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Intern's Impressions on Lodge

A happy introduction to 

The 2 longest-staying "guests" at Manba Kogen Lodge

Those 2 guests are none other than the 2 interns - individuals who assisted Mitsuo-san in building this website. And here are the real feelings written by the interns themselves during their 2-month stay here.

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Nguyen Thuy Duong​ - Hannah

Hello, thank you very much for taking the time to visit this website. A few words about myself, my name is Nguyễn Thuỳ Dương, an intern from Vietnam. In Japan, everyone often calls me by the name Hannah. I am very pleased to have the opportunity to come to Japan to work and get to know Mitsuo-san through this experience.

During our time living and working in Japan, the Thai and I had the chance to stay at Manba Kogen Lodge. And this is probably the second-best living experience I've had (since the best one is my home in Vietnam (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵) ).

Hello, this is Jop from Thailand! Staying at the lodge has been an amazing experience. The surrounding mountains and comfy lounge gets my mind going and helps me stay refreshed and focused. It's great to go out for a walk and enjoy the air sometimes. On sunny days the sky is unbelievably blue. Walking down the mountain in good weather is a really nice feeling! (Going up can be tiring though, unless if you're perhaps an avid hiker.)

The lodge kitchen is also expansive, if cooking is your thing. I haven't cooked much before, but I've started practicing here. Life here is really calm and peaceful so you can take your time and create new dishes each day. Mitsuo-san's cooking is also great. It was a great chance to try Japanese homemade cuisine and seasoning.

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Nattamon Polvichai -
Jop

More about lodge - interns's point of view

Impressively relaxing fragrance 

When stepping into the lodge, I was deeply impressed by the woody scent that permeates the place. Every corner of the room is filled with a comfortable and cozy atmosphere, like a meeting between architecture and nature.

 

I asked Mitsuo-san about this particular scent, he replied that the lodge was originally built using the "chemical-free house" method (Mutenka house), with entirely natural and high-quality materials. So, when entering the house, the new wooden materials have a distinct fragrance.

What we loved most about the main room here is the diversity of items. Mitsuo-san enjoys collecting and storing souvenirs from the places he has traveled to, or gifts from guests visiting this lodge.

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Sake collection (and also Soju)

This diversity first has to be mentioned in a small corner showcasing various types of sake and soju. Mitsuo-san said that regular guests always bring a small gift, and they often bring sake, gradually filling up that small corner with bottles of colorful and different-sized liquor.

Coffee and tea collection

Next up is the kitchen corner of this lodge. From white to colored cups, from round to square shapes, from porcelain to glass cups, Mitsuo-san has collected a great variety. Following that are different types of tea, coffee, and spices. Hannah is quite thrilled to contribute to enriching Mitsuo-san's drink corner with packages of Trung Nguyên coffee.

Big couch and many armchairs

Here, what we really enjoy is the presence of sofas and comfortable chairs placed in various spots, some offering a panoramic view of the mountains and town. Throughout our stay and work here, every day we choose a different place to sit. Hannah's favorite spot is beside the fireplace (since our time here is in winter), while Jop prefers a corner table with a view of the mountains.

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​Simple but relaxing bedrooms

The bedroom also carries a distinctive and relaxing woody scent. The blankets, pillows, and mattresses here are specially selected and prepared by Mitsuo-san. To be honest, initially when we came to Japan, we were afraid that we would have trouble sleeping in an unfamiliar place. However, we've had some wonderful nights of sleep during our time here.

 2 single rooms

4 double rooms

During their internship, Hannah and Jop used two single rooms. The rooms were simple, but the scenery outside the window was breathtaking every day. Especially in the mornings, from Hannah's room, you could clearly see the sun rising behind the mountains and enjoy the sunset every evening. Here are some peaceful moments captured from Hannah's room.

Shared bathrooms

The bathrooms and toilets are available on both floors, but those on the second floor are newer and naturally carry the pleasant woody scent since the entire floor is made of wood. Although they are shared facilities, everything is tidy and well-organized, equipped with all necessary amenities. The washing machine is located in the same bathroom on the first floor, and laundry detergent is also provided for everyone's use.

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First floor bathroom has a washing machine

The lodge has separate men's and women's bathrooms on the first floor, and although it retains its old architecture without renovations, Mitsuo-san always keeps them clean. The only thing is that in winter, this room has tiled floors and no heating, so it can be quite cold. Therefore, we often use the bathrooms on the second floor, where there is ample heating, ensuring a more comfortable temperature in winter.

Second floor female bathroom

Second floor male bathroom

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​Upon looking back,

We truly had comfortable and wonderful experiences. Along with Mitsuo-san's excellent investment in this lodge, we feel like we are living a modern and convenient life while being harmoniously connected with nature.

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