Born and raised in Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima, Japan. Although Asami spends the majority of her life abroad, away from her birth country, her spirit and heart are instilled in her Japanese tradition. One of her dreams is to invite students to travel to Japan together. She knows sharing the beauty of the country, culture, people, nature, and the way of Omotenashi (hospitality) would bring peace and calmness into people’s lives.

Asami has been teaching yoga for 15 years with emphasis on biomechanical alignment and creating a flow state combining different styles of yoga. Her gift is to bridge the gap between the physical and spiritual aspects of yoga by infusing each practice with life-affirming Tantric philosophy. She openly shares her life lessons with her students to bring humanness. Her teaching is relatable, fun and caring, so yoga can be rooted in people’s bodies, minds and hearts. 

Asami is grateful to bring her family from Montreal and her mother, Yuko, from Sydney to the retreat. Her family is excited to share themselves with the community to teach about the Japanese way of being, culture and mannerisms.

Learn more: asamiyoga.com

California born, Japanese American, 4th generation Yonsei, Kimiko found her French Canadian family roots in Montreal. After visiting Japan in 2015, a seed was planted to return and discover her Japanese heritage on pilgrimage. This retreat will be the start of a new adventure but filled with years in the making.

Like the Zen word, Unsui, Kimiko travels like a “cloud and water wander.” With her nomadic heart she traverses many landscapes around the world crafting flower essences and designing rituals based on 18 years of extensive study in yoga and ritual arts.

Known as a teacher of teachers, Kimiko is an educator and mentor who loves inviting students to step into their own empowerment with intuition, wisdom, and authenticity. A love of nature grounds all her offerings as she guides experiences that bridge the mystical with methodology. Her enthusiasm for adventure and soulful rest will offer the group expansive space and sacred introspection for a perfectly balanced retreat.

Yuko has been teaching Japanese to foreigners since 1995. She is also a mother of three and grandmother of four. She lives in Sydney, Australia, and operates her Japanese language school, Nihongo Juku. Although she has been living abroad since 2003, she is passionate about learning and sharing Japanese culture. She loves practicing flower arrangements Ikebana— and wearing Kimonos. Yuko will be sharing her knowledge of Japanese Saho– mannerisms and hosting a casual short Japanese language lesson for you to learn simple Japanese phrases to the group.