of the retreat.
At every Woven retreat, we invite you to disconnect from surface-level, scatter-brain, task-oriented consciousness so you can reconnect to the innate and ancient wisdom that lives beneath the surface, tuning into consciousness in harmony with your whole self, the group, and nature as a whole.
We often forget that we are nature. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say that we have lost our connection to nature, we’ve lost our connection to ourselves.
— Andy Goldsworthy
Council & Contemplative Practice
We all need a space where we can slow down, be present, and speak honestly without judgement.
At the heart of this retreat is the practice of coming into relationship—with ourselves, with our bodies, with one another, with nature.
Each day, we’ll gather in council: sitting together in a circle, sharing what is alive for us, listening deeply, and allowing ourselves to be seen and heard.
Alongside council, we’ll practice contemplation through guided meditation and breathwork, mindful movement, and stillness—learning to notice and observe what is happening within and around us rather than simply thinking our way through it all.
Sometimes this will be quiet. Sometimes challenging. Sometimes deeply emotional.
Together, we create a space where we can slow down, process what we’re carrying, and meet ourselves and one another with greater honesty, presence, and compassion.
Enjoy your problems.
— Shunryu Suzuki
Meet Your Guides
Since late 2022, Louis and Jack have been collaborating on a wide range of projects, from hosting 200+ person events to creating online courses, and putting on world-class retreats.
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Jack (@wholesome.guide) is a somatic healing guide and relationship coach who helps men improve their emotional capacity and become more grounded. His mission is deeply personal, drawing from experiences with overcoming anxiety, PTSD, and many relational challenges. Jack’s toolkit spans modalities including shadow work, breathwork, somatic therapy, men's work, and psychedelic integration.
Jack has been a regular practitioner of meditation for over a decade, with training from the IAmHeart school of breath and heart rhythm meditation, as well as fully completing his level 1 and 2 conscious connected breathwork training at Breathwave.
His goal is to support you in embodying grounded, mature, and safe masculinity – helping you to show up better for yourself and the people you love the most.
Jack loves to ski, read, go hiking, DJ, and nerd out on men’s work.
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Raised in Hong Kong for the first 15 years of his life, Louis is a psychedelic researcher and guide, as well as a teacher of yoga (as a complete path), meditation, and breathwork. His work explores the intersection of psychology, spirituality, culture, and nature, with a focus on helping people cultivate greater presence, self-awareness, and connection.
Louis has studied and practiced Zen Buddhism, yoga, Amazonian plant traditions, and contemporary approaches to cognition and psychedelic medicine. He holds a Master’s degree in Psychedelics and Consciousness Studies from the University of Ottawa and is the founder of Psygaia, a research organization exploring psychedelic and ecological medicine.
Having grown up between cultures, Louis has a deep appreciation for cross-cultural learning and the ways different traditions can expand our understanding of what it means to live well. He loves skiing, trail running, writing, meditation, spending time in nature and nerding out about psychedelic research, meditation, and consciousness.
Deep down, we hunger to meet our soul. All during the course of our lives we struggle to catch up with ourselves. We are so taken up, so busy and distracted, that we cannot dedicate enough time or recognition to the depths within us.
— John O’Donohue
Our Beautiful Location
Kyoto, Japan
Kyoto served as the capital of Japan for over 1,000 years from 794 to 1868. Today, it is a world-famous cultural hub on Honshu island, celebrated for its classic Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, traditional wooden houses, and historic zen gardens.
Cradled by the forested peaks of the Kansai region, Kyoto is an enchanting tapestry of misty hills, timeless cedar groves, bamboo forests and and many hidden temples throughout the mountains.
This ancient cultural sanctuary preserves over a millennium of living tradition alongside breathtaking seasonal beauty, from delicate spring cherry blossoms to vivid autumn maples. Guests leave Kyoto feeling like a truer version of themselves, remembering a sense of peace they’d long forgotten.
Where We’ll Stay
Arashiyama Retreat | Zen Residence
While the city of Kyoto itself is home to roughly 1.5 million people, we will be staying on the outskirts at a beautiful, traditional 5-bedroom home nestled in the mountains that overlooks Kyoto.
This two-story Japanese villa sits next to the historic "Saga Toriimoto" district. It perfectly blends traditional charm with modern comfort—an ideal retreat for families or groups. Enjoy panoramic city views from the terrace where, if you're lucky, you might even spot wild monkeys playing in the nearby trees. Featuring a Japanese garden and 3 full bathrooms, it is your ultimate sanctuary away from the city.
