We Cleaned Out a Historic Japanese Ryokan... and Found Treasure

Episode 4 of Ruins to Retreat (Sanso Tōda, Fukuoka, Japan): We clean out mountains of clutter inherited with our 230-year-old ryokan and two akiya in the mountains of Fukuoka, Japan. Is there anything worth keeping? Our journey leads to magical new friendships, unmasked beauty, and an unexpected discovery that we still can't believe. And that’s only the beginning… ______________________________ 👉 Subscribe:    / @sansotoda   📸 Instagram:   / sansotoda   🔗 Subscribe to our Monthly Newsletter to be notified when bookings become available: https://www.sansotoda.com ______________________________ Chapters: 00:00 Intro 02:15 Open Up 06:31 Grease to Grace 13:41 The Mampei 16:27 Water & Fire 19:51 Decluttering Boss Fight 28:40 Ri the Recycler 32:45 Dōjō 34:08 The Wood Master 38:36 Mineral Bath Lab 42:03 Irasshaimase 45:18 The Things We Choose To Keep 52:16 Treasure 58:29 Ippo Ippo ______________________________ 🎹 Music Credits: Impromptu Fantasie, Opus 66 Composer: Frederic Chopin Free for commercial use Genres: Classical Music Artist: Frank Levy Classical Guitar Music Composer: Agustin Pio Barrios Free for commercial use Genres: Classical Music Artist: Edson Lopes Traumerei Composer: Robert Schumann Free for commercial use Genres: Classical Music Artist: Donald Betts https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larsse... License code: CWFU5V3VOM0TVK7H https://uppbeat.io/t/poetri/plant-lif... License code: 3KWQEJGEWATHPKZP ______________________________ Videography & Photography: Roy, Akiko, Josh, Tom, John, Hiro Editing: Roy ______________________________ Note: This video originally went live on 12/25/2025. I took it down about 15 hours later to fix a face-blurring issue that did not render properly. I’m truly sorry to anyone who was mid-watch, had it saved for later, or took the time to leave a thoughtful comment that disappeared! The issue was severe enough that I felt it was the only option. When I removed the original upload, there were 18,639 views 2,196 likes 303 comments! That is unbelievable!! Thank you so much!! I did get to see all of the wonderful and inspiring comments. Thank you. That made the decision to reboot the video all the more difficult. Thank you for your patience, grace and humor about the situation. ______________________________ Thank you everyone who appeared in this video for your kindness and support! Thank you Akiko and kids for giving me the space and encouragement to work long hours on this video! Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU to you for being on this journey with us! ______________________________ Dedicated to Moshe ______________________________ Sanso Toda, Sanso Tōda, 山荘透雫, ruins to retreat, Japanese ryokan, ryokan renovation, akiya, akiya renovation, abandoned Japan, Japan renovation, rural Japan, Fukuoka Japan, old ryokan, historic ryokan, kominka renovation, Japanese countryside, Japanese architecture, traditional Japan, before and after renovation, decluttering, Japanese decluttering, cleaning out abandoned house, demolition prep, restoration project, renovation vlog, property tour Japan, retreat center Japan, wellness retreat Japan, yoga retreat Japan, meditation retreat Japan, nature retreat, waterfall Japan, river in Japan, dojo renovation, shoji repair, wood restoration, Japanese carpentry, woodworking Japan, onsen bath renovation, mineral bath, sauna project, hospitality Japan, irasshaimase, transformation story, spiritual growth, mindful living, expat life Japan, moving to Japan, Japan real estate, Japan property, akiya life #SansoToda #JapaneseRyokan #Akiya #RuinsToRetreat #AbandonedJapan #Renovation #BeforeAndAfter #Decluttering #Fukuoka #Japan #WellnessRetreat #YogaRetreat #Meditation #古民家再生 #旅館