- Q. What kind of facilities will participants of the “farm stay” program be staying at?
- A. The facility would be a private house owned by a host family keeping a farm. Some of the families live in houses built over 100 years ago. All farm stay host families in Ina hold a hostel business permit to make your stay safe and comfortable.
- Q. Do the host families speak English?
- A. Their English may not be perfect however the families have been putting a lot of effort to be able to communicate with the participants and to make their stay more enjoyable. The sightseeing association provides simple Japanese word lists in English, Taiwanese, Chinese, and Korean.
- Q. What’s the climate in Ina like?
- A. Ina is located in the south of Nagano Prefecture. The climate is moderate in general, but snow is expected in winter, as well as having a temperature drop in the mornings and the evenings.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | Year | |
| Highest temperature (°C) | 4.6 | 6.1 | 10.4 | 17.1 | 21.8 | 24.8 | 28.0 | 29.5 | 25.2 | 19.4 | 13.3 | 7.6 | 17.4 |
| Average temperature (°C) | -1.1 | 0.0 | 3.8 | 10.1 | 15.4 | 19.2 | 22.7 | 23.4 | 19.5 | 13.1 | 6.7 | 1.6 | 11.3 |
| Lowest temperature (°C) | -6.8 | -6.1 | -2.3 | 3.1 | 9.5 | 14.5 | 18.5 | 19.0 | 15.0 | 7.7 | 0.9 | -3.7 | 5.8 |
| Precipitation (mm) | 53.2 | 62.4 | 125.5 | 108.3 | 158.6 | 193.8 | 187.5 | 133.6 | 169.9 | 138.2 | 93.9 | 53.2 | 1421.9 |
(ref: Japan Meteorological Agency (Japanese))
- Q. Would the host family be able to handle an emergency situation?
- A. Manuals for handling allergic reactions, accidents, or sudden sickness are provided and thoroughly studied. The host families participate in regular lectures about cooking and cleaning, and receive checkups from the regional fire department. Also, the facilities and the program are covered by property and casualty insurance. In addition, the sightseeing association provides a 24-hour support service.
- Q. Where can I make a reservation for the programs?
- A. Please contact us here. The experiences you can participate in may vary depend on the facility you stay. Please leave us a comment if you have any preference.
- Q. I don’t know how to approach the host family. Any advice?
- A. The host families are people who have passed the necessary criteria as staff of farm stay facilities. Note that your stay might be a business like experience if you approach them just as staff of an accommodation. However, you might be able to create a priceless connection if you enjoy communicating with them and could treat them as your family in Japan.
- Q. Is there any room service available?
- A. No, there isn’t. The facilities providing a farm stay experience aren’t hotels. It’ll be all self-service.
- Q. Would I be able to sleep on a bed?
- A. It may vary depending on the facility, but the basic bedding of the facilities will be futons.
- Q. Can I shower?
- A. Almost all facilities have showers.
- Q. What should I bring?
- A. Please bring all the things you need during the stay except the bedding. Bring things such as pajamas, toothbrush, towels, and so on. If a program contains farming activities, then please bring extra clothes for farm work, a pair of cotton work gloves, and so on.
- Q. Would there be a TV in my room?
- A. Usually, there won’t be one. Though you’ll be able to watch TV with the host family.
- Q. Is there any internet access?
- A. It may vary depending on the facility, but it’s safe to assume it won’t be available.
- Q. Would it be possible to ship my luggage to and from my farm stay facility?
- A. It may vary depending on the facility. Please contact us beforehand.
- Q. Is there a grocery store or convenience store nearby?
- A. Yes, there is. However, it would be better to make purchases before going to the farm stay facility.
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