Washinmura Hosts Winter-Exclusive 'Kotatsu Mikan Festival' with Kotatsu in All Rooms

Washinmura, a glamping facility featuring traditional folk houses in the rural landscape of Futtsu City, Chiba Prefecture, is hosting the "Kotatsu Mikan Festival" for a limited time from December 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026, bringing back the disappearing winter scenery of Japan.

Located about 70-90 minutes by car or highway bus from Tokyo Station, "Washinmura"—a traditional glamping facility nestled in the rural landscape of Takamizo, Futtsu City, Chiba Prefecture, where guests can be healed by cats and nature—will hold a special winter campaign, the "Kotatsu Mikan Festival," for a limited time from December 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026.

In recent years, the household ownership rate of kotatsu (heated tables) has halved, and the consumption of mikan (mandarin oranges) has been on a downward trend for over 20 years. The once-common sight of "mikan under a kotatsu" is now fading from many homes, becoming a nostalgic "original landscape of Japanese winter."

This campaign offers a winter-exclusive rural glamping stay where guests can enjoy kotatsu in all room types, including traditional rooms, tents, and trailers, accompanied by Minamiboso-grown mikan—nurtured by the warm climate, sunshine, and ocean breeze—and 15 rescue cats known as "villagers."

Background: The Declining "Kotatsu and Mikan" and Minamiboso's Winter
- The ownership rate of kotatsu has significantly dropped over the past decades. With the diversification of heating methods like air conditioners and floor heating, more households no longer keep a kotatsu.
- Mikan purchases and consumption continue to decline long-term. It is not uncommon to hear younger generations say, "I rarely buy them myself" or "They were at my parents' house, but not in my current home."

On the other hand, nostalgic winter motifs like "Showa retro," "kotatsu," and "mikan" are regaining attention on social media as photogenic themes.

The Minamiboso area, where Washinmura is located, is blessed with a relatively warm climate even in winter and is known as a producing region for Boshu mikan (Minamiboso-grown Unshu mikan), utilizing its mountainous slopes. Praised for their rich, nostalgic flavor with a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, these mikan are a representative taste of Minamiboso's winter.

Washinmura, situated in this rural setting, planned this winter-exclusive campaign as a "place where you can fully experience fading winter memories while traveling."

Campaign Overview: Winter Glamping with Kotatsu, Mikan, and Rescue Cats
Name: Washinmura "Kotatsu Mikan Festival"
Period: December 1, 2025 - February 28, 2026
Location: Traditional House Glamping Washinmura (14 Takamizo, Futtsu City, Chiba Prefecture)
Main Contents:
1. A winter-style rural glamping stay with kotatsu installed in all guest rooms, including the ~200-year-old traditional rooms, tents, and trailers.
2. A "Mikan Service" featuring Unshu mikan (Boshu mikan) grown in the Minamiboso area.
3. Healing time with kotatsu and cats, spending time with 15 rescue cat "villagers."

Main Experiences:
1. "Rural Kotatsu Glamping" Enjoyable in Both Traditional Houses and Tents
Washinmura offers diverse room types, including ~200-year-old traditional rooms, tents, and trailers. During the campaign, kotatsu will be installed in all rooms. Guests can choose their preferred winter experience: "The Kotatsu Experience" stretching legs in a traditional tatami room, or "Outdoor-style Kotatsu Glamping" feeling the outside atmosphere from within a tent. Electric blankets are also provided, creating a winter glamping experience near Kanto with the theme of "nights you won't want to leave the kotatsu."

2. Tasting the "Original Winter Landscape" with Minamiboso Mikan
The campaign provides Unshu mikan grown in the Minamiboso area of Chiba Prefecture, known as Boshu mikan. Minamiboso's relatively warm winter climate, sloped mikan orchards, and ocean breeze from the Pacific and Tokyo Bay produce mikan characterized by a rich flavor and a good balance of sweetness and acidity. Guests can enjoy the unique taste of Boshu mikan while staying warm in a kotatsu.

3. Kotatsu Time with 15 Rescue Cat "Villagers"
Washinmura is home to 15 rescue cats with unique personalities. During the campaign, picturesque "winter cat village" scenes unfold, such as cats relaxing near the kotatsu or curiously looking at the mikan—moments that naturally make you want to take pictures. It is highly enjoyable for cat lovers as a "traditional glamping site where you can meet cats" and a "winter inn spent with rescue cats."
*The health and safety of the cats are the top priority. Please adhere to the interaction rules.

Things to Enjoy at Washinmura in Winter:
- Bonfire: Spending time around the bonfire at dusk. The flickering flames, crackling sounds, and faint scent of smoke. Marshmallows and sweet potatoes roasted over the fire are exceptionally delicious.
- Sauna: Washinmura is equipped with an authentic sauna. After warming up, step outside to breathe the crisp winter air. Then, back to the kotatsu.
- Starry Sky: The winter night sky in Minamiboso boasts astonishingly beautiful stars. After warming up in the kotatsu, step outside for stargazing. Make a wish if you spot a shooting star.
- Winter Meals: Washinmura prepares heartwarming meals for winter: nabe (hot pot).