You don’t need to burn yourself out.
You need to give yourself a break.
What our community is saying about us…
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![A man with short hair, glasses, and a beard smiling at the camera, wearing a dark shirt against a plain background.]()
"In situations where I previously wasn't doing a good job of taking control (ie. a moment of entrepreneurial overwhelm, self-sabotage) - I didn't have the tools to stop those interactions. Now, that’s completely changed."
Mike Moll
Solopreneur Coach -
![A man with dark hair and a beard, wearing a black jacket, sitting in a room with electronic equipment and cables in the background.]()
"Throughout my journey I was guided by Louis' intuitive, clear and gentle physical touch and voice. In the presence of a powerfully centred man who is also spacious, grounded, compassionate and embodied, it is easy to find the trust and love you need to close your eyes open to the world within."
Brendan Christensen
Tech Entrepreneur -
![A man with a shaved head and light facial hair looking directly at the camera, wearing a shirt with a colorful pattern, against a plain light background.]()
"I am tremendously grateful for my time with Jack. He is such a gentle and intuitive guide.
Fredric Sinclair
Writer & Author -
![Young man with glasses smiling outdoors near a tree during sunset.]()
"During my breathwork sessions with Louis, I felt a deepening sense of connection to life itself. Louis has a natural ability to cultivate nourishing and transformative spaces through his clear guidance, soulful music selection, and compassionate hands-on assistance. I felt held and supported throughout the breathwork journey and came out of it feeling embodied, clear, and energized."
Nolan Billstrom
Health Coach
Emotions don’t need to be ruled, they need to be tolerated and expressed.
— Miriam Greenspan
Reserve Your Spot
This retreat is limited to only 6 men.
Rooms are shared between pairs.
To support accessibility for Canadians navigating the exchange rate, we’re offering the same price in CAD for Canadian residents.
$4000 – $4500 USD
Single Payment
✓ 5 nights accommodation in our private villa in the mountains
✓ 6 days of facilitated emotional healing, mindfulness, and culture
✓ Daily yoga + breathwork + meditation practice
✓ A curated group of conscious men
✓ Meals prepared daily by our world-class private chef
✓ Exceptional Japanese cuisine at top local restaurants
✓ Curated cultural experiences (guided and self-led)
✓ Onzen (hot baths) visits throughout the week
$4500 USD
3 Separate Payments of $1500
✓ 5 nights accommodation in our private villa in the mountains
✓ 6 days of facilitated emotional healing, mindfulness, and culture
✓ Daily yoga + breathwork + meditation practice
✓ A curated group of conscious men
✓ Meals prepared daily by our world-class private chef
✓ Exceptional Japanese cuisine at top local restaurants
✓ Curated cultural experiences (guided and self-led)
✓ Onzen (hot baths) visits throughout the week
Frequently Asked Questions
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To get to Kyoto, fly into Kansai International Airport (KIX) near Osaka or Tokyo Haneda (HND) / Narita (NRT).
From KIX, take the direct Kansai Airport Haruka Express train to Kyoto Station (75–90 minutes). From Tokyo, take the Tokaido Shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto (about 2 hours and 15 minutes).
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Once you arrive at the retreat, everything will be taken care of, including meals and snacks from our world-class private chef, accommodations, meals out (including non-alcoholic drinks), shuttles / transportation throughout the retreat, and all excursions and guided tours (temple visits, hiking, and other cultural experiences).
We can provide a shuttle from anywhere in Osaka / Kyoto to the villa in Kyoto, near Arashiyama.
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We are keeping this one small. This retreat is limited to 6 spots in order to keep the container tight, give you more 1-on-1 support, and create strong bonds between you and the other guys.
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Yes, this is intentionally only for men. If you’re interested in attending other co-ed retreats with Jack and Louis for all genders, send us a message.
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Cancel 2 months in advance and receive a full refund, minus a $500 booking fee.
Cancellations less than 2 months in advance will incur a 50% late cancellation fee.
Cancellations less than 1 month in advance will incur a 100% cancellation fee (no refund).
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You can contact us.
Nature loves courage. You make the commitment and nature will respond to that commitment by removing impossible obstacles. Dream the impossible dream and the world will not grind you under, it will lift you up. This is the trick. This is what all these teachers and philosophers who really counted, who really touched the alchemical gold, this is what they understood. This is the shamanic dance in the waterfall. This is how magic is done. By hurling yourself into the abyss and discovering it's a feather bed.
— Terence McKenna