Homestays

A Japanese Homestay in Kyoto, on Kumihama Bay

A traditional minshuku in a working coastal community. Tatami rooms, sea views, and a Superhost who has welcomed 300+ families since 2016.

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The Homestay

A homestay in the real sense of the word

A Japanese homestay in Kyoto Prefecture, on the shores of Kumihama Bay, in a working coastal community that most travellers to Japan never reach. Gentle Moon Stays is a minshuku, a traditional family-run guesthouse, with over 40 years of history on the Kyotango coast.

Host Atsushi, a third-generation shellfish farmer, has welcomed more than 300 families here since 2016. He holds Airbnb Superhost status with a 4.96 rating from 171 reviews, with communication scored a perfect 5.0, and is a Guest Favourite, placing the listing in the top 10% of homes on Airbnb.

You sleep in a tatami room with shoji doors that look towards the bay. You share a house with a Japanese family who have lived here for generations. You are five minutes from a long stretch of sand and thirty minutes from one of Japan's most beloved hot spring towns.

"It felt so authentic, so peaceful, and so Japan. I genuinely loved this place and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a real Japanese experience." Claire, Airbnb (January 2026)
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Shotenkyo Beach, Kumihama
Why Guests Come Here

Room to breathe, on a coast that hasn't been polished for visitors

Travellers come to Kumihama Bay for what most of Japan no longer easily offers: a working coastal community that has not been polished for visitors, and a host whose attention is not divided across a hundred rooms.

A stay here suits you if you want:

It suits you less if you want urban energy, room service, or a curated city break. This is rural coastal Japan, and the rewards are slow ones.

"Tucked away just a couple of hours' drive from Kyoto City, this place offered not just a place to rest, but a deep, unforgettable experience rooted in nature, culture, and community." ly c, Google review
The Guesthouse

Tatami, futons, shoji doors, and bay views

The rooms are traditional tatami style, with futon bedding and shoji sliding doors that open towards Kumihama Bay. The guesthouse has its own balconies, a large traditional living space, and a Japanese-style soaking bath. The futons are comfortable, the views are uninterrupted, and the building has the calm that good Japanese architecture has been quietly producing for centuries.

"Cosy, traditional tatami-style home overlooking the beautiful Kumihama Bay. The futons were incredibly comfortable, we slept like babies." Airbnb guest, 2025

Facilities include

  • Two tatami bedrooms with balconies and bay views
  • Traditional-style living area with balcony
  • Japanese hot tub and shared shower rooms
  • Family kitchen by arrangement (no dedicated guest kitchen)
  • Free Wi-Fi throughout
  • Free bicycles on site
  • Free parking for up to four vehicles
  • Station pick-up available (small fee, ask when booking)
More about the guesthouse
Tatami bedroom Traditional living area Balcony with bay views
What a Stay Looks Like

Two nights to two weeks: the coast rewards a longer stay

Atsushi can shape your stay around what you want. Specific activities and timings depend on the season, what the bay is offering, and what Atsushi can arrange in advance.

A short stay

Two to three nights

Arrive in the afternoon. Walk on Shotenkyo Beach as the light goes. Soak in the Japanese hot tub. The next morning, a slow start and a cycle around the bay. An afternoon at Kinosaki Onsen, thirty minutes away. Back to the guesthouse for a quiet evening. Leave after a slow morning by the water.

A week on the Tango coast

Seven nights

  • Amanohashidate, one of Japan's "three views"
  • Ine funaya boathouse village, boat tour from the harbour
  • The Tottori Sand Dunes and coastal drive
  • An onsen day at Kinosaki, with a yukata evening
  • A quiet day cycling, swimming, or surfing

A longer immersion

Ten to fourteen nights

For travellers who want to know a place rather than pass through it. A longer stay lets the rhythm of the coast settle in. Time for cycling routes, multiple onsen, slower meals, conversation, and the kind of trip you remember in detail years later.

When to Come

The Kyotango coast changes character through the year

Summer

Shotenkyo Beach fills with Japanese visitors from the cities. The bay is warm, swimmable, and lively in the best way. Surfing along the coast picks up later.

Winter

Snow falls. The light across the bay turns cinematic. "We arrived during snowfall, and the house is right by the sea. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking."

Spring and Autumn

Quiet seasons. In Atsushi's words: "Come in the Spring or Fall and you'll have the place to yourself." Mild weather, very few crowds, and the rhythm of a working coast at its slowest.

Around Kumihama

The Kyotango coast is a destination in its own right

Within an hour of the guesthouse, you can reach some of Japan's most distinctive landscapes and towns.

Kinosaki Onsen

30 min

Japan's most beloved hot spring town. Seven historic bathhouses, willow-lined canals, 1,300 years of tradition. The classic experience: stay over and wander between bathhouses in yukata after dark.

Amanohashidate

45 min

One of Japan's "three views". A 3km pine-covered sandbar stretches across a bay. Take the gondola up and look back between your legs for the classic perspective.

Ine

45 min

A historic fishing village where traditional funaya boathouses sit directly on the water. Boat tours run from the harbour. One of the most photogenic places in Japan.

Shotenkyo Beach

5 min walk

Swimming in summer, surfing in winter, and largely empty in either season. The guesthouse bicycles are free and the coast road is excellent.

San'in Kaigan Geopark

On your doorstep

A UNESCO Global Geopark of coastal cliffs, sandy beaches, and well-maintained walking and cycling trails along the Tango coast.

Tottori Sand Dunes

1.5 hrs

Japan's only large coastal dune system, with a sand museum and dramatic walking routes. An unexpected and striking landscape.

What Recent Guests Say

97% of Airbnb reviewers leave five stars

"He went above and beyond and then exceeded that. We had an amazing stay, cool hike and incredible views." Riley, Airbnb (2026)
"Atsushi's home is like a paradise. We were there after Christmas, in his super calm, cosy home with a beautiful view on the lake. Couldn't dream of a better place to enjoy Christmas." Louise, Airbnb (December 2025)
"You can really feel genuinely welcomed." Amber Traveling, Google review
★ 4.96 · 171 Airbnb reviews ★ Superhost ★ Guest Favourite
How to Book

Bookable on Airbnb or directly with Atsushi.

Contact him directly through the contact page to discuss dates, longer stays, group bookings, or special arrangements. He reads every enquiry personally.

Contact Atsushi See where you'll stay Meet Atsushi

Follow the farm on Instagram: @kyotooyster