Sasayama Joka-machi Hotel NIPPONIA (Tamba Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture), operated by Kazeno Heritage Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture; Representative Director: Jun Tarikino), is partnering with SASAYAMA COTTON BASE, a group that grows pesticide-free Japanese cotton and works on cotton craftsmanship, to add a new activity to its stay plans. Starting Tuesday, September 8, 2026, guests will be able to experience the entire process from cotton ginning and hand weaving to dyeing with Tamba black beans and Tamba chestnuts and sewing on a name tag.
Background
Cotton cultivation and hand-woven cotton textile production have taken place in Tamba Sasayama since the Edo period. While the industry temporarily declined with the mechanization that followed the Meiji era, community members who did not want to see the tradition disappear worked after the war to revive cotton-making, thread-spinning, plant dyeing, and hand weaving using traditional methods.
SASAYAMA COTTON BASE, based in the Noma district of Tamba Sasayama City, grows Japanese cotton without pesticides on roughly 3 hectares of farmland and handles everything from harvesting the cotton to processing it and crafting finished products.
For this activity, in partnership with SASAYAMA COTTON BASE, guests can experience the entire process — from cotton ginning using dedicated machinery, through hand weaving, dyeing with Tamba black beans and Tamba chestnuts, to sewing on a name tag.
Enjoy a stay that connects you with the local way of life and craftsmanship at Sasayama Joka-machi Hotel NIPPONIA, which has watched over the region's history and character while restoring and preserving its historic buildings.
Activity Overview
Main Steps of the Experience (Duration: approx. 2 hours to 2 hours 20 minutes)
Cotton Ginning
A dedicated machine is used to separate the cotton fibers from the seeds.
Guests can take home a mini cushion and a tote bag (unbleached cotton or denim) as souvenirs after this step.
Weaving
Guests operate a loom to try their hand at hand weaving.
Dyeing
Tamba black beans and Tamba chestnuts are used as dye for an item chosen according to the guest's course.
- Course A: Bandana or socks
- Course B: Tote bag or T-shirt
- Course C: Scarf or drawstring bag (hotel guests only)
Guests choosing Course B or C pay an additional fee of ¥3,300 (tax included) per person on-site on the day of their stay.
Sewing
A name tag original to the facility is sewn onto the dyed item using a sewing machine (staff can assist with or perform this step on the guest's behalf).
Activity Details
Activity name: Cotton Seed Removal & Tamba Black Bean and Chestnut Plant-Dyeing Experience Stay Plan
Sales start date: Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Availability period: Tuesday, September 8 – Saturday, December 26, 2026
Time:
Check-in day: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Check-out day: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM / 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Price (activity add-on fee):
Adults (junior high school age and up): Accommodation rate (breakfast included) + ¥7,000 (tax included)
Elementary school children: Accommodation rate (breakfast included) + ¥4,000 (tax included)
The listed price includes the Course A experience fee. Guests selecting Course B or C pay an additional ¥3,300 (tax included) per person on-site.
Venue: SASAYAMA COTTON BASE (400 Noma, Tamba Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture)
Capacity: Up to 4 guests per group (groups of 1 are also welcome)
Age requirement: Elementary school age and up
Reservations: Advance reservation required, by 12:00 PM (noon) four days before your visit, through the reservation site below
Reservation URL: https://go-vmg.reservation.jp/ja/hotels/vmg-sasayama/plans/10202793
What to bring: Nothing in particular is required. As the activity involves dye, please wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty and shoes that are easy to move in.
For further details, see: https://www.kazenoheritage.jp/hotels/sasayama/activity/kusakizome/
About SASAYAMA COTTON BASE
SASAYAMA COTTON BASE opened in the Noma district of Tamba Sasayama City on April 29, 2025, as a facility run by Samurai Jeans, a domestic replica jeans maker. Visitors can experience turning harvested cotton into thread and fabric, as well as dyeing with black beans. Under the concept of being "100% made in Japan, from raw materials onward," the company established Samurai Cotton Farm in Noma to grow cotton, cultivating Japanese cotton without pesticides on roughly 3 hectares of farmland. The facility covers everything from growing and processing cotton to craftsmanship, offering a place where visitors can experience the entire process, from touching the cotton to the finished product.
SASAYAMA COTTON BASE official website: https://www.samurai-j.com/about-5
Samurai Jeans official website: https://www.samurai-j.com/
About Sasayama Joka-machi Hotel NIPPONIA
Sasayama Joka-machi Hotel NIPPONIA is a distributed hotel offering a travel experience of staying as though blending into a historic town. It treats the entire castle town, with 400 years of history, as a single hotel, restoring eight historic buildings scattered across the town, including residences over 100 years old and rowhouses built in the late Edo period, into guest room buildings, a front desk building, and more, while preserving their original character and respecting their history.
Guests are invited to explore the town of Tamba Sasayama during their stay, encountering its beautiful streetscape and everyday life along the way.
Learn more about Sasayama Joka-machi Hotel NIPPONIA: https://www.kazenoheritage.jp/hotels/sasayama/
Address: 25 Nishimachi, Tamba Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture (ONAE Building)
